CHICAGO, Aug. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- In a move to respond to the nation's growing health crisis by helping local YMCAs better address the health and well-being needs of African American and Hispanic communities, the PepsiCo Corporate Charitable Contribution Fund has awarded a grant totaling $3 million to YMCA of the USA.

Announced today and to be awarded over three years, the grant will be used to establish Diversity Collaboratives involving more than 30 YMCAs as part of YMCA Activate America(R), the YMCA's bold approach to directly addressing our nation's growing health crisis by transforming the way YMCAs work, both internally and externally, to support all those who seek well-being in spirit, mind and body.

"Research conclusively demonstrates the burden of obesity and related chronic disease is falling disproportionately on low-income and minority populations," said Neil Nicoll, president and CEO of YMCA of the USA. "YMCAs serving African American and Hispanic communities already positively influence the health and well-being of the people who live there, but we know we must do even more. We are very grateful to the PepsiCo Corporate Charitable Contribution Fund for its continued support of YMCA Activate America, which will help us further impact these communities."

The YMCA's Diversity Collaboratives will employ a transformative learning process through which participating YMCAs will learn how to implement permanent changes in culture, policy and systems to better support those African American and Hispanic children, youth, adults and families whose successful pursuit of health and well-being requires continuous supportive relationships and environments. The short-term results of these collaboratives will include environments -- both inside and outside the YMCA -- that are more supportive of healthy eating and physical activity; improved relevancy and effectiveness of health and well-being programs; and an enhanced focus on relationships as an integral part of supporting people's pursuit of health and well-being. The longer-term results of these collaboratives will be improved health outcomes for African American and Hispanic children, youth, adults and families.

"PepsiCo is deeply committed to reaching these targeted populations, and we look forward to working with the YMCA to support African American and Hispanic individuals who seek healthy lifestyles for themselves, their children and their families," said Jacqueline R. Millan, director of corporate contributions for PepsiCo, Inc.

The transformative learning process that the Diversity Collaboratives will employ has been adapted from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Breakthrough Series. Thirty YMCAs, representing more than 100 branches and childcare sites, piloted the process over the past three years in examining how Ys serve the general population. The PepsiCo Corporate Charitable Contribution Fund was instrumental in providing funding for the pilot phase of this work.

During the initial phase of the Diversity Collaborative process, YMCA of the USA will establish a panel of individuals with expertise in addressing health needs of diverse communities to identify the gaps YMCAs must close to better support African American and Hispanic individuals and families in their efforts to adopt and sustain a healthy lifestyle.

The YMCA will continue to collaborate with the Harvard School of Public Health and Stanford University School of Medicine on this work, which served as expert partners to the Activate America effort.

About the PepsiCo Corporate Charitable Contributions Fund:

Since the founding of PepsiCo in 1965, PepsiCo and PepsiCo Foundation have invested in leading programs and critical causes that have strengthened communities. The PepsiCo Foundation focuses its grant making in several key areas including the environment and education and a major priority is Health and Wellness. Specifically the focus is about how to advance the knowledge of positive behavior change. PepsiCo Foundation also provides assistance for humanitarian aid and recovery efforts following major disasters.

About YMCA Activate America(R):

Building on the YMCA's 155-year history, YMCA Activate America is bringing people and their communities together to make healthier and more sustainable choices and decisions to address America's growing health crisis. Launched in 2004, YMCA Activate America is an ambitious public health initiative that is seeking to help millions of Americans and their communities in the pursuit of well-being in spirit, mind and body. Expert advisors to the YMCA on this initiative include: Harvard University School of Public Health, Stanford University School of Medicine, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Steps to a HealthierUS, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Active Living by Design program, the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors and others. Visit http://www.ymca.net/activateamerica.

About YMCA of the USA:

YMCA of the USA is the national resource office for the nation's 2,663 YMCAs, which serve 20.2 million people each year, including 9.5 million children under the age of 18. YMCAs unite men, women and children of all ages, faiths, backgrounds, abilities and income levels. From urban areas to small towns, YMCAs are collectively the nation's largest nonprofit provider of child care and afterschool programs in nearly 10,000 diverse communities and neighborhoods across the U.S. A place for people to belong, YMCAs have proudly served America's communities for nearly 160 years by building healthy spirit, mind and body for all. Visit http://www.ymca.net to find your local YMCA.

