August 23, 2005
ROSEMEAD, Calif., Aug. 24, 2005—For the eighth consecutive year, Southern California Edison (SCE) has been recognized as one of the top 50 companies in America for ethnic minorities, according to Fortune magazine’s annual survey of corporate diversity. Fortune’s latest list appears in the Aug. 22, 2005, issue and at www.fortune.com.
“This national recognition once again acknowledges our commitment to developing and maintaining a work force that not only embraces diversity but also reflects our varied customer base,” said SCE Chairman John Bryson. “Not only is embracing diversity good business, it also fosters creativity and innovation in the workplace and makes SCE a better place to work.”
In conducting its annual workplace diversity poll, which did not numerically rank companies making the list, the magazine surveyed the Fortune 1,000 and the 200 largest privately held U.S. companies. Numerous factors were used, among them the number of minorities in the work force and on the board, the rate at which minorities are hired, and a company’s spending with minority-owned businesses.
Fortune noted, “Corporate America is raising the bar, and the best keep on getting better.” SCE has made the Fortune list every year since its inception. During that time, the magazine noted, “Company boards have become more diverse. People of color made up almost 21% of boardrooms in 2003, compared with 19% the year before and 11% in 2001.”
At SCE, ethnic minorities make up 45.7% of the work force, 29.7% of senior officials, managers and high-level professionals, and 53.7% of new hires.
“We view diversity far beyond the numbers,” said Al Fohrer, SCE chief executive officer. “We recognize the value of providing a work environment where all employees have the opportunity to reach their full potential. This is our ongoing commitment.”
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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 13 million via 4.6 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within central, coastal and Southern California.
