Tell us about your organization.

Eversource is the largest utility in the Northeast and a Fortune 500 company. Our core business includes electric, gas and water services, and we also have ventures in sustainability areas such as solar, wind, and electric vehicles. Eversource’s 9,700+ employees serve more than 4.4 million customers in a widely diverse range of communities, from northern New Hampshire through Massachusetts to the southwestern tip of Connecticut. 

We are committed to building and maintaining a workforce as diverse as the people we serve –a team with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives that is engaged, empowered and committed to delivering great service to our customers.

Why did you join the talent compact?

When approached by the City of Boston to join the 100% Talent Compact, we accepted to affirm our belief that our pay practices were sound and to learn how we compare to other similarly situated companies within the Boston landscape. It also provided an opportunity to network with like-minded and socially conscious professionals and leaders seeking to make Boston a place to attract skilled and qualified workers.

What are the biggest challenges you face in your organization as it relates to gender and racial wage equality? How do you address those challenges?

The competition for talent, especially women and people from historically underrepresented groups, is greater than ever. Our biggest challenge, therefore, is continuing to diversify our workforce while meeting our staffing needs. In addition, we need to retain this talent by delivering on our promise to provide opportunities for skill building and professional growth. Transparency and accountability are essential to reaching our DE&I commitments and that is why we clearly display both our DEI and Sustainability reports on our website, as well as our EEO and AAP numbers. As we continue our journey to build a workplace that is diverse, empowered and engaged, we are optimistic about furthering our progress even more on gender and racial equality.

What programs have you developed to promote that directly or indirectly address closing wage gaps in your organization?

Eversource is proud of the efforts we have made to address wage gaps in our workplace. To help continuously move the needle on this initiative, we conduct yearly wage gap reviews to ensure that our practices align with our equity initiatives and external market trends. We also conduct yearly salary and regular benefits reviews to keep our Total Rewards offerings competitive.

In terms of our hiring practices, Eversource includes pay ranges on many of our job postings, so women and candidates from historically underrepresented groups can better negotiate starting pay. Furthermore, we have several DEI corporate goals in place, including one for diverse hires and promotions into leadership roles, to ensure we are staying on point for improving the diverse background of our leadership team.