On April 26th, PepsiCo received the Innovation Award from disabilityworks, a program of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. The Innovation Award recognizes creative business opportunities for people with differing abilities. PepsiCo received the honor in recognition of enABLE and its commitment to providing guidance that ensures the inclusion of people with differing abilities in all aspects of PepsiCo's business and culture -- including its employees, consumers, partners and suppliers. The enABLE program reaches out to employees with disabilities and those who have chronic health conditions as well as to employees who have family and friends who have disabilities. There are 54 million people with disabilities in the United States and the disability community is one of the largest minorities in the nation.

We surveyed the experts, asked the tough questions, and crunched the numbers to compile a list of companies where Black women are not only welcome but are making great professional strides

To create this year’s list, Essence asked more than 60 business insiders—headhunters, human resources representatives, research firms and nonprofit organizations—to nominate companies with solid reputations for hiring, retaining, supporting and promoting Black women.(Unlike other lists that rely on a question-and-answer survey in which companies can respond with what they want you to know, we created our methodology based on discussions with those in the know.) We then conducted additional research to find exceptional programs and policies within these organizations that cater specifically to our needs. We also contacted the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to find out if those being considered are indeed practicing what they preach. Finally, we scoured the staff of some great companies to find Black women who are succeeding at all levels. Here are the findings (* Companies listed alphabetically):

1. Aetna, Inc., Hartford

What makes it great: There are strong employee networks at this health-care benefits company, with plenty of opportunities for Black women to meet others. It also has programs that give midlevel employees of color leadership development training for future top spots.

Other pluses: Black women like Elease Wright, senior vice-president of human resources, are in place to make key hiring decisions. Wright was recognized last year by The Network Journal as one of the top influential Black women in business.

2. Citigroup, New York

What makes it great: Citigroup has solid employee-led affinity networks and high-placed Black women. Ann Dibble Jordan sits on the board of directors, and Leah Johnson, senior vice-president, global corporate affairs, and the highest-ranking Black woman in the company, sits on its exclusive operating and management committees. Citigroup also has 15 other Black women among its senior management ranks.


Other pluses: Even the CEO shares in the mentoring program, and two Black women are among his mentees. It’s no wonder the National Urban League nominated the multibillion dollar financial services house for our list.

3. The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta

What makes it great: One way the soft drink giant levels the playing field for African-Americans is by creating partnerships with groups like the National Black MBA Association in its search for capable and experienced employees.

Other pluses: Coca-Cola’s commitment to minority suppliers includes mentoring and developing minority- and women- owned businesses.

4. Colgate-Palmolive Co., New York

What makes it great: It’s inspiring to see women such as Marsha E. Butler, D.D.S., senior executive and vice-president of global oral health and professional relations, in the corporate office. She and Colgate-Palmolive work with the National Dental Association to improve oral health in our communities.

Other pluses: Colgate-Palmolive effectively gives support to its Black female employees through a networking group called the Black Action Committee.

5. Comcast, Philadelphia

What makes it great: Black women are represented throughout the company, starting with Charrisse Lillie, vice-president, human resources, and senior vice-president, Comcast Cable. And people of color make up 40 percent of the staff at this cable giant, thanks to recruiting efforts with organizations like the National Association of Minorities in Communications and its five-year commitment to provide summer and then permanent jobs to inner-city youth through the Emma L. Bowen Foundation.

Other pluses: Comcast University has training centers across the country, offering courses for potential supervisors taught by senior staffers.

6. Federated Department Stores, Cincinnati

What makes it great: Black women represent 16.3 percent of Federated’s workforce at all levels. The retail giant also supports leadership development and has worked with organizations such as the National Council of Negro Women and Spelman College.

Other pluses: In 1970, Federated helped create the Black Retail Action Group. Today this organization continues to introduce students to careers in retailing through internships, educational experiences and “shadow days” specifically at Federated stores.
7. Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco

What makes it great: This biotechnology company has incorporated cultural values into its mission statement and created a Diversity in Action (DNA) 3-Point plan to recruit diverse talent and sponsor the Genentech Scholars program. This program offers scholarships and internships to diverse California-based students who are interested in the biotech industry. This year Genentech Scholars plans to award ten scholarships for $5,000 each at the high school level, ten for $7,500 each at the community college and undergraduate levels and two $10,000 scholarships at the graduate level in the field of science.

Other pluses: Convenient perks like an on-site hair salon, a dentist, dry cleaning services and massages. In 2005 it sponsored a $5.5 million, four-year research effort with the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston to investigate how to get African-Americans and other minorities to participate in clinical trials for new drugs that could potentially alleviate illnesses affecting our people.

