Nicor Gas is named a 2024 Best Place to Work

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – Sept. 13, 2024 – Nicor Gas has been named one of Crain’s 2024 Best Places to Work in Chicago. During an award event to unveil the ranking of the 100 top employers by Crain’s Chicago Business – Nicor Gas’ family-like atmosphere, career advancement opportunities and commitment to service were highlighted.

"As a trusted member of the business community, Nicor Gas has been delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable natural gas service to Illinois for more than 160 years. We are incredibly honored to be recognized as a best place to work, which is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our more than 2,000 talented employees, who always put the customer at the center of everything we do – regardless of job title,” said Wendell Dallas, president and CEO of Nicor Gas. “We value innovative ideas and invest in developing our employees to advance their careers, prioritizing work-life balance and listening to and acting upon employee feedback. This achievement would not be possible without our employees, who make Nicor Gas an exceptional place to work.”

The annual Crain’s Best Places to Work in Chicago award program is designed to identify, recognize and honor the 100 best companies to work for in Chicago. In partnership with Workforce Research Group, Crain’s surveyed thousands of employees and their employers on the working conditions, benefits and corporate culture that make a company a great place to work. Winners were determined by the results of Workforce Research Group’s weighted surveys.

Determining the Best Places to Work in Chicago involved a two-step process. Workplace policies, practices and demographics of considered companies comprise approximately 20% of the total evaluation. The remaining 80% is based on employee surveys to assess their experiences and attitudes. Workforce Research Group managed the registration and survey process and analyzed the data, using its expertise to determine the final ranking.

Some of the comments received from Nicor Gas employees in the randomized, anonymous survey included:

• “This is a great company for young people to build employment experience and quickly move up to better positions with more responsibility and building work skills. The workplace is very diverse and represents people of all stripes, especially in positions of leadership.”
• “This is a great company with great benefits. The core values and beliefs are moral and just. There is also a very inclusive atmosphere.”
• “This is a great place to build a career, participate in Employee Resource Groups that matter to you, attend volunteer events to better our community, do meaningful work, and enjoy a healthy work/life balance.”

Nicor Gas’ values – Safety First, Intentional Inclusion, Superior Performance and Act with Integrity – guide employees in the decisions they make every day. The company strives to provide an environment where employees are enriched by being here and are able to do and be their very best. To learn more about careers at Nicor Gas, visit nicorgas.com/careers.

The complete list of 2024 Best Places to Work in Chicago winners, is online at ChicagoBusiness.com/BestPlacestoWork and will appear in the Sept. 16 print edition of Crain’s Chicago Business.

About Nicor Gas

Nicor Gas is one of four natural gas distribution companies of Southern Company Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO). Nicor Gas serves more than 2.3 million customers in a service territory that encompasses most of the northern third of Illinois, excluding the city of Chicago. For more information, visit nicorgas.com.

About Southern Company Gas

Southern Company Gas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO), America’s premier energy company. Southern Company Gas serves approximately 4.4 million natural gas utility customers through its regulated distribution companies in four states and more than 600,000 retail customers through its companies that market natural gas. Other nonutility businesses include investments in interstate pipelines, asset management for natural gas wholesale customers and ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities.

About Crain Communications

Crain Communications is a leading business news and information company with a portfolio of 24 media brands that provide indispensable coverage and data for professionals globally and across sectors, including advertising, automotive, finance, health care, staffing and workforce solutions. Many of Crain’s brands are the most influential media properties in the industries and communities they serve, including Ad Age, Automotive News, Pensions & Investments, Modern Healthcare and Staffing Industry Analysts, as well as Crain’s regional business brands. For more than a century, our dedication to deep sector expertise and journalistic integrity has enabled us to provide trusted insights across all our platforms, empowering today’s business leaders to make industry-shaping decisions. To learn more about Crain Communications, visit crain.com.

About Workforce Research Group

Workforce Research Group is a Texas-based workplace excellence research firm managing “Best Places to Work” programs all over the world. To learn more, visit workforcerg.com.

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Media Contact:
Jennifer Golz
331-222-8716
jgolz@southernco.com