The DiversityInc Top 5 Utility Companies

Also read: DiversityInc Top 50, DiversityInc lists

In 2008, DiversityInc decided to split regional utility companies off of the DiversityInc Top 50 list for their own special list. The reason was that these companies have a far more regional geographic focus than most of the other companies on the list, and their workforce and management demographics needed to be considered specifically within the scope of their geographic footprint.

To determine the companies on this list, however, the same 200-question survey used for The 2010 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity® list is used. That survey, which consists of all empirical questions, is divided into four categories: CEO Commitment, Human Capital, Corporate and Organizational Communications, and Supplier Diversity.

Here are a few facts about these five companies and one thing about each that makes it stand out:

• All of these companies have quotes about diversity from their CEOs on their corporate web sites
• The head of diversity is a direct report to the CEO at four out of the five
• Their workforces average 44 percent Blacks, Latinos, Asians and American Indians, while their managers are 37 percent Blacks, Latinos, Asians and American Indians
• All offer their employees the ability to work at home or telecommute
• All use their company intranets to communicate about diversity to their employees
• An average of 44 percent of their philanthropy goes to multicultural nonprofits
• Almost 19 percent of their Tier I (direct contractor) contracts go to minority- and women-owned suppliers

Here’s the top five and something outstanding about each one:

No. 1: Consolidated Edison Company of New York

A long-time DiversityInc Top 50 participant, ConEd’s senior management (CEO and direct reports) is more than 30 percent Black and Asian and more than 30 percent women.

No. 2: PG&E Corp.

Also No. 10 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies Supplier Diversity; No. 3 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Latinos

Fifty-four percent of its philanthropic efforts go to Black, Latino, Asian, American Indian, LGBT or disability nonprofits.

No. 3: Southern California Edison

This company has very strong employee-resource groups, most of which have been in existence for more than 10 years, and mandatory diversity training for its entire workforce.

No. 4: Sempra Energy

Also No. 9 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans

A supplier-diversity leader, almost 16 percent of its Tier I spend goes to minority-owned vendors.

No. 5: PEPCO

The company’s web site clearly communicates its diversity commitment and gets a perfect score on our web site criteria.