IGS Energy Social Impact Report 2023

THE FUTURE IS NOW

At IGS Energy, we have leadership that thinks long-term. We live and breathe the future. Because we know that to make big change happen — and big change does need to happen — we must start putting actions in place now.

In order to build a sustainable energy future, what we do — or don’t do — today is critical. So we continue taking thoughtful steps forward: We’re expanding our solar business, from residential rooftops to large installations that can be shared by entire communities to arrays that power giant warehouses and hospitals. We’re holistically supporting our commercial clients, helping them with advances from installing solar panels to adding charging stations for electric vehicles. We’re also partnering with dairy farms in the Midwest to capture the methane from cow manure and use it to create renewable natural gas.

NOW THE FUTURE IS

We’re playing the long game, and we’re confident we’ve got the team to win it.”

But beyond new products and services, the most important ingredient is our people. Because getting to the future we want requires a passionate and engaged team. We are a people-first company that believes investing in our employees to support their development, not just as employees but also as humans, is the first and best step toward a better tomorrow. (Our Chief People Officer, Jenni Kovach, is both a brilliant and inspiring leader, and I am especially grateful for her sharing her personal story within these pages.)

We also value different perspectives and experiences. We’re committed to diversity, equity, belonging, and inclusion across the organization. We’re looking for talent in new places and removing longstanding, default degree requirements where they’re not needed. We know good people when we meet them, and we’re confident we can support them in developing the skills our business needs — giving us the chance for a fulfilling, long-term relationship with them.

We know the work we do now to deliver the future we want will not bring instant change. But we’re playing the long game, and we’re confident we’ve got the team to win it.

Jen Bowden Vice President of Marketing and Social Impact

2023 BY THE NUMBERS

1,073,638 Customers served

21 Employees who traveled abroad to install solar

174 Nonprofits supported

$

1,892,896 Donated to nonprofits

1,600 Employees serving those customers

96% Employees who say they feel good about the ways IGS contributes to the community

4,877 Hours volunteered by IGS employees

8,171 Community solar enrollments

229,831

Carbon-neutral natural gas enrollments

1,506,755: Acres of forest this is equivalent to sequestering carbon for in 1 year

277,118

New green electricity enrollments

59,258: Garbage trucks of waste this is equivalent to recycling

719,579

Pieces of paper saved by going paperless at IGS HQ

86.35: Trees saved in 2023

62,319

kW of solar energy installed by IGS Solar

• Residential: 61,055 kW (61.06 MW)

• Commercial: 1,264 kW (1.26 MW)

The greenhouse gas emissions avoided because of this are equivalent to 15.3 tons of waste recycled instead of being landfilled

TOMORROW PLUGGING INTO

IGS Energy expands commercial offerings

The company is moving toward a more plugged-in future, where electric vehicles and efficient lighting and HVAC systems are integral parts of how organizations conduct business.

IGS wants to serve as a holistic partner for commercial customers seeking to stay ahead of the curve along the journey to a more sustainable energy future.

IGS believes alternative energy, and, specifically, solar power, will play a significant role in that future — especially for large energy users such as businesses, hospitals, schools, churches, and government.

The company’s goal is to serve as a trusted advisor for customers and build an energy strategy that best meets the customers’ goals through an expansive energy product portfolio, which could include supporting Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals.

The commercial energy solutions division is expanding its role beyond guiding customers through the implementation of solar energy. The team also serves as a holistic partner for customers who want to embrace a sustainable energy future by doing things like installing energy-efficient LED lighting and electric vehicle charging stations.

“Our team can help customers do solar, LED lighting installations, battery storage projects, EV chargers, or energy audits,” said IGS Vice President of Development for Commercial Energy Services, Patrick Smith.

“We want to be an integrated partner.”

Since starting its commercial solar work in 2014, IGS has delivered about 120 commercial solar projects on rooftops and in fields, bringing online 150 megawatts of generating power. End users run the gamut from manufacturers to nature preservation organizations to warehouses.

We want to be an integrated partner.”

— PATRICK SMITH, VP OF DEVELOPMENT FOR COMMERCIAL ENERGY SERVICES, IGS

IGS launched its first commercial solar projects on the East and West coasts. Those regions historically have offered friendlier environments for solar power, but that’s changing. Today, the Midwest, where most of IGS Energy’s traditional natural gas and electricity customers are located, has become a focus for the commercial energy solutions division. “The economics for solar in the Midwest,” Smith said, “are starting to make a more appealing case.”

COMMERCIAL SOLAR BY THE NUMBERS

10 Years IGS has offered commercial solar

120 Commercial projects completed

150 Megawatts of power generated

AHEAD FULL STEAM

IGS Energy launches project to turn cow manure into natural gas

IGS launched what is arguably its most innovative sustainability project to date: its dairy biogas program. The company is building facilities to capture methane from Midwest dairy farms and turn it into fuel for the transportation industry.

In line with its vision to help create a sustainable energy future, in 2023, IGS began building its first manure digesters on two farms, each with about 1,500 cows. Starting in summer 2024, IGS will process the manure onsite and truck the biogas produced to a centralized site to inject into the pipeline.

Plans call for building facilities on five more farms in Ohio and Indiana in 2024 and 2025, and the plan is that the program will continue to expand throughout the region in the future.

With its natural gas compression experience, pipeline access, and network of CNG (compressed natural gas) stations, IGS makes sense as a partner to farmers in methane capture work.

Not only does this process generate extra income for the farmers, but it has an added benefit of reducing the odors around dairy farms.

Methane from cows is more than just odorous. Agriculture is one of the world’s biggest methane producers, and the gas is believed to be responsible for about 30% of global warming, according to United Nations Environment Programme.

Processing cow manure to create a useable form of natural gas — that, in this case, will power natural gas truck fleets throughout the country — represents a net benefit to the environment, said IGS Vice President Dave Mrowzinski. That means every dekatherm of methane captured and put to work into the natural gas pipeline system benefits the planet and further preserves the fossil natural gas found in the ground.

“By capturing it,” he said, “we’re preventing a much more hazardous molecule — methane — from entering the atmosphere.”

And in doing so, IGS turns a challenge into a solution.

