Three leading military surveys have named Southern Company a top employer for both active duty and veteran military. A longstanding leader in military recruitment, Southern Company is the top-ranked energy company and No. 3 overall in the 2014 DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Veterans. In addition, the company is the top-ranked energy company and No. 13 overall in the Military Times EDGE Best for Vets: Employers 2014 survey and has been named to the Most Valuable Employers (MVE) for Militarywinners by CivilianJobs.com for the fifth consecutive year.

"Veterans and reservists are a natural fit for the Southern Company system because the cultures of both the military and the utility industry exemplify dedication, commitment to safety, teamwork and excellence in all they do," said Southern Company Vice President of Human Resources Stacy Kilcoyne. "These talented employees add tremendous value to our workforce and help achieve our goal of providing customers clean, safe, reliable and affordable power."

Currently, 10 percent of the Southern Company system's 26,000 employees are veterans or serve in the National Guard or Reserve. Veterans account for 14 percent of the system's new hires this year.

Southern Company's ongoing support of military personnel has earned broad recognition, including the 2010 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award – the highest honor given by the Department of Defense for support of employees who serve in the National Guard or Reserve – and the Pro Patria Award for leadership in providing benefits to military employees. G.I. Jobs has named Southern Company the nation's highest-ranked utility in itsTop 100 Military Friendly Employers listing for seven consecutive years.

In its second year, the DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Veterans ranking showcases companies that initiate a variety of veteran-focused workplace practices including recruiting and promoting veterans, offering employee resource groups and providing accommodations for spouses of veterans.

Military Times EDGE surveyed companies across the country with a detailed questionnaire about their recruiting and hiring policies, training opportunities for veterans and pay and benefits for veterans, reservists and their families.

Open to all U.S.-based companies, CivilianJobs.com selected the 2014 MVEs for Military winners based on surveys in which employers outlined their recruiting, training and retention plans that best serve military service members and veterans.

As part of its commitment to veterans, Southern Company is a founding partner of the Troops to Energy Jobs program, a recruiting source that links veterans to job openings in the energy industry. The company actively recruits members of the Navy as a Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program partner and has pledged to support the Joining Forces initiative. In addition, Southern Company annually participates in more than 30 military recruitment events and partners with military transition centers across the country.

With 4.4 million customers and nearly 46,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company is the premier energy company serving the Southeast through its subsidiaries. Southern Company owns electric utilities in four states and a growing competitive generation company, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications.