(KANSAS CITY, Kan.) — The Kansas City Kansas Board of Public Utilities (BPU) has been named a “Silver Stevie” Award Winner for Best Corporate Communications Program – Corporate Responsibility in the 2022 American Business Awards (ABA). The ABA’s, also known as the Stevie Awards, are the nation’s premier business awards program with a panel of judges recognizing BPU for its on-going efforts to assist and help customers and the community manage challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted Wyandotte County over the last 24 months, both from a health perspective and economically, with many experiencing lost income and wages, food insecurity, psychological strain, etc. As a socially responsible partner in the community, BPU undertook a variety of initiatives and programs and educational efforts during this period to assist customers, including those experiencing financial hardship and/or difficulty managing their utility payments, helping them access or utilize all of the various resources available.
As not-for-profit municipal public utility, BPU is committed to maintaining, investing in, and assisting its customers and the broader community. In efforts to be a socially responsible organization, BPU supports and gives back to Wyandotte County thru a number of core areas such as community giving, volunteerism, environmental education/advocacy, and more recently assisting customers and the community as they attempt to manage the health, economic, and financial impact and fall-out of the pandemic.
This included campaigns to promote and connect the community to various local, state, and federal program and resources to assist, including the State-managed KERA program, direct financial assistance and relief from BPU in concert with the United Way (more than 600 families assisted in last 12 months), enactment of temporary disconnection moratoriums, remote opportunities for bills payment/questions in order to be safe, and much more. These communications efforts included the use of direct mailers, website and other customer service enhancements, flyers, media promotions, etc. to help the community be safe and more easily access the resources they required.
This latest award is one of several notable awards BPU has received in recent months for its on-going commitment to the community and its COVID response efforts, including being named the winner of the PR News 2022 Nonprofit Awards in the Social Responsibility/ Campaigns category, and being recognized as a local Corporate Champion by Ingram’s magazine at the 2021 Philanthropist of the Year Awards in December of 2021, among others.
The ABA’s are the country’s premier business awards program. All organizations operating in the U.S. are eligible – including public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small. Over 3,700 nominations from organizations of all sizes and every industry were considered in a wide range of categories. Details about The American Business Awards and the list of 2022 Stevie winners are available online. BPU was notified that it had been selected as a Finalist among ABA nominations earlier this year, prior to being named a “Silver Stevie” recipient. Other winners in similar categories include The Home Depot Foundation, Fannie Mae, and Coldwell Banker, among others.
The ABA’s are the country’s premier business awards program. All organizations operating in the U.S. are eligible – including public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small. Over 3,700 nominations from organizations of all sizes and every industry were considered in a wide range of categories. Details about The American Business Awards and the list of 2022 Stevie winners are available online. BPU was notified that it had been selected as a Finalist among ABA nominations earlier this year, prior to being named a “Silver Stevie” recipient. Other winners in similar categories include The Home Depot Foundation, Fannie Mae, and Coldwell Banker, among others.