DAIRY BIOGAS BY THE NUMBERS

5 Dairy cows’ manure that can produce enough methane to heat a house for one year

10,000 Cows on the farms IGS is partnering with for its methane capture program

2,000,000 Gallons of liquid that IGS manure digesters will hold at each farm

THE PATH FORWARD

IGS Energy CEO, Scott White, shares his vision for the world’s transition to renewables

Building a sustainable energy future won’t happen overnight.

Good thing IGS President and CEO, Scott White, is a patient, long-term thinker — and keen on continuously evolving.

The challenge is clear: The growing global population — and its energy demands — has resulted in a 1,324% increase in carbon emissions since the Industrial Revolution. It’s meant higher temperatures, devastating weather events, and more.

The reality, White knows, is also apparent: Despite knowing carbon emissions are bad for the environment, people want modern innovations that have improved life, like cars and heated homes.

White’s goal is to find a way to deliver those comforts in a way that is more sustainable for Earth.

He and the team of 1,600 working alongside him are already doing it. The company that was founded in 1989 as Interstate Gas Supply — a wholesaler of natural gas — now offers a suite of sustainable products: from residential and commercial solar installations to energy monitoring and peak demand management. It has built a network of 20 compressed natural gas refueling stations, and it is turning methane from cow manure into truck fuel — among other innovations. Its purpose is to create a sustainable energy future for a healthier planet.

There’s only one way to do it, White says, “patiently.” But it can be done.

Start Today: 5 Simple Steps to Using Less Energy

Every household and business can reduce its carbon footprint by simply using less energy. Here are five easy ways to do it.

White’s vision is that carbon emissions could be cut in half over the next 20 years while still providing the energy needed for mass electrification. Here’s his recipe:

• Eliminate coal-fired generation

• Double nuclear generation, including micronuclear

Get a smart thermostat. Don’t worry, you still get to decide how warm or cool to keep your space. But a smart thermostat can record and analyze household patterns and optimize energy use to keep the air comfortable while saving energy.

Use LED lightbulbs. They may be more expensive to buy, but LED bulbs save money in the long run. They last longer than traditional incandescent bulbs and use 75% less energy.

Unplug things.

Why leave devices such as TVs, computers, and appliances with continuous energy draws running when you’re not using them? Unplugging these items, or using smart power strips you can switch off, can save energy in the same way turning off lights when leaving a room does.

1 2 3 4

Enjoy the gift of the sun. Using the natural sunlight (and heat) that streams through open blinds and curtains is great way to give your electricity use a breather. Just remember to close things again when the sun goes down.

5

Enroll in a clean energy program. Electricity and natural gas retailers such as IGS Energy offer ways to lower your home’s carbon footprint by sourcing customers’ power using sustainable means. Take advantage of these options when available.

• Half of passenger vehicles move to EVs within 20 years

• Introduce hydrogen and renewable natural gas into existing natural gas pipeline infrastructure

• Dramatically increase rooftop solar — by 10x

• Double wind generation

• Move 10% of heavy vehicles to CNG

“Cutting our carbon in half over 20 years would be a staggering accomplishment,” White said. “Because at the same time, we’re going to continue to provide the energy essential for human prosperity.”

Fast-forward to the future, and IGS could be helping manage the time of day when people charge their vehicles and remotely controlling hot water tanks to efficiently manage use of the electrical grid.

“If we can manage, in totality, the energy of one house,” White said, “then we can manage the energy of many homes and businesses.”

It’s a level White is confident can be unlocked.

“We,” he said, “can become the energy manager of the future.”

We can become the energy manager of the future.”

— SCOTT WHITE, CEO, IGS

It’s Electric

Moving people away from things like natural gas as a power source and gasoline-powered vehicles could be beneficial. But what does powering things like homes and cars then look like?

The standard home in Ohio today uses about 10,000 kilowatt hours annually of electricity, White said. And that assumes the home is using natural gas to heat it. Substituting an electric heat pump and adding two electric vehicle chargers, he said, more than doubles the standard electric use of the home to 22,000 kWh.

How that additional electricity is created is important. Carbon-free sources include nuclear and renewables such as wind and solar. The big challenge is that those sources currently make up such a small portion of total U.S. power generation: Nuclear generates 18%, renewables 21.5%, and solar just 3.4%.

Solar Potential Shines Bright

While a lot needs to be done to build out solar opportunities, the adoption of electric vehicles is happening more quickly — especially as fueling infrastructure grows, White said.

Today, coal still makes up a significant portion of how we generate power, here in the U.S. and globally. And replacing coal with natural gas could go a long way toward reducing emissions, White said. Natural gas has extensive existing infrastructure — 2.5 million miles of pipeline and distribution line — and it emits about half the carbon as coal and petroleum, he said.

“That infrastructure can really serve as a way for us to introduce other forms of natural gas,” he said, “like hydrogen and renewable natural gas from sources such as biogas.”

Adding more planet-friendly and sustainable sources of clean energy is critical to our success as climate change advances.

And solar, IGS Energy believes, will be key to the home energy landscape of the future.

The company sees opportunity to help shape what that landscape will look like, and it’s starting now. Making solar power easy and affordable for everyday residential customers is a priority for IGS. The company estimates its 30,000 current solar customers will save roughly 30% on their electricity bills over 25 years.

IGS acquired solar installation company Ecohouse Solar and could pursue similar acquisitions. Hopes are high that domestic manufacturing of solar panels and advances in battery technology could grow this clean source of energy dramatically.

GOOD ENERGY

People first. That’s the IGS Energy way. And doing it right is not just Jenni Kovach’s job — it’s her passion.

The key to an engaged, productive workforce is pretty simple, as far as IGS leadership sees it: Support people’s overall well-being. Because when team members thrive in their personal lives, they thrive at work — and the company, in turn, thrives.

It’s fitting, then, that the story of how the company’s robust people development program came into being is closely tied to the personal story of Chief People Officer, Jenni Kovach.

Kovach — a dynamic, engaging executive with a sense of humor as big as her smile — was experiencing a health crisis. So IGS CEO, Scott White, introduced her to Columbus author Doug Smith. Smith wrote “Happiness,” a book

sharing life lessons he manifested after being diagnosed with an untreatable cancer. Like Smith, Kovach, too, lives with an untreatable cancer — an extremely rare form of sarcoma called epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, or EHE. While her cancer isn’t going anywhere, Kovach underwent a liver transplant in 2018 and, thankfully, has been stable since.

