Five years ago, just as the end of the recession was in sight, NiSource executives foresaw that the energy sector was in the midst of a major, fast-moving shift. To be future ready, they knew NiSource needed to invest in its people, with the end goal of improving the diversity of qualified talent in the leadership pipeline. NiSource’s two top-female executives – Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer Carrie Hightman and Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer Violet Sistovaris – asked each other, “Where is the next generation of women at NiSource, and what can we do to support them?”

NiSource is committed to inclusion and diversity company-wide, and through its various Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and Mentorship Programs they intend to have a workforce and leadership population that reflects the communities they serve. The GOLD (Generating Opportunities for Latinos & Diversity) ERG has had amazing success by launching the Own Your Career program in partnership with Tiara International.