Corporate Diversity Honor Roll 2006

Daimler Chrysler
DaimlerChrysler Corp., also known as the Chrysler Group, is a North American-based unit of DaimlerChrysler AG. The Chrysler Group designs, manufactures, and sells vehicles under the Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge brand names. Consisting of executives, DaimlerChrysler’s diversity council provides leadership on corporate diversity initiatives. The DaimlerChrysler Hispanic Employee Network offers mentoring and career development and networking opportunities for members. The network also contributes to the company’s Hispanic outreach locally, partnering with organizations in community service events, and provides cultural insight on sales and marketing efforts. Since the inception of its diversity supplier development department, DaimlerChrysler has spent more than $31 billion with minority owned businesses. Last year alone the carmaker’s minority supplier spending reached $3.78 billion. DaimlerChrysler’s recruitment efforts include support of numerous Hispanic educational and professional organizations nationwide, including the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Corp., and the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting.

Continental Airlines
Continental is the world’s fifth-largest airline, serving 154 domestic and 138 international destinations and more than 400 additional points via partner carriers. The airline has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland, and Guam, and carries approximately 61 million passengers annually. Continental launched specialized service for Latin American and U.S. Spanish-speaking passengers in 1997. The initiative includes U.S. Spanish language reservation service, bilingual customer service representatives in airports, and Spanish-language newspapers, magazines, and TV programs during flights. Continental is the official airline of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Publications. A member of the National Minority Supplier Development Council, Continental initiated an online supplier-diversity training program in April 2005. Made up of 10 leaders from senior management, Continental’s internal diversity council champions company diversity initiatives.

Lockheed Martin
Formed in March 1995 with the merger of Lockheed Corp. and Martin Marietta Corp., Lockheed Martin Corp. employs about 135,000 people worldwide and specializes in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products, and services. The company reported 2005 sales of $37.2 billion. Lockheed Martin has been inducted into the Billion Dollar Roundtable by Minority Business News for spending $1 billion annually with minority and woman-owned suppliers, and this year was ranked first on Diversity Business.com’s list of top organizations for multicultural business opportunities. The company supports and works directly with the Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers at several colleges and universities. Lockheed Martin also supports the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Corp. and company representatives serve on its industry council, in addition to councils of the aforementioned organizations. Support ranges from scholarships to participation in national conferences and in student leadership programs.

Dell
Using its unique direct business model, Dell sells more systems globally than any computer maker. The company achieved revenue of $56.7 billion over the past four quarters and is No. 25 on the Fortune 500. Earlier this year, Dell received the U.S. Department of Labor’s Opportunity Award in recognition of its diversity efforts. Dell also recently received Corporation of the Year honors from the Central and South Texas Minority Business Council. The latter award is presented annually to a member corporation that has demonstrated a deep commitment to minority business development. Last year, Dell spent about $1.7 billion with diversity suppliers, and its year-over-year spending with such firms grew by 25 percent. Dell actively recruits Hispanics, partnering with the National Society of Hispanic MBAs, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting, among other organizations. Through its Hispanic networking group, aDellante, the company works to attract, retain, and develop Hispanic employees.

Wells Fargo
With $492 billion in assets, Wells Fargo & Co. provides banking, insurance, investment, mortgage, and consumer finance services to more than 23 million customers. In partnership with the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Wells Fargo established the Latino Business Services Program, with a lending goal of $1 billion over six years to Latino small-business owners, in 1997. Based on the success of the program, Wells Fargo increased the lending goal in November of 1999 to its current level: $3 billion over 10 years. The goal is to increase access to capital and financial services through education and community outreach. Since the program’s inception, Wells Fargo has lent more than $3.2 billion to Latino-owned small businesses nationwide. Wells Fargo partners with several organizations to recruit Hispanics, including the National Society of Hispanic MBAs, the National Hispanic Business Association, and the National Hispana Leadership Institute. Since 2003, the company has contributed more than $500,000 to the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.

Bank of America
One of the world’s largest financial institutions, Bank of America (BofA) serves clients in 175 countries, including 79 percent of Fortune’s Global 500. BofA is the nation’s top Small Business Administration lender to minority owned firms. It has forged alliances with several Hispanic organizations, including the National Council of La Raza (NCLR). In 1999, the bank announced a 10-year, $20 million commitment to capitalize the NCLR Hope Fund, a revolving loan fund for affordable housing, community facilities, and other projects. In July 2003, the bank announced a $3.6-million Foundation Grant to NCLR to increase high school graduation and college attendance rates, broaden homeownership and personal financial growth among Latino families, and support small businesses through education and training. BofA also has relationships with the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting, the National Society of Hispanic MBAs, the Society of Women Engineers, and the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals.

Exelon
One of the nation’s largest electric utilities, Exelon has approximately 5.2 million electric customers in northern Illinois and Pennsylvania and approximately 470,000 gas customers in the Philadelphia area. Exelon and its subsidiaries, ComEd and PECO, have provided funding to numerous Hispanic organizations, including the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute, El Valor, the Spanish Coalition for Jobs, the Hispanic American Construction Industry Association, and the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum. Last year the National Hispanic Press Foundation presented Exelon with its Appreciation Award in recognition of the company’s sponsorship of the Hispanic Scholarship Directory. To keep employees informed about company diversity efforts, Exelon maintains a corporate diversity Intranet site. Developed in 2004, the company’s national diversity recruitment strategy includes partnering with organizations such as the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. The company also has a vibrant Hispanic employee network group, the Organization of Latinos at Exelon, and last year exceeded its diversity spending goal by more than 25 percent.