Anyone who’s worked with Kovach during the past few years knows her story of resilience. She places great emphasis on gratitude, authentic relationships, and building a culture where people put taking care of one another first.

Smith, the “Happiness” author, eventually connected Kovach with Laura and Chris

ENERGY

Cooke, organizational culture gurus and the creators of Columbus-based Positive Foundry. In their program, called BetterYet, they use positive psychology and the power of human connection to foster well-being across teams of all kinds.

Kovach wanted to implement the program across the entire 1,600-person team at IGS, making it the largest investment in people development in the company’s history.

“It sounds like this program,” White said, “will make a positive difference in people’s lives.”

And it has.

What follows is a wide-ranging conversation with Kovach that includes how intentional people development has transformed culture at IGS, the benefits of opening the door to nontraditional job candidates, the value of supporting remote work, how pay transparency motivates team members, and more.

Talent Innovation

With a vision to expand skills-based hiring and increase diversity within the organization, IGS Energy hired someone dedicated to developing and cultivating creative partnerships. Talent Relationship Partner Lindsay LaSala has now spent a year nurturing connections with Columbus State Community College, South-Western Career Academy, The Ohio State University, and more to help open doors to employment for candidates from nontraditional backgrounds. A noteworthy achievement? IGS has engaged with nine co-op students in roles in solar installation, IT, finance human resources, and facilities who work part-time and go to school. Here are innovative ways IGS is making progress:

Tell us about the evolution of your strategy to develop people.

We’ve really moved from professional development to whole-self, whole-life development. We support the idea that employers can step up in a bigger way and help people in all aspects of their lives.

I’m thankful I was introduced to Positive Foundry just before the pandemic, when we had no idea what was coming. When we all went home, a lot of us were alone and going through a lot. Once a week, we got together for BetterYet sessions, and it became a time when we could be real and share our emotions. That connection made us grow as a team and as a company.

Columbus Promise

Columbus Promise is a partnership between Columbus State Community College, Columbus City Schools, and local employers that gives district graduates access to tuition-free associate degrees from Columbus State as well as earn-and-learn opportunities. IGS proudly supports the program financially and has hired multiple students into earn-and-learn roles.

South-Western Career Academy

IGS Energy’s acquisition of Ecohouse Solar meant IGS had a new job type to fill: solar installers. These roles call for electrical trade skills, which are taught at South-Western Career Academy, part of the South-Western City School District in Columbus. IGS and SWCA developed a relationship, resulting in students working for IGS part-time, honing their skills, with the chance to be hired when they graduate. Ecohouse employees also sit on the program’s advisory council to inform curriculum and industry best practices.

BetterYet focuses on 12 skills, from managing your energy to gratitude to helping people flourish. We rolled the program out over 2 years, and it changed people’s lives. They have shared stories like, “I was getting ready to go through a divorce, and some of the tools I learned saved my marriage.” Or, “I am closer to my teenage child than I ever thought I could be because of some of the skills I learned in BetterYet.” Every time I heard one of those stories, I thought: There is our return on investment.

In tandem with the Positive Foundry work, we have a program for our senior leaders: the Stagen Leadership Academy. Stagen practices a lot of the philosophies of Conscious Capitalism, such as the idea that good corporate leadership can impact lives in a positive way.

And so the two programs have a lot of overlap in their focus on caring for individuals. We believe strongly that they are worthy of our investment.

How does inclusivity play into your talent philosophy?

The IGS executive team had a vision to look at our talent acquisition on more of a skills basis, versus pedigree or educational-based hiring. By default, for many years, a lot of our job descriptions had bachelor’s degree requirements. So we started looking at whether each of our jobs could be filled by people coming in who maybe had less traditional education or less experience, that we could bring them in and train them on the role. And it ended up being more jobs than we anticipated, which was awesome. Our hiring managers were very open to the idea, and we had some hiring managers that said, “I’d love for a person to come in without a ton of experience so we could train them on how we do work here.”

When we saw that there was an appetite internally for this shift, we started looking to bring talent to the table from different

IMPACT Community Action

IGS has supported the development of a solar installer program that is helping break down barriers that keep people in the community from working full-time. That includes education, training, food, housing, and transportation. Plus, IGS is an advisor on IMPACT’s Career Development Workforce Advisory Council.

Columbus State Community College

IGS is a hiring partner of Columbus State’s Information Technology Flexible Apprenticeship (ITFA) program.

The Ohio State University Office of Diversity and Inclusion

Going beyond typical college career fairs, IGS is getting in front of students from diverse backgrounds through an expanded relationship with Ohio State’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion, enabling them to build relationships with students inside and out of the classroom.

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity

IGS is building a presence with the historically African-American fraternity, attending career events, and posting jobs through its membership.

One Columbus

IGS has joined a business roundtable hosted by the regional economic development organization to look at ways to increase local employers’ involvement with Columbus City Schools and better prepare our future workforce.

recruiting avenues than we have traditionally used. At the same time, we were being really thoughtful about our DEBI focus around diversity, equity, belonging, and inclusion. Along with our practice of Conscious Capitalism and looking at our community as a stakeholder, we started to pull together partnerships that meet all those needs.

When we can hire people based on skills, we can help people in our community by supporting these programs. And, ultimately, a lot of these programs have higher levels of diverse candidates.

IGS has a significant involvement with Columbus Promise, the program through which Columbus City Schools students can attend Columbus State Community College tuitionfree and go on to internships and job placements with local companies. How do you support that program?

When the Columbus Partnership (a community roundtable organization of CEOs) came to IGS to talk about Columbus Promise, we immediately put our hands up to be an employment partner. Part of the program is that students can work part-time as they go to college. That’s a game-changer for students who never saw higher education as an option because they need to start working as soon as high school’s over, or even before that, to support their families.

We stepped into the program in a pretty big way. IGS created a position to focus 100% on these partnerships that we’re starting to build. And so we hired someone, and her name is Lindsay LaSala. One year into the program, Columbus State sees us as one of their primary employer partnerships, and we have nine co-op students working with us. Our hope is that those relationships turn into full-time employment down the road.

One of the most important things to us about these partnerships is that we’re helping pave the way, making it easier for other employers to participate and find talent. We alone are not going to hire enough people to change the world. But if we can set these programs up to be successful, and get other employers involved, then we could collectively hire enough people to really change our communities.

