American electric power: Stakeholder engagement and company culture

Abstract

American Electric Power (AEP) is one of the largest utilities in the country with over 18,000 employees. Over the last several years, AEP has been strengthening its corporate culture by applying its approach for stakeholder engagement inward. After an employee culture survey revealed that employees felt disconnected from management decisions and direction, the company’s sustainability team collaborated with human resources, business unit leaders, and corporate communications to organize 90 meetings involving more than 1,000 employees to understand why and to explain how the principles of sustainable growth were key to improving AEP’s organizational health. These events were a major milestone in AEP’s sustainability and culture journeys and marked the intersection of corporate sustainability and employee culture. Sustainability professionals are key to breaking down internal silos and increasing awareness of business strategy and emerging issues or trends for employees and have become the nexus between corporate culture and sustainability.