Ameren in the spotlight for diversity and inclusion

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May 19, 2022, 11:30 ET

People-centered culture propels Ameren to earn top rankings in four categories from DiversityInc

ST. LOUIS, May 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ameren Corporation's (NYSE: AEE) commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) has once again distinguished it as an employer of choice in the region.

This marks the 14th consecutive year that Ameren has ranked as one of the nation's top utilities for DE&I, the third time being recognized as DiversityInc's top-ranked utility. In addition, the company was placed in the Top 50 of all types of companies nationwide for environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance, as well as being named a Top Company for Veterans and Black Executives.

DiversityInc annually ranks companies based on the hiring, retention and promotion of women, minorities, people with disabilities and LGBTQ+ employees.

"Ameren's focus on diversity, equity and inclusion is a strength that gives us a competitive business advantage," said Gwen Mizell, vice president, chief sustainability and diversity officer of Ameren. "We hire employees who reflect the communities we serve, and we give them the space to innovate and share new ideas freely. This alignment of our strategy, culture and values is what sets us apart from other companies."

As head of sustainability and diversity, Mizell has been integrating Ameren's environmental stewardship, positive social impact and robust corporate governance initiatives into the company's strategy to execute its vision To Lead the Way to a Sustainable Energy Future.

"All Ameren co-workers are expected to live our core values, which include diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as respect and teamwork and having the courage to stand up for what is right," said Marty Lyons, president and chief executive officer of Ameren. "While we are privileged to once again receive these rankings from DiversityInc, we recognize there is much more work to be done as we have an obligation to serve every customer in every community, to make sure we are giving back and working to help our communities thrive and grow."

Some of the initiatives that earned Ameren these top honors include:

Pledging $10 million over five years to nonprofits working for racial equity and opportunity.
Holding an annual virtual DE&I summit with community leaders and Ameren co-workers and encouraging employees to volunteer with organizations working toward equity.
Investing in a robust supplier diversity program which resulted in a record $900 million on projects delivered by women-owned, minority-owned and veteran-owned companies in 2021.
Continuing to facilitate several types of diversity training and mentorship programs, including Discussions Across Differences.
Building a more diverse workforce through intentional recruiting, such as Ameren's Hiring Our Heroes program to hire veterans and the Bright Return Program to give opportunities to mid-career professionals to return to a career after voluntarily leaving the workforce.
Providing employee resource groups (ERGs) for women, veterans, minority groups and LGBTQ+ employees, including the addition of two new ERGs in 2021.
Engaging more than 1,600 Ameren co-workers in more than 7,000 hours of DE&I learning with the launch of the ConvERGing: Learning and Action program.

For more information about Ameren's diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, including the 2021 DE&I Annual Report, visit Ameren.com/company/careers/diversity.com.

The DiversityInc survey is the most comprehensive, data-driven D&I analysis of some of the largest U.S. employers. The assessment collects data across six key areas: Leadership Accountability, Human Capital Diversity Metrics, Talent Programs, Workforce Practices, Supplier Diversity, and Philanthropy. To view the entire Top 50 list and specialty lists, visit DiversityInc.com/Top 50.

Opportunities at Ameren
Ameren is an industry-leading and innovative Fortune 500 company that is a vital part of the communities it serves, building a sustainable energy future for generations to come. Ameren currently has more than 600 open positions in Missouri and Illinois, including opportunities in IT, supply chain, human resources, skilled craft and engineering. Learn more about Ameren's job openings and comprehensive total rewards package at Ameren.com/Careers.

About Ameren Corporation
St. Louis-based Ameren Corporation powers the quality of life for 2.4 million electric customers and more than 900,000 natural gas customers in a 64,000-square-mile area through its Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois rate-regulated utility subsidiaries. Ameren Illinois provides electric transmission and distribution service and natural gas distribution service. Ameren Missouri provides electric generation, transmission and distribution services, as well as natural gas distribution service. Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois operates a rate-regulated electric transmission business in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. For more information, visit Ameren.com, or follow us on Twitter at @AmerenCorp, Facebook.com/AmerenCorp, or LinkedIn.com/company/Ameren.

SOURCE Ameren Corporation