What’s the IGS philosophy on remote and flexible work — and why is that a good strategy for the company and for employees?

Maybe 2 years before the pandemic, we had about 92% of our workforce working in an office. I remember going into an executive team meeting and saying that a lot of companies were beginning to offer work from home to their call centers. Was that something we wanted to consider? The response was that our secret sauce was our culture and being together in the office.

Fast-forward to March 2020, when everybody went home. We started to dig into what people needed to feel productive and connected in this new environment. One thing we noticed at IGS was that our productivity didn’t change. If anything, our productivity got a little bit

Our culture has tried really hard to say, ‘Just show up — show up the way you are.’ ”

better. What we had to worry about was the connection piece. Over time, we learned through engagement surveys, focus groups, and pulse checks that people were starting to build that closeness and that connectedness, primarily with the people they worked the most closely with.

So we said: “OK, we’re performing and we’re being productive, and people are feeling good. Why would we not continue to offer them the opportunity to work where they want?” We know that by eliminating a commute to the office, for example, a working parent has more time to spend with family in the morning and evening.

Our leaders looked at every single job in the organization and said: “Is this job able to work remotely? Do they need to be in the office sometimes?” Over 90% of our jobs ended up being remote-eligible. We then left it up to the employee to decide how they wanted to work.

It’s worked out really well. We survey people on how connected they feel with our company and culture, and we have a mid-90% engagement level across the board. So even though most people aren’t in the office, we’re finding ways to keep them engaged with their teammates and our culture.

With that, we’ve been way more intentional about bringing people together for face-toface time. Some teams meet monthly, some quarterly, some once a year. When they’re together, we really want them to leave feeling inspired and connected.

In summer 2023, our reCharge event brought more than 1,200 people together at the Greater Columbus Convention Center for a full day of

We alone are not going to hire enough people to change the world. But if we can set these programs up to be successful, and get other employers involved, then we could collectively hire enough people to really change our communities.”

Our Stories: How Partnerships Open Pathways

Kameron Browning Per Scholas grad

After graduating high school, I went straight into college, unsure of the major I wanted to pursue. That led to me taking classes on and off until COVID peaked. It became a challenge for me to continue my courses all online, so I dropped out altogether.

From there I started working fast food and retail jobs trying to save money and figure out my next steps in life.

I was looking to advance my career and education, and I came across a program called Per Scholas. It’s a 3-month course where I got my CompTIA A+ certificate — and it’s how I got connected to IGS Energy.

I began working here full-time in April 2022. I’ve been loving working here ever since then.

To me, IGS is amazing with the support system they give you. I’ve noticed that everyone here knows how to be friendly and treat one another like a real human. You don’t just feel like another cog in the machine, and you feel like you can truly be yourself when working here.

John Grundy Westland High School grad

I joined IGS Energy fulltime as a solar installer after learning about the company and becoming an intern during high school. A representative from IGS Energy’s Ecohouse Solar division visited my electrical trades program and told us about the culture and what they have to offer the next generation of tradesmen like plumbers, electricians, and HVAC technicians.

This was my first construction job, so I came in knowing practically nothing. Since then, I’ve learned a lot, like the different gauges of electrical wire and what they’re used for, and how to use the different tools needed during solar installation.

I would recommend IGS to everyone. It’s a pretty good company, and they take care of you. I could see myself doing this for a while and growing in the company.

Three IGS Energy co-op students share their experiences gaining career exposure at the company and how it may shape their futures.

Kwabena “Kobby” Owusu-ansah

Columbus State student

I was introduced to IGS Energy by Columbus Promise. I am a person who cares a lot about energy and how we cannot make it go to waste, which is why I chose to work at IGS: because they are a renewable energy company.

I get to have conversations with IGS workers in different fields to see how they are experiencing their work life and what they did to be in the position they are today. If possible, they also share any advice for me, because I don’t know which type of engineer I want to be.

In my role, I help with monitoring solar panels. And then I make tickets in case there is a solar panel that needs to be fixed or checked by a contractor. I also went to one of the sites to see how the solar panels are installed and how everything works. Back in the office, I did a project on how to make a battery.

I came to America from Ghana when I was 16. In the future, I want to go back, and if possible, start a renewable energy company to help support the development of the country.

We have cultivated a very caring environment by tending to hire people who are very, very thoughtful.”

engagement. We had a morning session focused internally on IGS, with speakers sharing stories from throughout the years of IGS and how we have become the company we are today. That was paired with a future-focused session by CEO, Scott White, who talked about the vision for IGS to help create a sustainable energy future. After a fun lunch break where we had entertainment and fabulous food, the afternoon session featured Raj Sisodia, one of the coauthors of the “Conscious Capitalism” book, and Chris Cooke from Positive Foundry, who facilitated a program around gratitude. After a 2-hour break to give people some rest, partners and spouses joined us, and we had about 1,500 people at KEMBA Live! for a music fest with three bands, food and drinks, and just tons of fun.

People want to feel that they can bring their whole selves to work, whether they are going through a family crisis, come from a diverse background, or identify as members of the LGBTQIA+ community. How does IGS support them?

I think anybody who has ever worked someplace where they had to put a mask on before they showed up at work knows how incredibly exhausting and stressful that is.

Our culture has tried really hard to say, “Just show up — show up the way you are.” Because we understand that life happens, and life is not just work. And so in addition to the steps we have taken to create a safe and welcoming environment — the creation of employee Communities (our version of employee resource groups) and offering robust mental health benefits — we have cultivated a very caring environment by tending to hire people who are very, very thoughtful.

The IGS Communities have been created for Black and African-American employees, those from Latinx backgrounds, women, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and we’re adding them for mental health and caregivers. They’re created and led by employees, and we look to the Communities themselves to define their

purpose, goals, and strategies, so they are all member-led. In addition to meeting internally, they host company-wide events, and I’m always learning something new about that Community or a way that I can show up better. Giving an opportunity for people with like circumstances or like backgrounds to come together helps people feel more like they can be themselves.

We also support people being able to be themselves at work by making sure they have adequate support systems in their lives outside work. We craft our benefits offerings with input directly from the people who work here, and something we heard a lot was that people and their family members needed, sometimes desperately, better access to mental health resources. So we found a benefits partner named Lyra, and they provide mental health support either virtually or in-person within 48 hours of reaching out. To date, 19% of our employees have engaged with Lyra, and it’s been incredibly impactful for a lot of people, and their children, specifically, because they aren’t waiting months to get into a mental health provider.

