July 12, 2002

Edison ranks 2nd in Fortune's annual workplace diversity survey.

ROSEMEAD, Calif., July 12, 2002-Southern California Edison has been ranked as the second best company in America for Latinos and Native Americans by Fortune magazine.

In its annual workplace diversity survey in the July 8 issue, Fortune also ranked SCE seventh overall as the best place to work for ethnic minorities and graded the company the third best in supplier diversity, which is the company's outreach effort to provide procurement opportunities for women-, ethnic minority- and disabled veteran-owned businesses.

"As one of the nation's largest electric utilities with approximately 12,000 union and nonunion employees, we have made extraordinary efforts over the years to incorporate these corporate values through our recruitment, career development, and procurement policies and practices," said Frank Quevedo, SCE vice president for equal opportunity.  "While we have achieved notable successes, we continue to build on them to fully realize our vision as an inclusive company for everyone."

For its annual Fortune corporate diversity survey, the magazine sent detailed questionnaires to the Fortune 1,000 companies, plus the largest 200 privately held U.S. companies. More than 130 responded. The survey looked at a company's entire work force-including executives, directors and top managers-as well as compensation and the company's efforts in adhering to a policy of supplier diversity.

The magazine noted that many of the companies that made its list this year "aren't immune to the problems currently plaguing corporate America. Despite such adversity, these companies have not abandoned their commitment to hiring, promoting, and retaining talented employees of all races."

Being recognized again by Fortune magazine as one of the best places for ethnic minorities to work is only the latest distinction earned by SCE for its diversity efforts within and outside of the workplace.  SCE's other diversity accolades include:

  • 2001, 2000, 1999: LATINA Style magazine named SCE one of the "50 best companies for Latinas to work for in the U.S."
  • 2001: a coalition of organizations led by the Greenlining Institute, a leading multi-ethnic, public policy center based in San Francisco, identified SCE as having one of the most successful supplier diversity programs in America.
  • 2001, 2000: NEXT STEP magazine ranked SCE among the top companies in America for workplace diversity.
  • 1999: A. Magazine recognized SCE for providing one of "the best work environments for Asian Americans," and named the utility as one of the nation's top five Fortune 500 companies for Asian Americans.

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An Edison International company, Southern California Edison is one of the nation's largest electric utilities, serving a population of more than 12 million via 4.3 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within central, coastal and Southern California.  For more information on the California electricity market, see www.sce.com.