Political Engagement

Our approach to political engagement

We believe in meeting our customers’ needs through top-tier safety and reliability, collaborative stakeholder relationships, inclusive and engaging work environments, forward-looking environmental practices and stewardship, and strong business ethics and transparency. These commitments are embedded in the way we do business and frequently articulated in the positions we take on issues in the public arena.

Guided by our commitments and a focus on delivering sustainable value, we participate in the political process to shape public policy and legislation that helps us fulfill our purpose: to energize the lives of our nearly 4 million natural gas and electric customers across our six states we serve. We are committed to being a good corporate citizen in the communities in which we conduct our business. Our approach to engagement ensures that the interests of our customers, communities, employees and shareholders are fairly represented in a transparent and straightforward manner consistent with The NiSource Way.

Political contributions and expenditures

Our NiSource Political Spending Policy describes our governance process and approach to political contributions and expenditures. While our Board of Directors' Environmental, Social, Nominating and Governance Committee oversees our political spending and policy review, our management team is responsible for the activities, positions and decision-making consistent with this policy. Consistent with our Code of Business Conduct, we comply with all federal, state and local laws governing corporate political participation. Procedurally, corporate political spending recommendations and decisions are reviewed and approved by senior management, and political reporting reviews are conducted before contributions are made. 

NiSource does not contribute corporate funds to federal candidates. Additionally, it is our policy to not make direct independent expenditures at the federal level. Direct independent expenditures would consist of corporate funds spent on public communications in support of or in opposition to any federal candidate, without coordination with any candidate.

Corporate funds may be used, where legally permissible, for indirect political support and to participate in the election of state and local candidates who share our public policy views or in support of state and local ballot measures having an impact on the company and/or our industry.

Consistent with our commitments, our political spending reflects NiSource’s business interests and is not based on the personal interests or political preference of any of our individual officers, directors or employees.

Trade Associations and Business Memberships

We recognize that public policy decisions can affect our business, and we believe that engaging in the political process on issues that impact our customers, communities, employees and shareholders, as well as our business and industry, is in the best interest of our company and all our stakeholders. We strive to educate public officials about our businesses and the impacts of potential policy decisions.

We are members in industry associations, such as Edison Electric Institute (EEI) and the American Gas Association (AGA), and other business community organizations to help gain an understanding, voice views, and develop positions on public policy issues that impact our company and our stakeholders.

Since these groups have many members from a wide variety of geographies and sometimes industries, and cover many public policy and industry issues, there may be occasions where the views of a particular group on a topic may be different from ours.

A listing of associations and other tax-exempt organizations of which we are a member where any portion of our 2023 dues has been attributed to lobbying is available. Historical disclosures are also available.

In addition, we identify and update annually the dollar amount of our annual dues attributed to lobbying efforts exceeding $10,000 to any single association.

View List of 2023 Associations

View Historical Disclosures

Lobbying and Advocacy Spending Disclosure

In 2023 pursuant to the Lobby Disclosure Act of 1995, NiSource reported total U.S. lobbying expenditures of $563,025 as filed in lobbying reports with the Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives and Secretary of the U.S. Senate.

In 2023, NiSource did not make any corporate funded contribution to a 501(c)4 organization; any political candidate, party, or committee; or any independent expenditure in direct support or opposition to a campaign.

NiSource is proud to be a leading implementer of the nation's transition to clean energy. As permitted under state and federal law, NiSource and its operating subsidiaries can engage in lobbying and indirect advocacy activities.  

Each state and the federal government have a unique set of lobbying rules defining legal and ethical standards for registered lobbyists. In all six of our states and in Washington, D.C., we employ registered lobbyists and external consulting firms to support them.  

NiSource’s lobbying activities are tied to items that affect the company’s ability to deliver customer, environmental, and economic benefits, among other benefits, and are reviewed and evaluated by management within NiSource. As listed on our Political Engagement page, NiSource belongs to trade associations that assist the company in delivering such benefits. 

Annual Reports of NiSource’s Operating Companies