Pay visibility has been on the minds of many corporate leaders during the past few years as they look to advance beyond traditional structures that shield salary rates and advancement ladders from view. How does IGS do it differently?

Compensation, transparency, and visibility hit our radar about 4 years ago. Our engagement results showed there were areas of the organization that did not feel their pay and benefits were competitive. We realized a big part of this was because we had never educated or shared anything about how we determined compensation. We felt comfortable that we were paying everyone competitively; the market data told us as much, and we worked with consultants and did a lot of work in that space.

To address the concerns, we began thoughtfully sharing information with our leaders and our employees about how we marketed and set pay for roles. It’s been a 4-year journey, one

Strength in Community

of the longest projects HR operations has undertaken, and it’s involved a lot of change management. As of late 2023, salary ranges are open, and our job postings include them. All of our leaders are educated and able to talk with employees about their compensation.

And I would say the biggest win around compensation visibility is that it’s become a platform for great developmental conversations. Because people want to talk to their managers about: “How do I increase? How do I move to the next level?” Let’s talk about it.

IGS Communities, which were created as part of IGS Energy’s commitment to DEBI (diversity, equity, belonging, and inclusion), thrived in 2023. The employee groups coalesced around cultural awareness and inclusion, celebrating shared experiences, building critical networks of support, and taking pride in individual and collective identities. And two new communities are in the works — one for mental health and another for caregivers. Here’s a look at the IGS Communities.

IGS Pride

Purpose: To create a safe, inclusive space in which members of the LGBTQIA+ community and allies can share resources, learn, grow, and bring their entire selves to work to support the IGS Energy purpose.

Members: 49

Contact: Norman Hall

2023 highlights

• They presented a history of annual Pride activities in Columbus, featuring an inperson and virtual lunch discussion with Steven Shellabarger, a Central Ohio activist and leader.

• They proudly represented IGS in the annual Columbus Pride Parade in June.

• They hosted a panel conversation to discuss making the holidays more accepting for members of the LGBTQIA+ community. The event was held for all IGS employees to attend in person or virtually.

IGS Women’s Network

Purpose: To connect and empower women and their allies to create positive change through future-focused action and to become the best version of themselves.

Members: 100-150

Contact: Cindy Bissette

2023 highlights

• The “Standing in Her Power” virtual panel discussion featured accomplished women leaders at IGS Energy. Speakers addressed pivotal moments that shaped their purpose, how they have amplified their voices to influence others, and obstacles encountered along the way.

• Leadercast, a leadership development company, partnered with IGS on virtual and in-person leadership events.

• One book club explored a book of poetry, “On Becoming,” by IGS Energy’s own Bella Miller — a meaningful opportunity to sit with the author and discuss her inspiration and experiences.

Giving an opportunity for people with like circumstances or like backgrounds to come together helps people feel more like they can be themselves.”

Living La Vida Latinx

Purpose: To cultivate new leaders and foster intercultural understanding by creating strategies to promote engagement, networking, and development to empower members to drive a more authentic narrative of their cultures.

Members: 43

Contacts: Lucy Farrimond and Lorena Gonzalez

2023 highlights

• For Hispanic Heritage Month, they educated people about the cultures, contributions, and achievements of the Latinx community — and created a recipe book sharing culture through food.

• They hosted a lunch-and-learn attended by 80 IGS employees featuring Christina Vera, a member of the Columbus City Schools Board of Education, who spoke about fostering relationships and how to best show up for one another.

• They created opportunities for members to bring more of themselves to work by hosting gatherings and meetings where they spoke Spanish — many members’ native language.

Melanin Moments

Purpose: To foster professional development, mentoring, networking, and leadership opportunities for Black and African-American employees.

Members: 130

Contacts: Gianna Turner and Sharon Gantt

2023 highlights

• They hosted a State of Black America discussion to explore their sense of connectedness.

• They enlisted an expert speaker in mental health and wellness to host a two-part series exploring depression, anxiety, and cultural stigmas. They also examined inequities outside the health care system that negatively affect the health of people of color.

• As a part of their focus on the importance of cultural traditions and their significance in connecting people to their history, values, and beliefs, they began creating a “Melanin Moments Family Recipes” book.

My cancer is such an important part of my journey. I think I’m a better person and probably a better leader because of it.”

You’re a wholehearted believer in the concept that people should be able to bring their whole selves to work, and that employers have a role in supporting teams across all aspects of their lives, not just professionally. With your own personal story and having cancer, you live this philosophy as both an employee and a senior leader yourself. What has your experience been?

I’ll share a recent story. As part of our ongoing commitment to the BetterYet program from Positive Foundry, we’re picking a theme for each month, and asking a leader to sponsor that month’s theme. I sponsored in November, and I chose gratitude as my theme.

One of the practices that Positive Foundry taught me, that I have done every single day, is every morning, when my feet hit the ground, I sit on the side of my bed, and I don’t get up until I am thankful for something. Now it’s just part of my routine, and I think it puts me in the right mindset. Sometimes I’m grateful for really big things. And sometimes I’m grateful for little things.

My cancer is such an important part of my journey. Before my diagnosis, I didn’t look at the world the same way. I think I’m a better person and probably a better leader because of it. And through it all, for me and for other people here who go through something difficult, this organization has the most supportive team that anyone could ever ask for. And for that, I’m thankful.

POSITIVE VIBES

POSITIVE VIBES

IGS Energy’s investment in people inspires them at work — and in life

People first. That’s the IGS way.

And the company invests accordingly — not just in the development of leaders, but in the development of every company employee.

“It’s invaluable,” said IGS President and CEO, Scott White. “You can’t put a price on helping people be better versions of themselves.”

IGS has invested heavily in executive coaching, Stagen Leadership Academy, and Positive Foundry — the latter of which is personal development training for all IGS employees.

“It demonstrates how deeply committed we are to our values, our people, and our culture,” said IGS Commercial Energy Services Senior Director, David Lim. “Sound business strategies and the ability to execute are only part of the equation. How we lead, live, and work has the highest impact — and, ultimately, matters the most.”

