SAN FRANCISCO, May 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has been recognized by DiversityInc as one of the top regional utilities in the country for its strong diversity practices. This is the fifth year in a row that the utility has been recognized by DiversityInc, a leading publication on diversity and businesses.
"It is clear that U.S. companies are increasingly conscious of the importance of diversity," said Luke Visconti, Chief Executive Officer of DiversityInc. "We are very encouraged to see PG&E applying for this distinction. We also note a continued positive correlation between achievement in diversity and overall company performance."
For the 2013 ranking, DiversityInc surveyed 893 companies with at least 1,000 employees. Participating companies were rated by DiversityInc. in four key areas: CEO Commitment to Diversity Management, Workforce Diversity and Human Capital, Corporate/Organizational Communications, and Supplier Diversity.
"It is an honor to be named by DiversityInc one of the top regional utilities in the country for diversity. As a utility that serves some of the most diverse communities in the nation, PG&E views diversity as the very fabric of our corporate culture," said Laura Butler, Vice President of Talent Management and Chief Diversity Officer at PG&E. "This commitment to diversity and inclusion is a critical part of our values and how we work to provide safe, reliable and affordable gas and electric service to our customers."
PG&E's leadership upholds the company's strong commitment to diversity and inclusion – from an inclusive Board of Directors with a diverse representation, to required diversity and inclusion training for all members of the company's leadership team. The utility also has a history of grassroots Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) that goes back more than 40 years. Today, these include: InspirAsian, Samahan (Filipino), BEA (African American), Latino, Women's Network, Pride Network, NuEnergy (new to the workforce), Access Network (People with Disabilities), Legacy (long tenured) , and the Veterans ERGs.
The utility has developed one of the nation's leading supplier diversity programs that supports economic development and job creation in the communities it serves. PG&E recently announced that it achieved an all-time high of over $2 billion in spending with diverse suppliers in 2012, accounting for 38.8 percent of its total procurement spend.
DiversityInc is the latest in a number of publications that have recognized PG&E for its commitment to diversity and inclusion. PG&E was recently ranked among the top 50 organizations for multicultural business opportunities by DiversityBusiness.com and named Corporation of the Year by the Northern California Minority Supplier Development Council. It was also recognized by Women's Business Enterprise National Council as one of the America's Top Corporations for Women's Business Enterprises. In addition, the utility has been recognized by Vetrepreneur Magazine, Professional Women's Magazine, Hispanic Business Magazine, Black EOE Journal, CAREERS & the disABLED Magazine, G.I. Jobs Magazine and Human Rights Campaign for its strong commitment and performance in workforce and supplier diversity.
For information on PG&E's diversity programs, supplier diversity program, or to learn how to apply to become a certified diverse supplier, visit www.pge.com/about/company/diversityinclusion.
About DiversityInc
DiversityInc is the leading source of information on diversity management. The company is a consultancy and publishes two websites, www.DiversityInc.com and www.DiversityIncBestPractices.com, as well as a magazine, published five times a year. DiversityInc also produces diversity events, which average more than 600 attendees from 200 companies and have featured more than 20 CEOs of major corporations.
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation's cleanest energy to 15 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com/about/newsroom/ or www.pgecurrents.com.
SOURCE Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E)