As residents across the Garden State turn on their stoves and heat their homes today, South Jersey Industries (SJI) is pausing to recognize the workforce behind the blue flame.
In a statement released Wednesday, SJI and its subsidiaries—South Jersey Gas and Elizabethtown Gas—joined utilities nationwide to celebrate Natural Gas Utility Workers’ Day. The annual event highlights the technicians, installers, and maintenance crews who manage thousands of miles of infrastructure to ensure safe, affordable energy delivery.
For SJI, the celebration is personal. The utility workers responsible for modernizing New Jersey’s delivery systems are often residents of the very towns they service.
“We dedicate today to the exceptional work our natural gas utility workers do every day and celebrate their commitment to safety,” Steven Cocchi, senior vice president and chief operating officer at SJI said. “We extend our deepest gratitude for their unwavering commitment to excellence and for working tirelessly in all weather conditions.”
These crews are described by the company as “front-line heroes” who restore not just service during outages, but “peace of mind” for New Jersey families.
At the heart of SJI’s operations is the guiding principle: “Make Every Day a Safe Day.” To turn this slogan into action, the company utilizes a unique Safety Jackpot Program.
Under this initiative, employees are incentivized to contribute to a proactive safety culture. Workers earn virtual scratch-off cards for:
- Submitting safety suggestions.
- Reporting “near miss” incidents to prevent future accidents.
- Completing advanced safety training courses.
Beyond employee programs, SJI continues to invest in infrastructure programs designed to improve reliability while simultaneously reducing carbon emissions across the state.
The celebration comes on the heels of major industry recognition. Both South Jersey Gas and Elizabethtown Gas were recently named 2025 Most Trusted Brands by Escalent.
The two SJI subsidiaries were among only 40 utilities nationwide to receive the honor, significantly outperforming industry averages in categories such as community support, environmental dedication, and reliable quality.
As the state moves forward with energy modernization, SJI officials noted that the expertise of their utility workers remains the backbone of their mission to provide consistent service to New Jersey’s homes and businesses.