Here, IGS employees share highlights of lessons learned

I’ve learned to always be mindful of how you’re showing up and to keep things in perspective. Our default mode can be one based on any number of our personal identity fears, making us feel the need to prove or hide. Instead, be curious, and operate with a secure growth mindset. That way, we can be more present, authentic, and effective in how we lead, live, and work.”

— David Lim, Senior Director, Commercial Energy Services

The first step to getting better is taking on a growth mindset. By adding the word ‘yet’ to the end of a sentence, it can help reframe your thoughts into ones that support continual improvement. By saying, ‘I can’t do that… yet,’ I give myself the belief that if I invest the time, I can grow. As my brother says, ‘Is anything really hard? Or just time-consuming?’ I also use the 4x4x4 breathing exercise to help calm down, clear my mind, or help myself transition between activities — fourcount breath in, four-count hold, fourcount breath out.”

— Gus Domenick, Specialist, Sales Enablement

Through Positive Foundry, a lesson I have learned is at the end of the day, we are all just people. We all want to feel like we make an impact and have the tools and resources to take care of ourselves and those we care about. One lesson I try to embody is the importance of celebration and reflection. I loved learning there was scientific evidence behind something that can easily get overlooked as optional! This is something IGS does well and something I am personally very passionate about doing at work and in life overall.”

— Bella Miller, Project Manager, OSM

A lesson from Stagen, ‘Telling Ourselves Stories,’ is a simple but effective approach to help you identify and deconstruct biases about certain events and situations, and provides a constructive way to open the lines of communication.”

— Jessica Spencer, Director, Product & Brand Marketing

A leadership lesson that Positive Foundry has instilled in me is to savor the good things in life. When my employees have good news, saying, ‘Tell me more’ creates an opportunity to hear something positive while letting them know that I am interested in what they have experienced. It strengthens the relationship and opens a positive line of communication. Positive Foundry has also reminded me that we create our own happiness. It does not come from someone or something, but from within.”

— Helga Ouzts, Senior Manager, Solutions Center at IGS/SCANA Energy

There’s so much Positive Foundry and Stagen have introduced. I would probably start with telling yourself stories: It’s not what’s happening — it’s how you relate to what’s happening. And I use Positive Foundry’s lessons in resilience daily. I’ve had to get comfortable with realizing there’s very little I can control. I can’t control elections. I can’t control final regulatory decisions. I can’t control the weather. I can’t control the commodity markets. But I can control how I react to these external events. And whatever those outcomes are, we can then make business plans and organize ourselves to be successful regardless. I’ve also learned that

I’ve learned to remind those around me, who may even be struggling with something in their life, the positive impact that practicing gratitude has on one’s wellbeing and overall outlook.”

— Tony Collier, Regional Manager, Residential Sales

awareness is important. With awareness comes more choice. And building your life skills gives you the ability to engineer better outcomes or better reactions. I have started to pay more attention to getting a good night’s sleep, trying to eat a balanced diet, and taking care of my health so that I have more capacity. And I’ve also worked on my emotional skills. It all comes down to building your capacity through the emotional skills you develop and through the lifestyle choices you make. They all kind of work together. These programs have helped me put some focus and attention to things that I want to work on, and they’ve given me the tools to be able to do so. I definitely feel I’m a better person for it.”

— Scott White, President & CEO

The biggest thing that stuck out to me from Positive Foundry was being mindful versus mind full. It can be such a natural tendency to multitask and answer a Teams message or email during a meeting or touch base, or even just think about the last meeting while onto the next one. I try to do my best to be fully present in these scenarios to make sure I’m engaged and actively listening to the people I’m talking to, especially in a 1:1.”

— Ashley Parappally, Manager, Home Warranty Strategy & Product

Better Yet: A Q&A with Positive Foundry Co-Founder

Laura Cooke

Laura Cooke had it all — a great job as a teacher and administrator at The Wellington School, a loving husband and children. But she was miserable and didn’t know why. So, in 2015, she set out to find happiness. Cooke went all the way to Australia to attend the Institute of Positive Education. Then, inspired by what she learned, she came home to Columbus and founded a company with her husband, Chris, determined to change people’s lives.

Many of the lives changed by Positive Foundry are at IGS Energy, which made its largest-ever investment in people development by implementing Positive Foundry’s BetterYet program across the entire company.

Here, Laura Cooke talks about her inspiration and their relationship with IGS, which has left an indelible mark on Positive Foundry as much as Positive Foundry has left an indelible mark on IGS.

Tell us about the epiphany that led you to create Positive Foundry.

Cooke: I had this moment where I realized that I had everything that should make for a happy life, but I was miserable inside. So, I went on this journey, which started with Martin Seligman’s book, “Flourish,” and a chance to study at the Institute of Positive Education in Australia. I was the assistant head at The Wellington School at the time and immediately understood how every person could benefit from the science and research to live healthier and happier lives, and it wasn’t reaching the general population. With encouragement from Chris and mentor Doug Smith, we launched Positive Foundry to do just that.

What is the goal of the BetterYet curriculum?

Cooke: It’s really to help individuals within organizations live lives of meaning, well-being, joy, and success. We believe companies where individuals can flourish create value in both financial and human terms.

How is the engagement with IGS different from other clients?

Cooke: At the end of the 40-week BetterYet Teams program, the Champions said, “OK, what’s next week?” And we didn’t have anything. IGS said, “Now we want to embed this into the culture. We want to reinforce the training because everyone has gone through it.” So IGS helped us develop a new product called BetterYet Plus. The customized product encourages the practice of the skills through monthly challenges, micro-videos, executive video messages, practice resources for individuals and teams, and curated social posts to engage and inspire employees to share and comment.

What measurable results have you discovered after working with the IGS Energy population?

Cooke: Our surveys show 86% of employees “felt an increase in personal well-being as a result of the Positive Foundry BetterYet Teams program.” And for 48 of 50 well-being measures, 30% showed highly statistically significant differences. Employees have told us: “I’m a better listener. I’m taking better care of myself. I feel like I have better resilience skills.” And the number one comment from employees overwhelmingly was, “My company cares about me.”

Personally, the practice of positive rituals that power us individually or collectively has become a treasured practice. One that has become a favorite of my family and friends is to end each day as you retire to rest reflecting on one good choice that you made that day and give yourself kudos. It can be anything, like choosing an apple over a bag of chips. It helps train your psyche to recognize and value the significance of all the positive choices we make daily, no matter the size.”

