New Jersey Natural Gas Recognized Among the Country's Most Trusted Utilities for the Seventh Consecutive Year

New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) was named one of the top most trusted utilities in the nation, according to the 2020 Cogent Syndicated Utility Trusted Brand and Customer Engagementtm: Residential report from Escalent. For seven consecutive years, the company has sustained a high level of brand trust among its customers in the annual survey, demonstrating its commitment to listening to and understanding the perceptions of its customers and improving their overall experience.

"Earning our customers' trust is the greatest recognition we can receive and means even more to us as we serve them during this unprecedented time," said Steve Westhoven, president and chief executive officer of New Jersey Natural Gas. "Our team is committed to delivering on our promise to provide safe, reliable service and excellent customer service, and we are honored to be counted among the country's most trusted utilities."

According to Escalent, customer trust in utilities has hit a historic high due to the industry's effective response to the pandemic. You can read the Escalent news release here. "It is clear from our research the utility industry has done a fantastic job supporting customers through the pandemic. This has won utilities the trust and goodwill of their customers," said Chris Oberle, senior vice president at Escalent.

The annual study gauges the brand trust of 140 utilities across six factors ? customer focus, company reputation, community support, communications effectiveness, reliable quality and environmental dedication. NJNG scored a 726 out of 1,000, and stood out for consistent excellence in customer communications.

In addition, NJNG continues its efforts to embrace environmental sustainability and ensure the well-being of its customers by connecting them with energy assistance programs and flexible payment options to help meet their energy needs. Westhoven adds, "Our employees value the relationships we have with our customers, and strive to always be there when they need us most."

More information about the report may be found at: Cogent Syndicated Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagementtm: Residential.

About New Jersey Resources:

NJR is a Fortune 1000 company that, through its subsidiaries, provides safe and reliable natural gas and clean energy services, including transportation, distribution, asset management and home services. It is composed of five primary businesses:

• New Jersey Natural Gas, NJR's principal subsidiary, operates and maintains over 7,500 miles of natural gas transportation and distribution infrastructure to serve over half a million customers in New Jersey's Monmouth, Ocean, Morris, Middlesex and Burlington counties.
• NJR Clean Energy Ventures invests in, owns and operates solar projects with a total capacity of over 315 megawatts, providing residential and commercial customers with low-carbon solutions.
• NJR Energy Services manages a diversified portfolio of natural gas transportation and storage assets and provides physical natural gas services and customized energy solutions to its customers across North America.
• NJR Midstream serves customers - from local distributors and producers to electric generators and wholesale marketers through its ownership of Leaf River Energy Center and the Adelphia Gateway Pipeline Project, as well as a 50 percent equity ownership in Steckman Ridge natural gas storage facilities, and a 20 percent equity interest in the planned PennEast Pipeline Project.
• NJR Home Services provides service contracts as well as heating, central air conditioning, water heaters, standby generators, solar and other indoor and outdoor comfort products to residential homes throughout New Jersey.

NJR and its more than 1,100 employees are committed to helping customers save energy and money by promoting conservation and encouraging efficiency through Conserve to Preserve® and initiatives such as The SAVEGREEN Project® and The Sunlight Advantage®. For more information about NJR: www.njresources.com.

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