May 6,2009
For the second year in a row, National Grid U.S. has scored 100 percent in the annual Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s (HRC) Corporate Equality Index (CEI) for the company's commitment to creating a fair and equal workplace. The award was presented during a spring seminar and reception and as part of the recognition National Grid will be included on HRC's “Best Places to Work” list.
HRC is the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights organization. The Corporate Equality Index provides an in-depth analysis and rating of large U.S. employers and their policies and practices pertinent to LGBT employees, consumers and investors.
“National Grid is very pleased to receive a perfect score on the HRC Corporate Equality Index survey two years in a row,” said Nereida Perez, National Grid vice president for Inclusion and Diversity. “Our score reflects our commitment to be an employer of choice by creating an inclusive and diverse workforce which will enable the company to attract and retain the best people, improve our effectiveness, deliver superior performance and enhance the success of the company.”
National Grid provides same sex domestic partner benefits, supports an employee network called PRIDE US through which the company’s LGBT employees host meetings, provide community outreach and serve as a resource to the company and its employees.
Since its launch in 2002, the CEI has become the standard by which companies are measured in regard to LGBT diversity and inclusion. Companies are rated on a scale of 0 to 100 percent based on a number of criteria including their policies on diversity and inclusion, training, health care and domestic partnership benefits.
Of the 31 companies in the Energy and Utilities sector of the index, National Grid was one of five that scored top marks. The average score for the sector was 68 percent.
A copy of the 2009 index report can be downloaded from the HRC Web site: www.hrc.org/cei.
National Grid is an international energy delivery company. In the U.S., National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island, and manages the electricity network on Long Island under an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). It is the largest distributor of natural gas in the northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island. National Grid also owns over 4,000 megawatts of contracted electricity generation that provides power to over one million LIPA customers.