8. General Electric Co., Fairfield CT

What makes it great: Flex appeal. This company has an array of flexible work options, including job sharing and compressed work weeks that are actually being used by about half of the employees.

Other pluses: Lots of opportunities for networking and mentoring via GE’s African-American Forum and Women’s Network. GE is also a sponsor of Leadership Delta, a joint program between GE and Delta Sigma Theta sorority that’s designed to coach, mentor and develop young African-American women.

9. Hewlett-Packard, Palo Alto CA

What makes it great: Upward mobility. This technology giant has four Black women as vice-presidents. “The presence of women of color is significantly different here from most companies I have worked with,” says one of our expert nominators.

Other pluses: Consistent community outreach. For example, in the San Francisco Bay area, the company has a tradition of participating in an African-American students day program, which brings in high school kids to learn about new technology and future job opportunities.

10. IBM, Armonk NY

What makes it great: Black executives have increased 121 percent at this computer giant since 1995. Four members of its worldwide management council and 14 members of the senior leadership team are Black.

Other pluses: Great opportunities to grow. Black Executive Forums, with the theme “Reach Back and Pull Through,” work to make sure IBM has a healthy pipeline of African-Americans to move up the ranks. The company also offers up to three years of personal leave and up to five years of unpaid leave to complete a bachelor’s degree full-time. And it provides 100 percent tuition reimbursement for approved courses.

11. Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick NJ

What makes it great: “I can tell you without hesitation that the company is doing some of the most significant work out there with regards to advancing the interests of African-American women,” says Joe Watson. A management consultant and author of Without Excuses: Unleash the Power of Diversity to Build Your Business (St. Martin’s Press), Watson nominated the consumer products giant.

Other pluses: Black women in high places. Ann Dibble Jordan has served on the company’s board of directors since 1981; Kaye Foster-Cheek, a corporate vice-president, sits on the exclusive 11-member executive committee; and superstar executive Bridgette Heller heads the baby, kids and wound care division.

12. Kraft Foods, Northfield IL

What makes it great: In 2005 Kraft gave grants to 18 organizations specifically serving our communities and forged a new partnership with the Black Women’s Health Imperative to address the health and nutrition needs of Black women.The company has both formal and informal mentoring programs, so there’s a lot to inspire Black women.

Other pluses: There are affinity groups for us companywide, including African-Americans in Operations, the Black Sales Council and the Kraft Foods African-American Council.

13. Marriott International, Washington DC

What makes it great: The next time you decide to stay at a Marriott, Ritz-Carlton or Renaissance hotel, sleep well knowing that 60 percent of Marriott International’s associates are minorities and 54 percent are women, while 27 percent of management are minorities and 48 percent are women. Eighteen years ago, this was one of the first lodging companies to establish a diversity program, and since then it has been presented with the Champion Award by the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators and Developers, a group that was organized to increase the number of properties owned and operated by African-Americans.

Other pluses: Since 2005 Marriott has looked for talented up-and-comers within the company to attend its Women of Color Multicultural Town Hall and discuss issues related to gender and diversity in the workplace.

14. McDonald's Corp., Oak Brook IL

What makes it great: With programs like the Black Career Development seminars at Hamburger University, it touts more training for women and minorities than most other firms.

Other pluses: More than 25 percent of company officers and 40 percent of owner/operators in the United States are minorities.

15. Merrill Lynch, New York

What makes it great: “Merrill has a growing and commendable record of developing African-American women,” says Joann Stevens of The Executive Leadership Council, which nominated the brokerage giant. Merrill also allows for individuality. “We see women wearing hairstyles from buzz cuts to twists and braids, and business attire with ethnic accents,” Stevens says.

Other pluses: Two Black males and one Black female on its board of directors keep an eye on our interests; there’s also generous financial support to groups such as the National Council of Negro Women, on-site child care in one location, and “schools out” camps at larger offices.

16. Morgan Stanley, New York

What makes it great: Morgan Stanley has established itself as a global heavyweight in the financial services business, using its reputation to sponsor and participate in more than 50 events to recruit people of color including the Columbia Black Business Student Association Conference and the Harvard African-American Student Union Career Conference.

Other pluses: The student, wife, mother, corporate-climber types can take advantage of perks like free college admissions counseling, on-site Lamaze classes and designated lactation rooms for new mothers.

