American Water names new chief inclusion, diversity and equity officer

A New Jersey American Water tower. (NJAW)

Camden-based American Water Works Co. on Wednesday announced that Lori Sutton will join the company as chief inclusion, diversity and equity officer. Reporting to CEO Susan Hardwick, Sutton will lead the company’s ongoing ID&E efforts, further strengthening American Water’s culture by leading a comprehensive and integrated strategy to drive diversity, equity, mutual respect and inclusiveness across the organization.

“American Water is pleased to welcome Lori, as she is a seasoned and tested ID&E leader that can keep our momentum going in this important and strategic area for our business,” Hardwick said. “Creating an environment where everyone can bring their whole selves to work is essential for our employees and makes us more successful in providing the best possible service to our diverse communities and customers.”

Sutton most recently served as global head of inclusion, diversity and culture at Alcoa, leading ID&E strategy across 10 countries. Prior to that, she led the ID&E effort at Berry Global Corp. Both Alcoa and Berry are Fortune 500 companies, operating in multiple countries. She has more than a decade of experience in the ID&E and human resources field, including leading ID&E efforts in the utility sector.