SAN DIEGO, Sept. 13, 2006 – Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE) has been recognized with a No. 5 ranking on Hispanic Business magazine’s annual list of “Top 50 Companies for Hispanics,” published earlier this month. 

        Hispanic Business magazine’s rankings are based on more than 30 criteria measuring companies’ commitment to Hispanic hiring, promotion, marketing, philanthropy and supplier diversity.

        “We are proud to be recognized for our diversity by Hispanic Business,” said Donald E. Felsinger, chairman and chief executive officer of Sempra Energy.  “Our ability to value, leverage and manage diversity in both our workforce and supplier base is a critical factor in our success in an increasingly competitive and global marketplace.”

        In 2005, Sempra Energy spent $215 million, more than 23 percent of total purchases, with women-, minority-, service-disabled, and veteran-owned businesses.

        Fifty-one percent of Sempra Energy’s general workforce and 30 percent of its managers are African-Americans, Asians, Hispanics and Native Americans.  Minority representation on Sempra Energy’s board of directors is 20 percent.

        “Organization-wide diversity is a smart business choice and at Sempra Energy diversity training, targeted recruiting, mentoring, succession planning, management development programs and education reimbursement have been instrumental in recruiting and retaining diverse employees,” said Juan Solana, chief economist for Hispanic Business magazine.  “Sempra Energy’s programs and initiatives reflect the needs of the growing Hispanic community as well as all members of its diverse communities.”

        Sempra Energy’s Office of Corporate Diversity Affairs manages workplace diversity at the company.  This special entity successfully creates an environment in which employees of all races and ethnic backgrounds are valued and can use their unique perspectives to contribute to the business goals of the company, Sempra Energy officials said.  The company also has a dedicated team that manages supplier diversity.  The team conducts outreach programs and mentors minority-, woman-, service-disabled, and veteran-owned businesses, helping Sempra Energy reduce costs, spark innovation and provide customers with the best products and services at competitive prices.

        Sempra Energy has received numerous awards and honors for its commitment to diversity, including being ranked the No. 1 company for supplier diversity and No. 19 company for overall diversity by DiversityInc magazine earlier this year.  Additional recognition for diversity efforts has come from the U.S. Department of Labor, state and local chambers of commerce, as well as a top-five ranking on Fortune magazine’s list of “America’s 50 Best Companies for Minorities” for seven years.

        Hispanic Business magazine is an award-winning print editorial magazine, which provides readers around the world with the most relevant and data-driven news on the U.S. Hispanic Economy.  For more information on the top companies for diversity visit the magazine’s Web site at www.HispanicBusiness.com.

        Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company with 2005 revenues of $11.7 billion.  The Sempra Energy companies’ 14,000 employees serve more than 29 million consumers in the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico, South America and Asia.

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