17. MTV Networks, New York

What makes it great: MTV has created an internal advisory team to advance diversity, multiculturalism and inclusion. The company’s first executive vice-president of global inclusion strategy, Marva Smalls, and the MTVN Diversity Council help the advisory team develop strategies to advance diversity. With African-Americans like Christina Norman, president of MTV Networks, and Smalls on board, things are changing for Black women here.

Other pluses: A Diversity 101 orientation program introduces new hires to MTV’s diversity values and how the entertainment company wants them reflected in the workplace.
18. Nike, Beaverton, OR

What makes it great: The sporting goods manufacturer initiated the Global Diversity Executive Council and the Global Women’s Leadership Council. To create a workable plan execs went straight to the employees. A survey revealed that Nike staffers joined the company because of opportunities for personal development and advancement. “Having African-Americans in meaningful positions can be a good first step toward making things happen,” says Boyce Watkins, assistant finance professor at Syracuse University.

Other pluses: The company’s lush 178-acre campus where employees have fields, trails and gyms at their disposal to stay active and healthy.

19. PepsiCo, Purchase, NY

What makes it great: PepsiCo receives praise as one of the top places for women and minorities to work. The company has a serious plan: hiring executives solely dedicated to managing diversity in its operating divisions; setting recruitment and retention goals to be met each year; and establishing an external board to advise senior management on ways to make PepsiCo more inclusive of employees of color.

Other pluses: It has also partnered with African-American– and women-owned suppliers, supporting businesses owned by Black women.

Get a job there: pepsico.com

20. Proctor & Gamble, Cincinnati

What makes it great: Black females are in key positions and have a voice. “A number of high-ranking Black female managers were instrumental in making sure budgets were increased for African-American marketing,” says Pepper Miller, president of the Hunter-Miller Group, a Black-owned strategic market research, planning and consulting firm specializing in urban consumers, who nominated P & G.

Other pluses: The Black Women Managers Network provides a forum to connect, build relationships, and learn critical careers skills from others. The company also has family friendly programs and perks such as flexible work schedules and on-site child-care centers at three different locations.

21. Prudential Financial, Newark, NJ

What makes it great: “Prudential has a strong track record of promoting African American women and placing then in key leadership positions and working with Black-female–owned companies,” says Linda Spradley Dunn, president and chief executive officer of Idamar Marketing and Communications, who nominated Prudential for this list.

Other pluses: Women account for 54.4 percent of existing employees and 52.3 percent of new hires. Flexible schedules and free counseling sessions with a life coach makes this an extremely “female friendly” company.

22. Starbucks Coffee Co., Seattle

What makes it great: In a word, growth. Last year Starbucks launched a pilot program connecting Black female directors with members of the executive leadership team for a yearlong mentorship. Black women also are in key leadership positions, with an executive vice-president and a senior vice-president who both report directly to the CEO. Mellody Hobson, president of Ariel Capital Management, LLC, one of the largest African American– owned money management firms, serves on its board of directors.

Other pluses: Its magic touch. Starbucks has partnered with Magic Johnson’s Urban Coffee Opportunities to bring java and jobs to inner-city areas including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, San Diego and Washington, D.C., and Charlotte, North Carolina. It currently has 107 stores across the country where Black women can take advantage of its great benefits and opportunities to network and move up.

23. Time Warner, New York

What makes it great: This media giant (and Essence’s parent company) has made great strides in supplier diversity and hiring people of color. Across the company, hiring at the director and manager levels increased to 28 percent in 2005 from 20 percent in 2003. Meanwhile, high-profile divisions like HBO have several Black women in executive positions: Olivia Smashum, executive vice- president for affiliate marketing; Dolores Morris, vice-president of HBO family development, production and acquisitions; and Sam Martin, vice-president of HBO Films.

Other pluses: Debra Langford, Time Warner's executive director of strategic sourcing and talent management, brings top tier recruits of color to all senior positions within the company.

24. Wachovia Corp., Charlotte, NC

What makes it great: When it comes to recruiting and promoting African-American women at more senior levels, Wachovia certainly has a great reputation, having recently promoted two Black women to Tier 2 leader positions: Donna Harris, head of the legal division, and Gloria Chance, head of E-commerce and all Internet and online banking businesses. “We benefit from the experience and perspective African-American women can bring to our company and to our customers,” says CEO Ken Thompson.

