LOS ANGELES, March 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) today announced that the company achieved another record year of spending with over 550 diverse business enterprises in 2019 - at $726 million, the highest in company history. SoCalGas exceeded the California Public Utilities Commission's (CPUC) goal to contract goods and services from women, minority, service-disabled veteran, and LGBT-owned businesses for the 27th consecutive year. Nearly 42 percent of the utility's contract spending went to women, minority, service-disabled veteran and LGBT-owned firms, nearly double the CPUC's goal of 21.5 percent.

"We are proud that SoCalGas has achieved yet another record year of spending with our diverse business enterprises and with over 91 percent of these suppliers being in California," said Denita Willoughby, vice president of supply management & support services at SoCalGas. "SoCalGas continues to invest in these businesses as we work toward a clean energy future. These diverse firms will play a key role in helping SoCalGas innovate and develop our 21^st century energy system."

In addition to spending with diverse enterprises, SoCalGas also invests in the development of these firms. Development opportunities include business assessment programs, entrepreneurship courses, organizational and operation strategy programs, mentorship and technical assistance. The programs are designed to help diverse suppliers enhance their operations and help ensure success in their business partnerships.

"SoCalGas has been a true champion in our development," said Albert Tene, co-owner of Access General Contracting, a SoCalGas diverse supplier. Tene attended the Smaller Contractor Opportunity Realization Effort (SCORE) boot camps and the UCLA Management Development for Entrepreneurs program sponsored by SoCalGas. "Attending those programs was very useful and led to the expansion of our federal construction and industrial divisions."

Access General Contracting is a Hispanic-owned general engineering firm in Westminster, CA. The firm has over 30 years of experience working in the public, private and federal sectors. The firm specializes in construction for commercial and industrial properties. Access General Contracting has installed protective materials and the like around natural gas facilities and meters at commercial buildings.

In 2019, SoCalGas purchases with women-owned businesses were surpassed for the 31^st consecutive year, totaling nearly $219 million. The company also marked spend with 58 new diverse contractors as well as $59 million in spend with disabled-veteran business enterprises. Other 2019 highlights include:

• $447 million spent with minority-owned firms
• 552 diverse suppliers working with SoCalGas
• 42% total purchases with diverse suppliers
• 14 firms among the top 25 SoCalGas suppliers are diverse firms

In 2020, SoCalGas plans to continue its best practices in supplier diversity while anticipating new developments in the energy industry and identifying opportunities for diverse suppliers in new clean energy solutions as the company looks toward its part in a 21^st century energy system. SoCalGas's vision is to be the cleanest gas utility in North America, and it has committed to replacing 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply with renewable natural gas by 2030. Diverse suppliers will play a key role in moving the company forward as SoCalGas works to help California meet its ambitious climate goals.

To apply to the SoCalGas Supplier Diversity Program please visit socalgas.com/for-your-business/supplier-diversity.

About SoCalGas

Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas^® is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers affordable, reliable, clean and increasingly renewable gas service to 21.8 million customers across 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California, where more than 90 percent of residents use natural gas for heating, hot water, cooking, drying clothes or other uses. Gas delivered through the company's pipelines also plays a key role in providing electricity to Californians— about 45 percent of electric power generated in the state comes from gas-fired power plants.

SoCalGas' vision is to be the cleanest gas utility in North America, delivering affordable and increasingly renewable energy to its customers. In support of that vision, SoCalGas is committed to replacing 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2030. Renewable natural gas is made from waste created by dairy farms, landfills and wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is also committed to investing in its gas delivery infrastructure while keeping bills affordable for our customers. From 2014 through 2018, the company invested nearly $6.5 billion to upgrade and modernize its pipeline system to enhance safety and reliability. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), an energy services holding company based in San Diego. For more information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook. 

SOURCE Southern California Gas Company