Leading water, wastewater and gas provider honored for commitment to sustainable, ethical operations
Essential Utilities Inc., one of the largest publicly traded water, wastewater, and natural gas providers in the U.S., celebrates its placement on Newsweek’s Most Responsible Companies 2026 list, published today. The honor demonstrates Essential’s core values of integrity, respect, and commitment to excellence, centered upon its commitment to provide and protect Earth’s most essential resources.
“Every day, our teams show their dedication to making a positive impact on the communities we serve,” said CEO and Chairman Christopher Franklin. “It’s a great honor to see that commitment recognized by Newsweek – being named among America’s Most Responsible Companies for the fifth straight year is a validation of our work and passion to build a better future for all.”
This placement on the Most Responsible Companies list comes shortly after publication of Essential’s 2024 Sustainability Report, which showed the company’s ongoing progress in emissions reduction and infrastructure modernization while maintaining exceptional service and community investment. Highlights of the bi-annual report include:
- Achieving more than 25% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions from 2019 baseline;
- Delivering water quality well above national average, with fewer than 1.5% of Essential’s 1,500+ water systems experiencing health-based violations, compared to a rate of nearly 12.5% for all water systems across America;
- Replacing 425 miles of aging natural gas and water pipelines—part of more than 1,400 miles of natural gas and 725 miles of water lines upgraded since 2020, significantly reducing methane emissions, addressing water loss, and improving safety and reliability;
- Installing 100,000 state-of-the-art gas meters, enhancing safety for customers and employees;
- Recycling over 720 million gallons of treated wastewater, giving water a second life and protecting freshwater sources;
- Donating $4.6 million to more than 450 nonprofits through the Essential Foundation, and logged nearly 4,500 employee volunteer hours; and
- Procuring nearly 100% renewable electricity for water and wastewater operations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio and Illinois.
America’s Most Responsible Companies 2026 List is presented by Newsweek in collaboration with Statista, the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. The list focuses on a holistic view of corporate responsibility that considers environmental, social, and corporate governance factors. The analysis is based on the quantitative data from more than 30 key performance indicators, derived from an extensive survey conducted among U.S. residents, assessing the public’s perception of each company’s social responsibility efforts.
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