Other pluses: Its community involvement. Contributions to our interests last year included $2 million to the United Negro College Fund and $1 million to the Hurricane Katrina Fund, which supports the rebuilding of HBCUs affected by the hurricane.

25. Wells Fargo Bank, San Francisco

What makes it great: Black women are getting paid! At least 4.3 percent of the top 10 percent of women ranked by pay are African-American, and several Black women are among the highest-paid managers in the company. In addition to supporting our women in the field, this financial services firm supports more than 500 organizations serving our community, including the National Coalition of 100 Black Women and the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs.

Other pluses: Leadership building efforts from within. Partnering with universities, Wells Fargo offers the Diverse Leaders Seminar for African-Americans where rising stars can learn leadership development strategies, and how to network. Participant retention was over 97 percent since 2005.
 

PepsiCo is firmly committed to leveraging the diversity of perspectives that its talented associates bring to the company and to fostering a work environment that includes and encourages differing views of the world. A key initiative in that effort is PepsiCo’s Women of Color Multicultural Alliance, which serves as a strategic support and resource group focused on attracting, retaining, and developing women of color in the middle and senior management ranks at PepsiCo. The Alliance has four priorities: enlisting support and awareness; building a sense of community; educating and developing; and increasing representation and improving retention. Major activities over the years have included Power Pairs®, a program that builds authentic relationships and advancement opportunities for women of color through facilitated dialogues with immediate and skip-level managers; a national leadership development conference; and regional networking events.

The Alliance's impact has been far-reaching. It has created a culture of authenticity and honesty that permeates relationships among women of color and peers and managers, calls attention to the unique experiences and needs of working women of color, and showcases workplace dynamics and solutions related to the intersection of gender and race. PepsiCo supports the Alliance by creating accountability at all levels, with specific ties to the bonus pay of senior executives who are involved in Alliance efforts.

The tangible success of PepsiCo's Women of Color Multicultural Alliance is clear: At the senior manager/director/VP level, women of color have increased from 4.0 percent to 6.8 percent from 2002 to 2006; and turnover for women of color who have participated in Power Pairs® is at one-half the rate of those who have not participated.

PepsiCo has earned a number 10 ranking on the 2007 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list. In its seventh year, the list is the largest competition of its kind. The list is determined from a comprehensive survey of diversity management practices and processes that measures CEO commitment, human capital engagement, corporate communications and supplier diversity.
"PepsiCo is much different from the average corporation; it is a true champion of diversity," said Luke Visconti, partner and cofounder of DiversityInc, a monthly business magazine and daily Web site. "A total of 317 companies competed for a spot, a 100 percent increase in corporate participation in the Top 50 competition over the last three years."

For the fourth year in a row, the Diversity Inc Top 50 companies, expressed as a stock index, beat the Standard & Poor 500, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the NASDAQ on a 10-, five- and one-year basis, documenting the connection between good diversity management, excellent corporate governance and return on equity for investors. The top five, in descending order, were Bank of America, The Pepsi Bottling Group, AT&T, Coca-Cola and Ford .
To view the entire list and learn more about the methodology, go to: http://www.diversityinc.com/public/1595.cfm

For the first time since the Latina Style Awards have been given out, PepsiCo has appeared in the Top 13 of the companies selected as winners of the "50 Best Companies for Latinas to Work for in the U.S." In February, Victoria Spadaro Grant, vice president - Research and Development, QTG, accepted the award on behalf of PepsiCo in Washington, D.C. The award has been presented since 1998 when the publication first began tracking how corporate America was responding to the growing number of Latinas in the workplace. Companies are analyzed based on their ability to generate opportunities for Latinas at all levels.
To see the top 50 list and write-ups about each winner, go to http://latina50.latinastyle.com/ls50-2006top.php

16 Corporations Attain World-Class Status in Supplier Diversity

Washington, March 1, 2007 — On the threshold of its second decade as the leading advocate for women’s business enterprises (WBEs) as suppliers to the nation’s corporations, the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) today announced its annual listing of America’s Top Corporations for Women’s Business Enterprises, the only national award honoring corporations for world-class supplier diversity programs.

