SAN DIEGO, Jan. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE) was recognized by three organizations this week for its diversity and inclusion practices. The company was named a "Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality" by the Human Rights Campaign, receiving a perfect score on the organization's Corporate Equality Index for the 12th consecutive year. Sempra Energy was also listed on the 2020 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index and named one of "America's Best Employers for Diversity" by Forbes.
"Diversity and inclusion drive our performance," said George W. Bilicic, president and chief legal officer for Sempra Energy. "We make better business decisions when we have diverse perspectives across the company and on our board of directors. This benefits all of our stakeholders and is key to carrying out our vision to deliver energy with purpose to the communities we serve."
The Corporate Equality Index is released annually by the Human Rights Campaign and serves as the nation's premier benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality.
"The impact of the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index over its 18-year history is profound," said Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David. "In this time, the corporate community has worked with us to adopt LGBTQ-inclusive policies, practices and benefits, establishing the Corporate Equality Index as a primary driving force for LGBTQ workplace inclusion in America and across the globe. These companies know that protecting their LGBTQ employees and customers from discrimination is not just the right thing to do – it is also the best business decision."
The Human Rights Campaign's index measures companies on five categories: non-discrimination policies, employment benefits, demonstrated competency and accountability around LGBTQ diversity and inclusion, public commitment to LGBTQ equality and responsible citizenship.
Sempra Energy was also one of 325 companies recognized on the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI), which distinguishes companies committed to transparency in gender reporting and advancing women's equality. This year, the index included companies from 11 sectors headquartered across 42 countries and regions. The reference index measures gender equality across five pillars: female leadership and talent pipeline, equal pay and gender pay parity, inclusive culture, sexual harassment policies and pro-women brand.
"The 325 companies included in the 2020 GEI have shown their commitment to transparency and demonstrated leadership in gender-related data reporting," said Peter T. Grauer, chairman of Bloomberg. "Disclosure of company statistics and practices is an important first step in supporting gender equality globally."
Sempra Energy scored higher than the utility sector average in the areas of women in senior management and executive positions, and female hires for the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index.
Additionally, Sempra Energy was named to Forbes' "America's Best Employers for Diversity" list. This is the second year Sempra Energy was named to the list. Forbes' ranking was determined from an independent survey of more than 60,000 employees working for major companies in the U.S. Respondents were asked about their employers' diversity practices related to age, gender equality, ethnicity, disability, LGBTQ+ and general diversity. Diversity among top executives and board members at each company also was considered for the ranking.
Sempra Energy and its subsidiaries offer a variety of programs to enhance diversity and inclusivity in the workplace, including employee councils, a mentorship program, an annual Diversity & Inclusion Summit and supplier diversity programs. The company also is part of the Paradigm for Parity, a coalition of business leaders dedicated to addressing the corporate leadership gender gap. Additionally, Jeffrey W. Martin, chairman and CEO of Sempra Energy, is a participant of the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion,™ the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Sempra Energy's utility companies have programs dedicated to advancing supplier opportunities for businesses owned by women, minorities, service-disabled veterans, and members of the LGBTQ community. Sempra Energy also supports a number of STEM programs with schools and nonprofits that focus on mentoring young women who are interested in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and math.
About Sempra Energy
Sempra Energy's mission is to be North America's premier energy infrastructure company. With more than $60 billion in total assets reported in 2018, the San Diego-based company is the utility holding company with the largest U.S. customer base. The Sempra Energy companies' more than 20,000 employees deliver energy with purpose to approximately 40 million consumers worldwide. The company is focused on the most attractive markets in North America, including California, Texas, Mexico and the LNG export market. Sempra Energy has been consistently recognized for its leadership in diversity and inclusion, and sustainability, and is a member of the S&P 500 Utilities Index and the Dow Jones Utility Index.
Sempra South American Utilities, Sempra North American Infrastructure, Sempra LNG, Sempra Mexico, Sempra Texas Utilities, Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC (Oncor) and Infraestructura Energética Nova, S.A.B. de C.V. (IEnova) are not the same companies as the California utilities, San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) or Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas), and Sempra South American Utilities, Sempra North American Infrastructure, Sempra LNG, Sempra Mexico, Sempra Texas Utilities, Oncor and IEnova are not regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission.
SOURCE Sempra Energy
