ATLANTA, Feb. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Fortune magazine has named Southern Company to its 2016 "World's Most Admired Companies" list, marking the seventh consecutive year the company has earned recognition among the publication's top three utilities worldwide.
Fortune recognized Southern Company as an industry leader for its quality of management, value as a long-term investment, the quality of products/services offered and its innovation. Other criteria included the company's financial soundness, wise use of corporate assets, effectiveness in conducting its business globally and responsibility to the community and/or the environment.
"Southern Company consistently earns recognition among the world's top companies because we keep these qualities central to our business," said Southern Company Chairman, President and CEO Thomas A. Fanning. "Today we are creating America's energy future by developing real solutions for the benefit of customers and communities."
The Hay Group administered the Fortune survey, starting with about 1,400 companies: the Fortune 1,000 – the 1,000 largest U.S. companies ranked by revenue – and non-U.S. companies in Fortune's Global 500 database with revenue of $10 billion or more. Hay then selected the 15 largest companies for each international industry and the 10 largest for each U.S. industry, surveying a total of 692 companies from 30 countries. To create the 57 industry lists, Hay asked executives, directors and analysts to rate companies in their industry on the nine criteria, from investment value to social responsibility. A company's score must rank in the top half of its industry survey to be listed.
With more than 4.5 million customers and approximately 46,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is the premier energy company serving the Southeast through its subsidiaries. A leading U.S. producer of clean, safe, reliable and affordable electricity, Southern Company owns electric utilities in four states and a growing competitive generation company, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and affordable prices that are below the national average. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, Southern Company and its subsidiaries are inventing America's energy future by developing the full portfolio of energy resources, including nuclear, 21st century coal, natural gas, renewables and energy efficiency, and creating new products and services for the benefit of customers. Southern Company has been named by the U.S. Department of Defense and G.I. Jobs magazine as a top military employer, listed by Black Enterprise magazine as one of the 40 Best Companies for Diversity and designated a 2014 Top Employer for Hispanics by Hispanic Network. The company earned the 2014 National Award of Nuclear Science and History from the National Atomic Museum Foundation for its leadership and commitment to nuclear development, and is continually ranked among the top utilities in Fortune's annual World's Most Admired Electric and Gas Utility rankings. Visit our website at www.southerncompany.com.
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