The 2006 award recognizes 16 corporations for their companywide programs offering equal access for WBEs in competing for, and winning, corporate contracts for goods and services. The corporations are:

• AT
• Avis Budget Group, Inc.
• Bank of America
• BellSouth Corporation
• Chevron Corporation
• The Coca-Cola Company
• Exxon Mobil Corporation
• IBM Corporation
• Johnson & Johnson
• Office Depot
• PepsiCo, Inc.
• Pfizer Inc
• Shell Oil Company
• TXU Corp.
• UPS
• Verizon

"These companies are leaders in enriching the value chain by working with innovative and highly competitive women’s business enterprises," said WBENC Interim President Linda Denny.  "By leveling the playing field for women’s businesses across their organizations, they are rewarded with outstanding products and services that benefit their customers and their shareholders."

The America's Top Corporations for Women’s Business Enterprises Breakfast and Awards presentation will take place on Friday, March 30, 2007, in Dallas, Texas. The event will be the culmination of a series of WBENC 10th Anniversary celebrations, including the 2007 Salute to Women's Business Enterprises: The Enterprising Economy and the 2007 WBENC Founders' Dinner on March 28.

TXU Corp., UPS, and the new AT&T ^*, including its predecessor companies, have been recognized by WBENC every year since the award was created eight years ago. Avis Budget Group, Inc. and Chevron Corporation, including its predecessor companies, have each won the award seven times. Office Depot and PepsiCo, Inc. have each won six times; and Bank of America and Shell Oil Company have each won five times. IBM Corporation has won four times.

"This consistency of excellence demonstrates that once a company embeds best practices in its organization and its culture, it can sustain and enhance its success year after year," Denny added.

Women Beating the Odds

A 2006 benchmarking study commissioned by WBENC and conducted by the Center for Women’s Business Research found that women-owned businesses are beating the industry average of keeping and growing corporate contracts. The results revealed that 40 percent of WBENC's corporate members increased their spending by at least 10 percent over the last three years with women-owned firms, compared with 24 percent of corporate members who increased their spending with suppliers overall.

The study found that women's business enterprises were also losing less when budgets are cut or the supply chain tightened. On average, 24.5 percent of corporations decreased their spending with suppliers, but only 14 percent cut contracts with women-owned providers, the study said.

There are 7.7 million majority-women-owned firms, or those with 51 percent ownership by women, employing 7.1 million people and generating $1.1 trillion in sales, according to the Center for Women’s Business Research. Over the past two decades, majority-women-owned firms have continued to grow at around two times the rate of all firms.

In addition to the March celebrations, WBENC provides resources and business-building matchmaking and networking opportunities for corporations and women’s business enterprises.

WBENC will present its national conference and business fair, Women in Business 2007: Launching a New Decade, on June 25-28, in Los Angeles, California.  This is the nation’s largest conference and business fair for WBEs and is expected to attract more than 2,500 participants this year.

About the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC):

• Founded in 1997, WBENC is the nation’s leading third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women, and the leading advocate of women’s business enterprises (WBEs) as suppliers to corporate America.
• The average WBENC certified company has revenues of $7.7M, 45 employees and 14 years of experience.
• Approximately 50 WBE firms have revenues in excess of $100M, and six certified WBE companies have revenues in excess of $1 billion.
• 238 U.S. corporations are active members of WBENC and representatives of 36 corporations sit on the WBENC Board of Directors, along with nine representatives of its partner organizations and nine WBEs.
• WBENC certification is accepted by more than 700 corporations, representing America’s most prestigious brands, as well as government entities at the state, local and Federal levels.
• WBENC also has developed several highly regarded initiatives for recognizing excellence in corporate supplier diversity targeting WBEs (America’s Top Corporations for Women’s Business Enterprises, The WBENC Applause Awards) and women’s business enterprises (WBENC’s Woman-Owned Business Stars).
• WEBuy@wbenc.org is an online marketplace where corporations and government agencies, as well as WBEs, post RFPs, sources sought, and RFIs.
• WBENC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that seeks and accepts donations from corporations, foundations and individuals that support its mission and programs.
• WBENCLink is an Internet database, accessed by WBENC corporate members and certified women's business enterprises (WBEs), which contains information on certified women's businesses for purchasing managers nationwide.

For more information, contact info@wbenc.org or visit our website at www.wbenc.org.

