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Duke Energy Celebrates LGBTQ Teammates and Their Allies
During National Pride Month, employee groups support the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion
Duke Energy Celebrates LGBTQ Teammates and Their Allies
During National Pride Month, employee groups support the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion
Published 06-20-19
Submitted by Duke Energy
Below: Duke Energy employees at the Charlotte Pride parade. From left, back row: Andy Jones, Montana Johnson, middle row: Lara Nichols, Dawn Haley, Kamille Jones, front: Katie PerezWhen a colleague told Keith Gifford about Duke Energy’s employee resource group for LGBTQ individuals and straight allies, Gifford didn’t hesitate to join. For him, being an ally comes from a personal place.
Gifford, a transmission project manager, still thinks about his high school friend who came out to him in college more than two decades ago. Gifford accepted his friend’s revelation, but not everyone did.
“Being out wasn’t fully accepted 25 or 30 years ago, so it was a difficult thing to do back then,” Gifford said. “Ultimately, my friend took his own life. And while I don’t know why, I can’t help but think [the negative reactions] played a part.”
Duke Energy
Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 50,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 27,600 people.
Duke Energy is executing an ambitious clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company has interim carbon emission targets of at least 50% reduction from electric generation by 2030, 50% for Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 upstream and downstream emissions by 2035, and 80% from electric generation by 2040. In addition, the company is investing in major electric grid enhancements and energy storage, and exploring zero-emission power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.
Duke Energy was named to Fortune’s 2023 “World’s Most Admired Companies” list and Forbes’ “World’s Best Employers” list. More information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy’s illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
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