Southern Company - Corporate Responsibility Report: Suppliers and Labor Relations

Suppliers and Labor Relations

By nurturing relationships with female and minority-owned businesses, Southern Company broadens its access to materials (copper, shown here) while championing economic inclusion.

Suppliers

Southern Company maintains ethical standards in all business practices, including relationships with suppliers. We hold our suppliers to these standards contractually when they are performing work for us. Suppliers must meet policies for legal compliance, equal employment, harassment, workplace threats and violence, electronic communications, safety, the environment, drugs and alcohol and conflicts of interest. Supplier information »

Southern Company awards business based on best overall value. We have established a mentoring program to help suppliers understand and follow our conventions and policies, qualify for opportunities, and excel in performance. By nurturing relationships with diverse suppliers, including female-owned, minority-owned and other businesses, Southern Company broadens its access to products and services while demonstrating commitment to economic inclusion. Performance »

Labor Relations

We recognize the right of our employees to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing and recognize unions as the exclusive representatives of these employees to collectively bargain for rates of pay, wages, hours of employment, working conditions and other matters of employment.

Approximately one-third of Southern Company employees are covered under IBEW union agreements. We have contracts with nine local chapters across a four-state service area. The last strike against Southern Company occurred over 25 years ago.

Encouraging Diverse Suppliers

Everyone should have the opportunity to experience success and achieve his or her dream. A diverse supplier program can offer these opportunities.

We seek diverse suppliers that offer quality goods and professional services. We provide solid business opportunities to these suppliers in order to maximize their participation in the procurement process.

Not only does this extend our supply chain and seed long-term relationships, strengthening these businesses contributes to the economic growth of our communities.

Mentor Program

Our Mentor Program helps build relationships between Southern Company employees with buying authority and diverse suppliers, enabling suppliers to increase awareness of opportunities at Southern Company, and giving purchasing employees wider supplier choices.

Second Tier Program

Southern Company strongly encourages prime suppliers to extend subcontracting opportunities to diverse suppliers. This program has added opportunities for minority businesses in companies we do not own or manage.