^*AT&T Inc., formerly SBC Communications Inc., has won this award every year since its inception.  AT&T Corp, which was acquired by SBC in late 2005, also was a multiyear winner.  BellSouth Corporation, acquired by AT&T Inc. in late 2006, has also won the award in past years

For the first time since the Latina Style Awards have been given out, PepsiCo has appeared in the Top 13 of the companies selected as winners of the "50 Best Companies for Latinas to Work for in the U.S." In February, Victoria Spadaro Grant, vice president - Research and Development, QTG, accepted the award on behalf of PepsiCo in Washington, D.C. The award has been presented since 1998 when the publication first began tracking how corporate America was responding to the growing number of Latinas in the workplace. Companies are analyzed based on their ability to generate opportunities for Latinas at all levels.
To see the top 50 list and write-ups about each winner, go to http://latina50.latinastyle.com/ls50-2006top.php

18 Corporations Attain World-Class Status in Supplier Diversity

Washington, DC – March 23, 2006 – In its role as the leading advocate for women’s business enterprises (WBEs) as suppliers to the nation’s corporations, the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) today announced its annual listing of America’s Top Corporations for Women’s Business Enterprises.

The 2005 award recognizes 18 corporations, the largest list to date in the award’s seven-year history. Presented at a special ceremony today in the Indian Treaty Room at the White House, America’s Top Corporations for Women’s Business Enterprises is the only award honoring corporations for their world-class supplier diversity programs offering equal access for WBEs in competing for, and winning, corporate contracts for goods and services. The corporations are:

• Altria Group, Inc.
• AT&T Inc. (formerly SBC Communications, Inc.)
• Bank of America
• BellSouth Corporation
• Cendant Car Rental Group
• CenterPoint Energy
• Chevron Corporation
• Eastman Kodak Company
• IBM Corporation

• Merrill Lynch
• Office Depot
• PepsiCo, Inc.
• Pfizer Inc
• Shell Oil Company
• The Coca-Cola Company
• TXU Corp.
• UPS
• Verizon

"These extraordinary companies are innovators who understand that diversity has to be a company-wide commitment that is ingrained in the corporate culture. They have gone beyond HR diversity and Marketing diversity and they perceive the business case for contracting with quality women’s businesses." said Susan Phillips Bari, President and Founding Architect of WBENC. WBENC is the only organization that brings together both women’s business enterprises and corporations towards the mutual goal of improving marketing opportunities for talented women-owned businesses as vendors and suppliers to the nation's top corporations. WBENC provides resources and business-building matchmaking and networking opportunities for corporations and women’s business enterprises.

The ceremony will be followed that evening by the 2006 Salute to Women's Business Enterprises: The Enterprising Economy with Mistress of Ceremonies Candy Crowley, CNN’s award winning senior political correspondent based in Washington, D.C. Over 800 leaders from the government, corporate and entrepreneurial arenas will gather to honor the recipients at the National Building Museum, Washington, DC.

Underscoring the contribution of these women’s business enterprises is data from a report based upon the Census Bureau's 2002 survey of 1.9 million business owners, showing that the number of women-owned businesses, many of them one-person enterprises, grew at twice the national rate for all private companies from 1997 to 2002.

The report showed that the number of women-owned businesses grew by 20 percent from 1997 to 2002, while the number for men grew 16 percent. It defines women-owned businesses as those in which women own at least a 51 percent interest and manage and control their companies.

WBENC will present its annual conference and business fair, Women in Business 2006: Sharing the Vision, Contacts to Contracts, on June 26-29, in Miami, Florida.

Founded in 1997, WBENC is the nation’s leading third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women, and the leading advocate of women’s business enterprises (WBEs) as suppliers to corporate America. More than 200 US corporations are active members of WBENC and representatives of 36 corporations sit on the WBENC Board of Directors, along with nine representatives of its partner organizations and nine WBEs. WBENC certification is accepted by more than 700 corporations, representing America’s most prestigious brands, as well as government entities at the state, local and Federal levels.

About the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC):

• As the leading third-party certifier of and advocate for businesses owned and operated by women, WBENC is distinctive in bringing both corporations and women’s business enterprises to the same table to build business.
• Founded in 1997, WBENC is the nation’s leading third-party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women, and the leading advocate of women’s business enterprises (WBEs) as suppliers to corporate America.
• The average WBENC certified company has revenues of $7.5M, 48 employees and 12 years of experience More than 60 WBE firms have revenues in excess of $100M, and six certified WBE companies have revenues in excess of $1 billion.
• Nearly 203 US corporations are active members of WBENC and representatives of 36 corporations sit on the WBENC Board of Directors, along with nine representatives of its partner organizations and nine WBEs.
• WBENC certification is accepted by nearly 700 corporations, representing America’s most prestigious brands, as well as government entities at the state, local and Federal levels.
• WBENC also has developed several highly regarded initiatives for recognizing excellence in corporate supplier diversity targeting WBEs (America’s Top Corporations for Women’s Business Enterprises, The WBENC Applause Awards) and women’s business enterprises (WBENC’s Women-Owned Business Stars).
• WEBuy@wbenc.org is an online marketplace where corporations and government agencies, as well as WBEs, post RFPs, sources sought, and RFIs.
• WBENC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that seeks and accepts donations from corporations, foundations and individuals that support its mission and programs.
• WBENCLink is an Internet database, accessed by WBENC corporate members and certified women's business enterprises (WBEs), which contains information on certified women's businesses for purchasing managers nationwide.

