It is CenterPoint Energy’s policy to recruit, hire, train, and promote persons in all job titles, and ensure that all other personnel actions are administered, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, and disability, or other legally protected status, and we will ensure that all employment decisions are based only on valid job requirements.

CenterPoint Energy is a federal contractor subject to Executive Order 11246, Section 4212 of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as amended (“Section 4212”) and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (“Section 503”). As such, CenterPoint Energy is committed to equal employment opportunity, and it is the company’s policy to take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment minorities, females, protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. CenterPoint Energy also will provide reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified employee or applicant for employment, unless the accommodation would impose undue hardship on the operation of the company’s business.

The company also prohibits employees and applicants from being subjected to harassment, intimidation, threats, coercion, or discrimination because they have engaged in or may engage in (1) filing a complaint; (2) assisting or participating in an investigation, compliance review, hearing, or any other activity related to the administration of Section 503, Section 4212, or any other Federal, state or local law requiring equal opportunity for disabled persons or covered veterans; (3) opposing any act or practice made unlawful by Section 503 or Section 4212 and their implementing regulations, or any other Federal, state or local law requiring equal opportunity for disabled persons or covered veterans; or (4) exercising any other right protected by Section 503 or Section 4212 or their implementing regulations.

Our affirmative action program contains an audit and reporting system which enables us to measure the effectiveness of our program, indicate any need for remedial action, determine the degree to which our objectives have been attained, determine whether protected veterans and individuals with disabilities had had the opportunity to participate in company-sponsored activities, measure our compliance with the program’s specific obligations, and document actions taken to comply with these obligations.

As CenterPoint Energy’s President and Chief Executive Officer, I support our company’s affirmative action program. I have delegated responsibility for implementing our affirmative action program to Bryan Glines, Manager of HR Compliance & Diversity.

The non-confidential portions of the affirmative action plan for individuals with disabilities and protected veterans shall be available for inspection upon request by any employee or applicant for employment through management or Human Resources