NEW ORLEANS –Â Entergy Corporation, a national leader in sustainability and environmental stewardship, has earned a place on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America for 20 straight years. The DJSI is one of the most prestigious environmental, social and governance rankings for corporate responsibility and sustainability performance. Entergy has long committed to sustainability performance across ESG performance criteria. Only the most sustainable companies in each industry are considered each year for index membership.
Entergy is the only company in the electric utility sector to be included on the index for 20 consecutive years. It is one of only four companies in the sector named to this year’s list.
“At Entergy, we understand that the challenges facing the world – from climate change to rising inequalities – are inextricably linked and that the business community plays a key role in ensuring a sustainable future for everyone,” said Leo Denault, Entergy chairman and chief executive officer. “Entergy’s commitment to driving positive business, social and environmental impacts spans our entire company and value chain. It is an honor to be recognized by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for our 20-year focus on creating equitable growth and prosperity for all of our stakeholders.”
The North America Index reflects the sustainability performance in 2020 of the top 20% of the 600 largest North American companies in the S&P Global Broad Market Index. DJSI names sustainability leaders based on an assessment of environmental, social and economic criteria, including a company’s ESG strategy, risk and opportunity management, and performance. Entergy earned perfect scores in the areas of environmental reporting, social reporting, water-related risks and materiality. The company also achieved top-decile rankings in innovation management, environmental policy and management systems, climate strategy, transmission and distribution, corporate citizenship and philanthropy, stakeholder engagement, risk and crisis management and corporate governance, information security/cybersecurity, market opportunities, occupational health and safety, and codes of business conduct.
Some highlights of Entergy’s ESG leadership and sustainable value creation in 2020 include:
- Entergy was prepared to respond to the unexpected last year, including the COVID-19 pandemic. To help reduce the burdens of the pandemic on customers, Entergy utilities worked with government regulators to suspend all electricity and gas shutoffs for nearly a year, keeping power and gas services on for our 3 million customers.
- The company also responded to the record-breaking 2020 Atlantic hurricane season with five named storms that struck Entergy’s four-state service area. Following Hurricane Laura, Entergy mobilized at the time its largest power restoration workforce in company history.
- Entergy strengthened and accelerated its climate action strategy with a commitment to achieving net-zero emissions for all greenhouse gases across all of Entergy’s businesses by 2050. Entergy is also partnering with commercial and industrial customers on innovative, clean energy solutions like beneficial electrification programs to help them reduce their carbon footprint and achieve their own sustainability goals.
- With an estimated 25% of Entergy customers living at or below the poverty level, company shareholders contributed nearly $19 million in financial support to help power stronger, healthier and sustainable communities. Despite the challenges imposed by the pandemic, Entergy employees and retirees logged more than 95,000 volunteer service hours, valued at an approximate $3.4 million contribution to our communities.
- The company helped communities attract more than 7,500 new jobs and nearly $13 billion in capital investment to its service territory. Entergy is consistently recognized as a driving force for economic development projects, capital investment and job creation within its four-state service region.
- While 2020 was defined by forces and events that threatened to divide us, including social and political unrest, Entergy employees united around a common purpose, grounded in our core values, to power the lives of those we serve. A key focus of achieving that mission is by championing diversity, inclusion and belonging in the workplace.
Entergy is proud to have been the first electric utility in the United States to voluntarily stabilize its greenhouse gas emissions in 2001. Since then, the company has renewed and strengthened its climate action goals several times. Today, Entergy operates one of the cleanest large-scale power generating fleets in the United States, according to the 2021 Benchmarking Air Emissions Report by independent environmental firm M.J. Bradley & Associates. The company was recently recognized with an Organizational Leadership award during the Climate Leadership Conference for its dedication in transforming its power generation portfolio to cleaner, modern and more efficient energy sources for the benefit of all stakeholders.