National Association for Female Executives (NAFE) Counts Who’s in “Profit-and-Loss” Positions in Nation’s Largest Companies

New York, NY—January 26, 2005— Women are managing the bottom line at only a few of America’s largest companies, according to this year’s National Association for Female Executives (NAFE) research for the Top 30 Companies for Executive Women, which measured for the first time the percentage of women occupying positions with “profit-and-loss” (P&L) responsibility from mid-management to the C-suite.

Avon Products excels in this area, and for the seventh consecutive year finishes as the top company for women. Hewlett-Packard, Liz Claiborne, Scholastic, PepsiCo, IBM, Prudential Financial, Xerox, WellPoint, and newcomer Colgate-Palmolive round out the Top 10 companies where women succeed.

"Men still hold 90 percent of P&L positions at the country’s largest corporations – the line jobs that provide essential experience for boardroom and CEO slots. Until women move in greater numbers into these jobs, we won’t see many women running these companies,” states NAFE President Dr. Betty Spence. At NAFE’s Top 30 companies, those numbers triple, with women holding 30 percent of P&L jobs; at the Top 10, women hold 42 percent.

“What companies need to do is to focus on remedial efforts to train women for P&L responsibility, because with those jobs historically relegated to men, women have to catch up,” said Spence.

Another promising finding from the study: the Top 30 companies cover varied industries, from manufacturing to packaged goods to financial services to technology.

Other trends among the Top 30 companies include:

• Succession planning programs which identify and then groom high potential women executives to run operations.
• Leadership training sessions exclusively for women.
• New twists on mentoring designed to help women help each other.
• Flexibility programs to ease a woman’s out-of-work responsibilities – without slowing her down in the office.

The 2005 "NAFE Top 30 Companies for Executive Women" (listed alphabetically):

• Aetna, Hartford, CT
• Allstate Insurance, Northbrook, IL
• American Express, New York, NY
• Avon Products Inc., New York, NY
• Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., New York, NY
• Charming Shoppes, Bensalem, PA
• Colgate-Palmolive, New York, NY
• Compuware Corporation, Detroit, MI
• DuPont, Wilmington, DE
• Federated Department Stores, Cincinnati, OH
• Gannett Co. Inc., McLean, VA
• Gap Inc., Minneapolis, MN
• Hewlett-Packard, Palo Alto, CA
• IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY
• Knight Ridder, San Jose, CA

• Liz Claiborne, Inc., North Bergen, NJ
• Lucent Technologies, Murray Hill, NJ
• Manpower Inc., Milwaukee, WI
• Merck & Co. Inc., Whitehouse Station, NY
• Nordstrom Inc., Seattle, WA
• The New York Times Co., New York, NY
• PepsiCo Inc., Purchase, NY
• The Phoenix Companies, Hartford, CT
• The Principal Financial Group, Des Moines, IA
• The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH
• Prudential Financial, Newark, NJ
• Scholastic Inc., New York, NY
• Target, Minneapolis, MN
• WellPoint, Indianapolis, IN
• Xerox Corporation, Stamford, CT

Methodology: To be named to the NAFE Top 30 Companies for Executive Women, companies with a minimum of two women on the board complete a comprehensive application that focuses on the number of women in senior ranks (compared to men and to the company population), including questions about the programs and policies which support women's advancement.

The National Association for Female Executives (NAFE), founded in 1972, is the largest women's professional and business association in the country. It publishes NAFE Magazine, a bi-monthly publication distributed to 65,000 members. NAFE began conducting the Top 30 Companies for Executive Women in 2002, picking up the work of Working Woman magazine. NAFE is part of Working Mother Media, which also operates Working Mother magazine, the annual 100 Best WorkLife Conference, and recently launched the new initiative the Best Companies for Women of Color.