At Gas South, being "a fuel for good" is more than just slogan; it's a way of life.
"We don't just see ourselves as a utility company," says Valentina Betancur, Gas South's Senior Talent Enablement Coordinator. "Of course we want to provide people with the best service and experience we can, just like any other utility company. But we want to empower employees to connect with our customers [on a human level]."
Founded in Atlanta in 2006 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Cobb Electric Membership Corporation, Gas South is a natural gas provider now serving nearly 500,000 residential, commercial, industrial and wholesale customers across more than 15 states.
Despite the company's growth over the last 20 years, its core mission has remained the same:
to make a difference for its customers, employees and local communities.
Betancur explains that the team cares about whether customers can pay their bill at the end of each month. They want to connect customers with other services and be a listening ear during good and bad times.
"It breeds a very fun and light environment when you know that the company you work for actually does care about people genuinely," she says.
That genuine care also shows up in Gas South's community involvement.
With the help of the company's "small, but mighty" community affairs team, Gas South gives back 5% of its profits to local organizations addressing childhood basic needs, education and health. In 2025 alone, Gas South donated nearly $6 million to communities in need.
Team members additionally have the opportunity to request team grants to help fund organizations that are close to their hearts.
These efforts to support customers and community also extend to how Gas South employees aim to treat each other. Wins are celebrated, personal growth is encouraged, and success is measured by how effectively they communicate to solve problems.
"Can we have those hard conversations? Can we call each other out on decisions that we don't think are the best decisions for that moment [or] project, whatever the situation might be? Do we have that rapport, that goodwill with one another to be able to do that," Betancur says.
The answer, is overwhelmingly yes, according to Gas South employees. In fact, they say they feel heard, supported and valued everyday, making it easy to see why the company was named one of USA TODAY's top workplaces for the third consecutive year.
So whether they're helping customers over the phone or exchanging ideas through employee resource groups, the goal of Gas South employees remains the same: connection.
"We're always looking to learn from each other, from voices in our community," Betancur says.
What is USA TODAY Top Workplaces?
Each year, USA TODAY Top Workplaces, a collaboration between Energage and USA TODAY, ranks organizations across the U.S. that excel at creating a positive work environment for their employees. Employee feedback determines the winners.
In 2026, over 1,600 companies earned recognition as top workplaces. Check out our overall U.S. rankings. You can also gain insights into more workplace trends and advice by checking out the links below.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What's behind Gas South's streak as a USA TODAY Top Workplace?
