ATLANTA, May 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern Company recently received the 2012 Visionary Award for Outstanding Employer by Nobis Works.

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Atlanta-based Nobis Works recognized Southern Company for its internship program that helps candidates with impaired vision gain job experience.

Nobis Works, formerly The Tommy Nobis Center, is among Georgia's largest nonprofit community rehabilitation programs serving youth and adults with disabilities and other barriers to employment. Since 1977, the organization has helped more than 22,000 people with disabilities find and keep jobs. The organization's mission keeps it working to create jobs that bring independence, confidence, success - and a paycheck to the people it serves.

"Providing meaningful employment opportunities for people with disabilities reinforces our company's commitment to providing an inclusive work environment," said Stacy Kilcoyne, Southern Company vice president of human resources. "We believe that by honoring, respecting and appreciating the differences between people, we can eliminate barriers for them to realize their full potential."

Southern Company, along with its subsidiary Georgia Power, hosted six interns since starting the program in 2011. Nobis Works commended Southern Company for being a proven advocate for individuals with disabilities by providing them valuable employment opportunities, including public speaking and formal presentation delivery.

With 4.4 million customers and more than 43,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is the premier energy company serving the Southeast. A leading U.S. producer of 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 retail electric prices that are below the national average. Southern Company also 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.

SOURCE Southern Company