LOS ANGELES, March 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) released the latest issue of EMPOWER Magazine, a quarterly publication spotlighting the company's efforts to achieve measurable social impact in diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and in communities it serves. This second edition of EMPOWER features inspiring stories and a new video about SoCalGas' work with non-profit organizations like the Los Angeles Urban League that provide essential workforce development and career advancement opportunities in underserved communities. The community partnerships highlighted in EMPOWER align with the Company's ASPIRE 2045 sustainability goals, which includes a commitment to invest $50 million to drive positive change in diverse and underserved communities over the next five years.
"SoCalGas employs a diverse population that reflects the communities we serve; for us, doing the right thing means creating a culture in which everyone is seen, heard, and has a sense of belonging," said Jeff Walker, Senior Vice President, Chief Administrative and Diversity Officer. "Whether it's partnerships with non-profits or local businesses our community investments support safety, sustainability, and social justice. Diversity and inclusion are fundamental to our business values and a lens that focuses all that we do."
Last year, SoCalGas awarded workforce development grants to 44 nonprofits across 23 cities. The latest edition of EMPOWER focuses on SoCalGas' work with six of those organizations that focus on workforce development and career advancement, including: the Los Angeles Urban League, Los Angeles Brotherhood Crusade, JVS SoCal, Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment (PACE), Youth Action Project, and the South Bay Workforce Investment Board. In total, SoCalGas invested more than $9 million in communities it serves, supporting approximately 900 nonprofits throughout its 12-county service area.
"I want to commend SoCalGas for partnering with nonprofit organizations in the Second District, including the LA Urban League and Brotherhood Crusade, to help provide essential training skills and create sustainable job opportunities for our residents. The workforce programs highlighted in its EMPOWER Magazine truly showcase the positive ripple effect SoCalGas has in our community and I look forward to seeing the full impact these programs will have for our working families," said Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair, Holly J. Mitchell.
The issue highlights the partnership with the Los Angeles Urban League's workforce development program, the Construction Career Academy, which provides no-cost training for jobs in the construction and utility trades. It also features Los Angeles area residents who successfully completed the training academy and are now employed full-time by SoCalGas. Watch their stories on this new video here.
"We are thankful to be highlighted in this issue of EMPOWER as it demonstrates the power of partnership that has resulted in successful job placements through our Construction Career Academy," said Los Angeles Urban League President and CEO Michael Lawson. "The workforce development partnership is not only directly changing people's lives with new careers; together we are strengthening families and empowering our communities through job training and placement."
In addition to community partnerships, SoCalGas supports its sustainability and social justice goals through its procurement efforts. In 2020, the company's Supplier Diversity Program spent a record $884.2 million with over 550 minority, service-disabled veteran, LGBTQ, and women-owned businesses, with over 91% of suppliers located in California. It was the 28th consecutive year SoCalGas exceeded state regulator's goals for supplier diversity programs.
SoCalGas is also helping make more diverse businesses eligible to bid for work with utilities by increasing participation in the company's Technical Assistance Programs (TAPs) by 30 percent, in support of increasing the company's total annual Diverse Business Enterprise spend to 45 percent by 2025.
The company has also set goals to have a measurable social impact through its recruitment and hiring practices. SoCalGas is positioned to be an industry leader in racial and ethnic diversity representation in leadership roles, and is taking actions to enhance the presence of women in leadership roles and the overall workforce by 2025.
To read this issue's EMPOWER Magazine, go to https://empowerscg.com.
About SoCalGas
Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas® is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers affordable, reliable, and increasingly renewable gas service to 21.8 million consumers across 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California. Gas delivered through the company's pipelines will continue to play a key role in California's clean energy transition—providing electric grid reliability and supporting wind and solar energy deployment.
SoCalGas' mission is to build the cleanest, safest and most innovative energy company in America. In support of that mission, SoCalGas is committed to the goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in its operations and delivery of energy by 2045 and to replacing 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply to core customers 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 customers. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra (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
