The impact of a company extends far beyond its products and services. It's the dedication of its people that truly defines its legacy, not just in their daily roles, but in their service to the community as well. Our NRG Impact Awards celebrate just that — teammates putting our purpose and values into action at work and beyond.

NRG’s commitment to creating lasting, positive change extends to our people, the environment, and the communities where we live and work. The NRG Impact Awards celebrate individuals in three categories — Volunteer of the Year, Community Champion, and Purpose on Point. Winners in these categories are making a difference and inspiring others to do the same.

This installment of our Impact Awards series highlights the Purpose on Point category, which celebrates teammates driving forward one or more components of NRG's new purpose statement: To power a brighter future together. One that is safe, smart, and sustainable.

Winners of this award are bringing our purpose to life by promoting safety in the workplace, facilitating team building and connection, and enabling others to work smarter and more sustainably.

This year’s recipients of Purpose on Point are:

• Cathleen Madrona - Manager, UX/UI Design
• Gabriel Montague - Director, Cyber Operations and Response
• Jesse Walker - Account Creation Supervisor
• Lynda Wallen - Secretary II, Plum Point
• Stephanie Brunson – Senior Director, Continuous Improvement & Instructional Design

We interviewed three winners to highlight their efforts.

What part of our purpose statement resonates most with you and why?

Safety is the part of our purpose statement that resonates most with me. In my experience, safety in the workplace makes people feel at ease. When people feel at ease, they are more likely to share ideas without fear of judgment or reprisal. Feeling safe at work also fosters a sense of belonging and commitment among team members. When they feel valued and respected with a sense of belonging, they're more likely to be engaged in their work and intrinsically motivated to do their best.

You spent the day with other Impact Awards winners. Can you describe the group and any takeaways you experienced?

Spending the day with other Impact Awards winners helped me learn everyone's stories and what drives them. The diversity of the group reminded me why I enjoy working at NRG. Spending time with the award winners helped me appreciate how NRG leadership recognizes and celebrates employees’ impact in the community and the organization. It's been an inspiring experience overall.

How do you foster a sense of purpose and passion at work?

For me, finding purpose and passion at work means contributing in a way that really matters to people while staying authentic to my personal values. I strive to achieve this by practicing servant leadership — I look for ways to serve my team by pouring into them all the things I have learned, being vulnerable and learning alongside them, and doing my best to create an environment where everyone can be themselves and perform as highly as possible.

What advice do you have for colleagues who are looking to be more purpose-driven in their day-to-day work?

Do the intrinsic work; learn what matters to you, reflect on your personal strengths and interests, and then look for opportunities to apply them to your work.

What part of our purpose statement resonates most with you and why?

What resonates the most with me is, “To power a brighter future together.” The reason encapsulates a lot, but to me, what it shows is that the only way we can lead from the front as leaders is understanding that we are a team, a unit — one that should be built on trust, understanding, and a mutual desire for success. When the team wins, we all win.

What does being purpose-driven mean to you?

It means that every action, decision, and goal is born from the desire to accomplish something. If that's something in the workplace, a sales initiative, or team member retention. If it's something in my personal life, a weight loss goal, a milestone on the path to better things, or even finishing a good book. Being purpose-driven means putting actions to the goals, and goals to the actions.