— Sharon Gantt, Manager, Customer Care & Continuous Improvement

In Stagen, one of the Frameworks they leverage comes from ‘The Power of TED’ book by David Emerald. This has truly been an empowering experience, as I continue to practice these mindset shifts from the Dreaded Drama Triangle to The Empowerment Dynamic. It’s like an energetic force field, and when I leverage TED, my positivity shield is up. I’m more connected to my true self (what matters most), making it much easier to let go of my ego. This approach empowers me to create outcomes and to make choices versus wasting energy on chronic fretting. When I feel connected to my environment and the people within it, I experience this feeling of being united and part of something bigger than myself.”

— Shannon Schilling, Senior Director, Organizational Development

The biggest lesson I’ve learned from Positive Foundry is how much engagement means to our teams. It is a quick but welcome break to the work we all enjoy doing, and being able to detach from work and engage with something together is meaningful. The Positive Foundry videos were really well done, but our team has even found ways to engage with other articles, stories, and videos outside Positive Foundry. It has created a safe place for our team to interact, react, and share how these things are affecting them at certain points in their life. It has connected us and made us be more emotionally available for each other.”

— Jason Richards, Director, Solar Construction

I find myself using the lesson of active listening very often. I am a passionate person who enjoys sharing and relating, but this can get me into trouble when listening to other people. I now understand how active listening really is the foundation of respect and collaboration, and I still find the right times to share my thoughts after the person finishes speaking.”

— Nolan Rains, Senior Manager, Regional Sales

I’ve learned ways to lead with mindfulness through techniques that encourage selfawareness, slowing down and living in the present moment. Doing so has provided multiple benefits, including the ability to make more thoughtful decisions, listen more attentively, and effectively manage emotions.”

— Porsha Onuma, Senior Corporate Counsel

The most helpful and meaningful lesson I’ve learned through my coaching experience is that authentic leadership is the best leadership. When I trust my intuition and lean into my strengths confidently, I show up better for my team, my partners, and the organization. I’ve also learned to get behind my feelings to understand the story I’m telling myself. We often take our feelings at face value, but in reality, feelings are perceptions that may or may not be the full truth. Deconstructing in this way often helps me find a way out in situations where I’ve gotten stuck.”

— Kristen Lebsock, Senior Director, Strategy Management

I have realized how often we tell ourselves stories and erroneously jump to conclusions based on our perceptions rather than reality, often causing conflict, low morale, and unproductive work. By using the concepts of the Ladder of Inference, a tool taught in the Stagen Leadership Academy, I’m now able to catch myself from making any assumptions. I don’t jump to any conclusions until I have had the chance to check in with the people involved. It’s really helped me better understand the other person’s perspectives and gain more accurate assessments of situations.”

— Ashish Mehta, Senior Director, Structuring & Operations

Stagen has made a meaningful impact in how I operate at IGS and in my personal life. Through Stagen, we learned about the art of active listening. This has helped me become a better husband, father, and leader.”

— Kevin Kapostasy, Regional Manager, Sales

The invaluable lesson of seeking and embracing candid feedback has become a cornerstone of my professional growth. Actively seeking constructive criticism has not only enhanced my self-awareness but has also pinpointed areas where I can enhance my skills, ultimately making me a more well-rounded professional. This lesson, in particular, has become a guiding principle that I frequently share with others, emphasizing the transformative power of feedback in personal and professional development.”

— Adam Luck, Senior Director, IT

One lesson I’ve learned? Being able to clear my mind of any obstacle so I can be 100% present with the person that is directly in front of me.”

—Josh Myer, Senior Manager, Sales

While I believe that Positive Foundry had many beneficial lessons, ‘Discover Your Purpose’ stood out to me the most. The exercise that helped identify your purpose was really beneficial. From there, the idea of making sure that you are filling your life with activity that serves your purpose is a very powerful one.”

— Michael Day, Senior Manager, Billing

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Positive Foundry introduced the concept of depositing into others’ emotional bank accounts and how receiving positive deposits into your own is so important. I make a concerted effort daily to deposit positivity into others’ emotional bank accounts and to recognize when positivity is being deposited into mine.”

Positive Foundry inspired me to be more vulnerable and taught me that our vulnerability brings us closer together. It also taught me that everyone has their own struggles, and instead of taking something personally, we should work to lift each other up in those tough times.”

Andrea

Wilkins, Senior Manager, C&I Sales

Leadership isn’t about driving results, it’s about being able to effectively communicate to everyone around you and make you aware of your blind spots. Every day, we tell ourselves stories that involve other people, but rarely do we talk to that other person to clarify that story. How does that person feel about me or my performance? Did I provide clear steps for success? Why did that person not hit the goal? I am now more aware of the interactions I have with my team, and I can be more present for them. It’s inspired me to be more genuine in how I talk to people either on my team or in my personal life.”

— Brian Panwala, Senior Manager, Residential Account Management

— Dana Bonner, Manager, SC South Customer Operations and Collections

PASSPORT TO CHANGE

IGS Energy Renewable Energy Corps participants get as much as they give

Just off the water on Ometepe Island in Nicaragua, Hostal El Güis offers a low-key place for adventurers to rest. It’s a place where owner Odelva Lucia Castillo Menocal rises early each morning to prepare meals for the travelers, who joyfully feast on her home-cooked food and hospitality.

But unreliable electricity and spotty Wi-Fi made running the business challenging — until this year.

The IGS Renewable Energy Corps is a program that sends a group of IGS employees to Central America twice a year to empower locals by working alongside them to install solar systems

on rooftops. And in spring of 2023, one of those groups spent 10 days at Hostal El Güis installing solar panels to stabilize the hostel’s electricity supply and provide access to more reliable Wi-Fi — persuasive perks for the hikers and explorers choosing among the island’s many accommodations.

“It was really impressive to see the ingenuity of folks there and how they’re trying to make a business run,” said IGS Solar Optimization Analyst Cassidy Book, who volunteered on the trip. “Reliable distributed generation can make a world of a difference to people.”

It was an overwhelming, rewarding experience.”

— NIKIA VASSELL, LEAD, IGS C&I SALES OPTIMIZATION

Book said while she gave time, she also gained perspective — one of the intangibles, like bonding and cultural immersion, that IGS knows its program participants gain. Acclimating to life without air conditioning in a tropical climate made Book “reconsider what I actually needed in life,” she said.

