PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 5, 2013--
NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NRG) capped off its 2013 charitable giving
program with its first-time inclusion in the Civic 50, an annual
initiative that identifies and recognizes the top S&P 500 companies for
their commitment to improve the quality of life in the communities where
they do business.
“We are honored to be recognized for our civic efforts,” said David
Crane, NRG’s President and CEO. “To be in the top echelon among
America’s 500 leading companies for our corporate citizenship is an
achievement that speaks directly to our core values. Our employees
strive to be a positive force in helping to support and improve the
quality of life in every community that we touch.”
For the 2012 reporting year, NRG provided more than $5.4 million in cash
grants to 501c3 nonprofits that support local community needs. In
addition, NRG completed a $1 million commitment for solar projects at
schools and farms in Haiti. Almost 60% of all NRG employees participated
in company-sponsored volunteerism in 2012, donating an average of five
hours per person.
The Civic 50 list also takes environmental impact into account, and in
2012 NRG highlighted several accomplishments:
-
Achieved 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 2000
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Returned 97.6% of water used for power generation to the original
source
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Purchased 15,000 tons of carbon credits to offset NRG’s travel-related
carbon footprint
-
Provided free METRORail rides to 100,000 Rodeo attendees and 155,000
football fans in Houston to encourage mass transit and take cars off
the road
This year, in addition to NRG’s ongoing giving efforts, more than
$340,000 was raised through fundraising efforts and donations from the
company, its employees and business partners, mostly benefiting national
and local STEM education programs. NRG employees contributed more than
8,000 volunteer hours in 2013 for local community projects and also for
improvement projects in Haiti. More than 1,400 employees in 17 states
participated in the sixth annual NRG Global Giving Day in May, providing
volunteer services to 60 local charities.
“Our employees have a genuine passion for giving back to our local
communities and to organizations that really need support,” said
Jennifer Brunelle, head of NRG Global Giving. “As a company, we believe
in the value of being a good neighbor and we encourage our employees to
take time out of their jobs to volunteer at local charities year-round.”
The Civic 50 survey was conducted by the National Conference on
Citizenship (NCoC), a nonprofit organization that identifies best
practices in civic engagement, and Points of Light, a volunteer
organization that aims to address critical needs in communities.
Criteria include how much financial and human resources are applied to
civic improvement, how a company’s community engagement activities
support its business interests, and how broadly community engagement is
supported and institutionalized within a company’s policies, systems and
incentives.
About NRG
NRG is leading a customer-driven change in the U.S. energy industry by
delivering cleaner and smarter energy choices, while building on the
strength of the nation’s largest and most diverse competitive power
portfolio. A Fortune 500 company, we create value through reliable and
efficient conventional generation while driving innovation in solar and
renewable power, electric vehicle ecosystems, carbon capture technology
and customer-centric energy solutions. Our retail electricity providers
– Reliant, Green Mountain Energy, Energy Plus and NRG Residential
Solutions – serve more than 2 million residential and commercial
customers throughout the country. More information is available at www.nrgenergy.com.
Connect with NRG Energy on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @nrgenergy.
Source: NRG Energy, Inc.
NRG Energy, Inc.
Karen Cleeve, 609-524-4608
or
Michelle
Tsai, 609-524-5324