MERRILLVILLE, Ind., Sept. 15, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- NiSource Inc. (NYSE: NI) was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) North America in recognition of the company's sustainable business practices and performance for the second consecutive year.
"We're pleased to maintain our status as a DJSI North America Index member," NiSource President and Chief Executive Officer Joseph Hamrock said. "This is a result of a focused strategy and the continued efforts of our more than 7,000 employees and our key business partners. As this recognition in sustainability leadership illustrates, we're deeply committed to serving our customers, employees and other key stakeholders in a way that balances immediate and long-term benefits."
The DJSI North America Index and respective subsets track the performance of the top 20 percent of the 600 largest Canadian and United States companies in the S&P Global Broad Market Index. In the Multi and Water Utilities category, 14 North American companies were evaluated and four were selected. Since its launch in 1999, NiSource has been named to the DJSI nine times.
Transparent Sustainability Reporting
NiSource issues an annual Sustainability Report that tracks the company's progress toward building a tradition of customer-focused solutions, environmental stewardship and social responsibility. Information from the annual Sustainability Report is used as part of the DJSI evaluation process.
Performance highlights from NiSource's latest Sustainability Report included:
- Reliability and access through modern infrastructure: In 2014, NiSource invested more than $2.2 billion in modern pipes, wires and systems across our operations to continue to provide safe and reliable service for our customers.
- Customer savings: Through energy efficiency programs across NiSource's utilities, customers saved approximately $16 million.
- Giving back: In 2014, NiSource donated approximately $6.2 million to organizations that are working to make a difference in communities across its service territories.
- Culture of safety and engagement: In 2014, NiSource continued to improve its employee safety rates and maintained high levels of employee engagement.
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions: Continued modernization upgrades are resulting in a reduction of greenhouse gas fugitive emissions by as much as 99 percent.
- Supplier diversity record: NiSource spent approximately $150 million with diverse suppliers in 2014, exceeding its prior record of $104 million.
- Delivering shareholder value: Over a five-year period ending September 30, 2014, NiSource delivered 262 percent total shareholder return.
- Ethics recognition: For the fourth year in a row, NiSource was designated as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute.
NiSource's 2014 Sustainability Report and related materials are available at http://www.nisource.com/sustainability. All data presented in the 2014 report includes Columbia Pipeline Group information, which was part of NiSource for all of 2014 and then separated into an independent company on July 1, 2015.
About DJSI Indices
Identified by RobecoSAM, the DJSI evaluates corporations based on a variety of criteria including climate change strategies, energy consumption, human resources development, knowledge management, stakeholder relations and corporate governance. The indices serve as benchmarks for investors who integrate sustainability considerations into their portfolios, and provide an effective engagement platform for companies who want to adopt sustainable best practices. More information about the DJSI is available at http://www.sustainability-indices.com/.
About NiSource
NiSource Inc. (NYSE: NI) is one of the largest fully-regulated utility companies in the United States, serving approximately 3.5 million natural gas customers and 500,000 electric customers across seven states through its local Columbia Gas and NIPSCO brands. Based in Merrillville, Indiana, NiSource's more than 7,000 employees are focused on safely delivering reliable and affordable energy to our customers and communities we serve. NiSource has been designated a World's Most Ethical Company by the Ethisphere Institute since 2012 and is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability – North America Index. Additional information about NiSource, its investments in modern infrastructure and systems, its commitments and its local brands can be found at www.nisource.com. NI-F
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SOURCE NiSource Inc.