Ameren ranked top utility in the nation for diversity and inclusion

DiversityInc also ranks Ameren #2 among all regionally-based companies and a top company for Environmental, Social and Governance

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Ameren Corporation

May 18, 2021, 10:00 ET

ST. LOUIS, May 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- When it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I), Ameren Corporation (NYSE: AEE) has earned the top spot among U.S. utilities, according to DiversityInc. The organization annually ranks companies based on the hiring, retention and promotion of women, minorities, people with disabilities and LGBTQ+ employees.

For the second time, Ameren also was named among the Top 50 of all types of companies nationwide for ESG (environment, social and governance) performance, a recognition of the company's strong sustainability strategy and continued commitments to clean energy and environmental stewardship, employees and the community. The Top 50 list includes major national brands, such as Walmart, General Motors, United Airlines and Johnson & Johnson.

"We are proud to be recognized for our commitment to create a diverse and inclusive workforce, which is one of our core values," said Sharon Harvey Davis, vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion at Ameren and the company's chief diversity officer. "We believe a culture that values diversity and fosters equity and inclusion is critical to our ability to fulfill our mission – to power the quality of life for our customers and in our communities, not only through the energy we provide but also through volunteerism, philanthropy, energy assistance and sponsorships."

This marks the 13th consecutive year that Ameren has ranked as one of the nation's top utilities for DE&I. For the third year in a row, Ameren was ranked among the Top 10 regional companies for DE&I, earning the second highest spot this year. Some of the initiatives that earned Ameren these top honors include:

Pledging $10 million over the next five years to nonprofits working for racial equity and opportunity.
Holding a 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 $810 million on projects delivered by women-owned, minority-owned and veteran-owned companies in 2020.
Continuing to facilitate several types of diversity training and mentorship programs, including the Discussions Across Differences and Be Courageous conversation series, which are available on Ameren.com.
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 resource groups for women, veterans, minority groups and LGBTQ+ employees.

"In addition to the diversity and inclusion recognition, being recognized as a Top 50 company for ESG reinforces that we are on the right path toward realizing our vision of leading the way to a sustainable energy future," said Warner Baxter, chairman, president and chief executive officer at Ameren. "Our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, our goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and our ongoing support of our communities are just a few of the ways Ameren is living our sustainability principles every day. It's all part of how we provide customers with safe, reliable and affordable energy today, and transform to a smarter grid and a clean energy future."

For more information about Ameren's ESG performance, including its 2021 sustainability report, visit Ameren.com/Sustainability.

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/top50.

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