NiSource Named a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality

MERRILLVILLE, Ind., Nov. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- NiSource Inc. NI proudly announced today that it received a perfect score of 100 percent on the 2018 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) workplace equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. NiSource joins the ranks of 609 major U.S. businesses which also earned top marks this year.

The 2018 CEI rated 947 businesses in the report, which evaluates LGBTQ-related policies and practices including non-discrimination workplace protections, domestic partner benefits, transgender-inclusive health care benefits, competency programs and public engagement with the LGBTQ community. NiSource meets all of the CEI's criteria and therefore is designated as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality.

It marks the third consecutive year that NiSource has participated in the CEI, but the first time the company achieved a perfect score.

"The diversity of our employees is ingrained in who we are, and each employee plays a role in building NiSource's culture of inclusion and diversity," said NiSource Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer Carrie Hightman, who also serves as the company's Executive Inclusion & Diversity Champion. "This honor as a best place to work for LGBTQ equality is recognition of the many stories of our employees across NiSource that together create an environment where each employee has the opportunity to bring their true self to work and ultimately reach their full potential."

In 2017, NiSource employees mobilized to create a new Employee Resource Group (ERG) called NiPRIDE, which is focused on attracting talented LGBTQ individuals to our team, and to retain, develop and otherwise support LGBTQ employees and their allies. NiPRIDE is one of seven NiSource ERGs, with the others focused on African Americans (LEAD), Latinos (GOLD), Asians (PACE), women (DAWN), veterans (NiVETS), and employees new to the company (Genesis).

Learn more about our culture of inclusion and diversity at www.nisource.com and through this video: https://youtu.be/ZTviUAo0ikA.

About NiSource
NiSource Inc. 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 approximately 8,000 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, is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability – North America Index and was named by Forbes magazine as the top rated utility among America's Best Large Employers in 2017 . Additional information about NiSource, its investments in modern infrastructure and systems, its commitments and its local brands can be found at www.nisource.com. Follow us at www.facebook.com/nisource, www.linkedin.com/company/nisource or www.twitter.com/nisourceinc. NI-F

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SOURCE NiSource Inc.