For IGS Residential Sales Optimization Specialist Alex Haas, the trip inspired a reset on TV and video games. When he wasn’t talking with locals and fellow travelers or working on the solar project, he spent time on a new activity: journaling.

The habit is one recommended by cultural travel consultant Brad Gosche of Information Services Group, who takes IGS teams through cultural competence training ahead of their trips. His guidance is designed to open minds to the vastly different cultural experiences and daily rhythms they are bound to have.

“Why I love the IGS program is that they really just dive in,” Gosche said. “Travelers are dropped into a community, and they have to become part of it and make friends.”

Travel Like a Local

Here, cultural travel consultant Brad Gosche of Information Services Group offers six tips for getting the most out of immersive travel experiences. His top key to success? Greet the unexpected with curiosity and grace.

The IGS Renewable Energy Corps program started in 2016. The trips are coordinated by GRID Alternatives, a nonprofit organization based in Oakland, California, that helps address critical energy needs in impoverished nations through solar installations.

“This partnership really allows us to engage in hands-on activities and install solar systems on homes, schools, orphanages, community centers, and more,” said IGS Social Impact Specialist Lorena Gonzalez, who supports the program. “It really aligns with our purpose of building a sustainable energy future, and it also gives employees the opportunity to immerse themselves in a different culture.”

Travelers are selected based on their commitment to making a positive impact and their willingness to embrace a learner’s mindset, she said. No previous solar technology experience is required.

Each fall, IGS sends a team to Mexico for the second Renewable Energy Corps trip of the year. In 2023, the group visited Tijuana to install off-grid solar for Niños con Fe Orphanage. The 9-kilowatt solar system they

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Stay like a local

To really understand a new culture, look into an opportunity for an Airbnb or staying with a family. Hotel stays tend to be very similar around the world, and the point of the trip is not to uproot one’s regular life and simply take it somewhere else.

Keep an open mind

Open-mindedness is essentially the core of cultural competence, Gosche says. Expect the unexpected, and lean into discomfort where you can, whether that’s trying new food or observing a cultural activity such as a holiday festival.

installed has the capacity to reduce electricity bills at the orphanage by 90%, giving it funds to spend on other needs such as clothes, medical care, food, and school supplies.

“It was an overwhelming, rewarding experience,” said IGS C&I Sales Optimization Lead, Nikia Vassell. “The best part was to see the kids — just how happy they were to have visitors.”

IGS Customer Retention Specialist Joe Jackson said it didn’t matter that his regular job is not in solar. He gladly wore knee pads and drilled holes in walls.

“I joined the Mexico trip for the opportunity to not only travel, but ultimately help people,” Jackson said. “I always felt that the more exposure people have to others from different cultures, it allows you to have a conversation that’s meaningful and free of judgment for both parties.”

Mission accomplished.

“It was just a fantastic experience,” he said. “And a learning opportunity.”

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Turn your receptors on — and transmitters off

Observe what’s going on around you. How close are people standing to one another?

Do they bow when greeting each other? Gaining awareness of cultural nuances lets a traveler adapt to their surroundings and appreciate a new culture.

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Live between your comfort and danger zones

Going beyond your “normal” can be uncomfortable.

Stretching into the unknown while embedded in a different culture can expand your experience. Just take care to honor your gut instincts when situations seem like they might be unsafe.

Develop empathy

When you’re observing another culture and they do things differently than you’re used to, it’s not better or worse or weird. It’s different. Observe and be curious without judging.

Record and reflect on your experiences

Take a few minutes each day to record in a journal. What do you see, hear, and smell? What do you feel?

Writing it down helps to process it and frame it in a positive, curious way. Journaling also makes it easier to share your stories back at home.

SERVANT

LEADERS

At Atlanta-based SCANA Energy, service is a way of life

Extra academic support? Check. Snacks? Check.

Experiences like visiting Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the National Football League’s Atlanta Falcons and professional soccer team Atlanta United FC? Check that, too.

Homework Centers is an after-school program that provides children around greater Atlanta with homework help from teachers, snacks to keep them nourished, and experiences they might not otherwise have, from guest speakers to field trips. And it is just one of many social equity initiatives supported by SCANA Energy.

SCANA Energy is an Atlanta-area natural gas retailer that became part of the IGS Energy family in 2019, and its 200-person team pours its heart into helping people in the community with a robust lineup of programs and partnerships.

One of its most popular social-impact initiatives is the Homework Centers, which provide after-school care for children in grades one through five who could benefit from extra time with teachers working on homework and participating in enrichment activities. Ten Atlanta-area elementary schools act as host centers in 4-year increments, serving 30 students per school. And while certified teachers do the tutoring, SCANA employees relish volunteering to support guest appearances, field trips, and more.

In fact, much of SCANA’s charitable focus is on children’s health and welfare, said SCANA Director of Marketing, Kimberly Penz.

To that end, SCANA also supports Operation Lunchbox, a program that delivers meals to kids at school on Fridays so they have food over the weekend. The company is also active with Lost N Found Youth, a nonprofit organization that provides shelter and services to LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness.

We identified a need and saw there was an opportunity for us to pool our resources with our community partners to help children.”

— KIMBERLY PENZ, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, SCANA ENERGY

“We know that if kids aren’t fed properly, or they don’t have a roof over their head, that really shapes their entire life,” Penz said. “We identified a need and saw there was an opportunity for us to pool our resources with our community partners to help children.”

Another of SCANA’s partners is Clark’s Christmas, which buys holiday gifts for kids in foster care. SCANA has been a major financial sponsor for 13 years. Volunteers from the SCANA call center look forward to their annual tradition of shopping at Walmart for gifts for the children.

Of course, SCANA is an energy company, so it also makes a significant annual donation to Atlanta-based H.E.A.T., or Heating Energy Assistance Team, a nonprofit organization.

“Some of our customers rely on the contributions we make,” Penz said, “to get their gas bills paid and heat their homes.”

While SCANA’s impact may be priceless, it is also measurable — starting with the Homework Centers. Since the program was founded in 1999, it has served more than 6,000 children in 56 schools. The benefits are clear: At least 75% of students improved their reading and math levels, according to SCANA data.

Carol King, who oversees SCANA’s social impact as well as the Homework Centers program, said the difference they make is meaningful.

“We are known,” she said, “for changing lives.”