Duke Energy provides more than $1 million in grants to support social justice, racial equity

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Aug 12, 2020, 14:00 ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy, through its foundation, today announced the recipients of more than $1 million in employee-directed grants to nonprofit organizations committed to social justice and racial equity.

Grants will be distributed to 80 organizations across seven states where the company has electric and gas customers – North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee.

On June 8, Duke Energy pledged $1 million to support social justice and racial equity. In a first for the company, Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas employees helped identify which organizations in each state would receive support. Those came from the company's Advocates for African Americans employee resource group, as well as other diversity and inclusion councils.

A complete list of grantees can be found here.

"When Duke Energy committed to giving $1 million across its jurisdictions to support social justice and racial equity and engaged employees to identify and direct the funds in our communities, I was honored to be a part of the process," said Chiquita Clark, chair of Duke Energy's Florida chapter of Advocates for African Americans and member of Duke Energy's enterprise Diversity and Inclusion Council. "I'm proud of the company's response and actions we are taking both internally and externally to be a positive voice for change."

One example of an organization receiving support to reduce disparate outcomes is the Pinellas County, Fla., Urban League.

"Our Pinellas County Urban League and our Urban League Young Professionals are pleased to partner with Duke Energy in heightening our role of being a major advocate, especially for those people who are most vulnerable in society, seeking, in part, to ensure their voices are heard on issues important to them, and their views and wishes genuinely considered when decisions are being made about their lives," said Watson L. Haynes II, president and CEO, Pinellas County Urban League.

Duke Energy is also strengthening its internal diversity and inclusion programs to foster greater awareness, respect and inclusion.

"Duke Energy is committed to being part of the long-term solution to end systemic racism and inequality," said Joni Davis, Duke Energy chief diversity and inclusion officer. "We believe in living by our values and cultivating a workplace and community that make diversity, equity and inclusion a priority."

In addition to these grants, employees also have the opportunity to support local organizations through the Duke Energy Foundation's matching grant program, Dollars4Good, as well as its Hours4Good program, which enables employees to earn grants for volunteer hours logged.

The $1 million in grants and expanded internal programs build upon the company's past efforts to support and encourage diversity, inclusion and equity in our company and communities.

The company will continue to engage local organizations and leaders to understand how to be a part of the long-term solution to the social justice issues our communities face.

Learn more on Duke Energy's illumination website about the employee-directed grant process.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S. It employs 29,000 people and has an electric generating capacity of 51,000 megawatts through its regulated utilities and 2,300 megawatts through its nonregulated Duke Energy Renewables unit.

Duke Energy is transforming its customers' experience, modernizing the energy grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and communities it serves. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure unit's regulated utilities serve 7.8 million retail electric customers in six states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to 1.6 million customers in five states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The Duke Energy Renewables unit operates wind and solar generation facilities across the U.S., as well as energy storage and microgrid projects.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2020 "World's Most Admired Companies" list and Forbes' "America's Best Employers" list. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Piedmont Natural Gas

Piedmont Natural Gas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, is an energy services company whose principal business is the distribution of natural gas to more than 1 million residential, commercial and industrial customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. The company also supplies natural gas to power plants. Piedmont is routinely recognized by J.D. Power for excellent customer satisfaction, and has been named by Cogent Reports as one of the most trusted utility brands in the U.S.

Contact: Shawna Berger
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Twitter: @DE_ShawnaB

SOURCE Duke Energy