COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- American Electric Power (NYSE:  AEP) has again been named one of the Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. AEP earned a perfect score for the second consecutive year on the foundation's 2018 Corporate Equality Index, a national benchmark of workplace policies, benefits and practices for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.

"AEP's commitment to diversity and inclusion is a critical component of our culture," said Nicholas K. Akins, AEP chairman, president and chief executive officer. "We understand the value of the individual contributions and unique experiences each person brings to our company every day, and we will continue to reinforce this with policies that encourage everyone to feel engaged in the success of AEP."

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation released earlier this month its 2018 report evaluating non-discrimination workplace protections, domestic partner benefits, transgender-inclusive healthcare benefits, competency programs and public engagement with the LGBT community based on information provided through surveys completed by the companies and/or through public sources.

AEP's perfect score was supported by its strong commitment to support workplace diversity, including:

• Extending benefits for same-sex couples and their dependents.
• Offering coverage of transition-related care, based on medical necessity, to individuals who identify as transgender.
• Providing families with adoption assistance, reimbursing employees up to $3,000 per child for eligible adoption-related expenses and providing up to 40 hours of paid leave for new adoptive parents.

American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is focused on building a smarter energy infrastructure and delivering new technologies and custom energy solutions to our customers. AEP's more than 17,000 employees operate and maintain the nation's largest electricity transmission system and more than 224,000 miles of distribution lines to efficiently deliver safe, reliable power to nearly 5.4 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation's largest electricity producers with approximately 33,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including 4,200 megawatts of renewable energy. AEP's family of companies includes utilities AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana and east Texas). AEP also owns AEP Energy, AEP Energy Partners, AEP OnSite Partners and AEP Renewables, which provide innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide.