PR Newswire | Feb 8, 2021 09:30AM EST

Equality

02/08 08:29 CST

AEP Receives Perfect Score, Named One of the Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 8, 2021

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) was named one of the Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. AEP earned a perfect score for the second consecutive year on the foundation's 2021 Corporate Equality Index, an annual measure of how equitably large businesses in the United States treat their lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer employees, consumers and investors.

"AEP is proud to be recognized again as one of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality," said Nicholas K. Akins, AEP chairman, president and chief executive officer. "Building a diverse workforce that embraces different perspectives and experiences is an important part of our vision for a brighter energy future. We'll continue implementing policies and programs that advance inclusion, equity and belonging for all of our colleagues, while also advocating for positive change in our communities."

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation rating criteria is based on four pillars: non-discrimination policies across business entities; equitable benefits for LGBTQ workers and their families; supporting an inclusive culture; and corporate social responsibility.

AEP's perfect score was achieved by meeting the following requirements:

* Prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity for all operations * Equivalency in same- and different-sex spousal and domestic partner medical and soft benefits * Equal health coverage for transgender individuals without exclusion for medically necessary care * Three LGBTQ internal training and education best practices in place * Employee group or diversity council * Three distinct efforts of outreach or engagement to the broader LGBTQ community; and if a supplier diversity program is in place, it must include LGBTQ suppliers * Contractor/supplier non-discrimination standards and philanthropic giving guidelines

American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is focused on building a smarter energy infrastructure and delivering new technologies and custom energy solutions to our customers. AEP's approximately 17,000 employees operate and maintain the nation's largest electricity transmission system and more than 221,000 miles of distribution lines to efficiently deliver safe, reliable power to nearly 5.5 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation's largest electricity producers with approximately 30,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including more than 5,300 megawatts of renewable energy. AEP's family of companies includes utilities AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana, east Texas and the Texas Panhandle). AEP also owns AEP Energy, AEP Energy Partners, AEP OnSite Partners, and AEP Renewables, which provide innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide. For more information, visit aep.com.

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SOURCE American Electric Power