Verizon
With about $90 billion in annual revenues, Verizon is a leading provider of communications services. The company employs a workforce of more than 252,000. Verizon is a founding member of the Billion Dollar Roundtable, a coalition of 12 U.S. companies that spend at least $1 billion each year with minority- and woman-owned companies. In 2005, Verizon purchased more than $2.1 billion in goods and services from these suppliers, a $392 million increase compared to 2004. Verizon spent $412.8 million with Hispanic owned businesses in 2005. The company has alliances with such organizations as the League of United Latin American Citizens, the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility, the National Council of La Raza, the ASPIRA Association, the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement, and the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. The Verizon Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm, made grants of $34 million to more than 15,000 organizations serving minority communities in 2004. Programs serving Hispanic communities received $13.2 million.

Toyota
The world’s second-largest automobile manufacturer, Toyota makes and sells vehicles under the Toyota, Lexus, and Scion brands in North America. The company is the third-largest automotive manufacturer on the continent, and Toyota is the third best-selling brand in the United States and Canada. The carmaker’s seven-member external diversity advisory board is the only one of its kind in the automotive industry. Toyota spends more than $1.3 billion a year with minority- and woman-owned suppliers. Now in its 17th year, the company’s annual Opportunity Exchange networking and trade fair has cumulatively generated more than $100 million worth of business for participating minority enterprises. As part of its minority recruitment efforts, Toyota sponsors and works with organizations such as the National Society of Hispanic MBAs, the National Hispanic Business Association, and the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting. The company’s Hispanic employee association, TODOS: Toyota Organization for the Development of Latinos, is dedicated to the enhancement of the personal and professional development of its members.

Wal- Mart
Wal-Mart is the world’s largest retailer, with $312.4 billion in sales in the fiscal year ending January 31. The company employs 1.8 million associates worldwide through more than 3,800 facilities in the United States and more than 2,600 in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Nicaragua, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, China, South Korea, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Last year, the company purchased $1.16 billion worth of products and services from Hispanic-owned businesses. In fact, Wal-Mart’s supplier development program has grown from $2 million to more than $4.2 billion spent annually with minority- and woman-owned firms. Wal-Mart recently established a $25 million private equity fund to provide such firms with capital. The company donated $1.5 million to the National Council of La Raza. Additionally, the Wal-Mart and SAM’S CLUB Foundation has committed to donating $1 million to the National Hispanic Scholarship Fund; $300,000 to MANA, A National Latina Organization; and $300,000 to the National Hispana Leadership Institute.

New York Life
With nearly $160 billion in consolidated assets, New York Life Insurance Co. is the top mutual life insurer in the United States. The company consistently receives high ratings for financial strength from the industry’s independent rating agencies. New York Life spent 5 percent of its supplier budget with minority- and woman-owned firms in 2005. Earlier this year, New York Life announced the creation of a diversity office and named a chief diversity officer to lead diversity and inclusion efforts at the company. New York Life also has established an executive diversity council made up of senior-level officers from all areas of the company. New York Life is a strong supporter of Minority Interchange, a nonprofit professional development organization. And the company supports numerous Hispanic organizations, including the Latin Business Association, the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting, the National Hispanic Business Association, the Hispanic Scholarship Foundation, and the National Society of Hispanic MBAs.

At&t
The largest telecommunications company in the United States, AT&T provides traditional and Internet Protocol-based voice, broadband Internet, data transport, wireless, and video services. It also offers online and print directory publishing and advertising. In 2005, AT&T spent $2.4 billion, or 15 percent of its procurement base, with diversity suppliers. The company’s goal is to spend 21.5 percent of its procurement budget with such enterprises. AT&T actively recruits Hispanics and other minorities from a variety of business and technical fields. Its workforce is 12 percent Hispanic. Last year, AT&T and the AT&T Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm, contributed more than $21 million to nearly 800 organizations and programs serving minority communities nationwide. AT&T’s Hispanic-focused employee resource group offers members professional development opportunities and provides local communities with Hispanic role models. Members also can contribute to the company’s business goals, network with AT&T’s senior leadership, and participate in volunteer service activities.

FedEx
FedEx Corp. provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce, and business services. With annual revenues of $32 billion, the company has more than 260,000 employees and contractors. FedEx has introduced a marketing program for Hispanic small business owners that includes a Web site with specialized content. A language preference function enables visitors to view the site in Spanish. Through a related communications program, Hispanic customers can participate in an informative e-mail series designed to = educate them on how to manage and grow their business within the context of their ethnicity. The series also includes testimonials and case studies profiling FedEx customers who are successful Hispanic small-business owners. FedEx actively seeks program participants through direct mail and e-mail to Hispanic customers. Recipients are first encouraged to complete a survey. Data from the survey are used to help develop program offerings.

Ford
Ford Motor Co. manufactures and distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 300,000 employees and more than 100 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Aston Martin, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury, and Volvo. Its automotive-related services include Ford Motor Credit Co. Ford Motor Co. Fund, the company’s philanthropic arm, invests in numerous Hispanic-serving organizations and programs, including the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute, the Hispanic College Fund, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, the League of United Latin American Citizens, and the National Association of Latino Elected Officials. Last year, Ford purchased $3.7 billion in goods and services from minority suppliers. In July, Ford and America Online launched version 3.0 of the Spanish-language business site Mi Negocio (My Business) at www.ford.com/go/minegocio. Ford has more minority dealers than any other domestic automaker. Last year, the company’s minority dealers generated sales of $12 billion.

Kodak
The world’s number one maker of photographic film, Kodak posted sales of $14.3 billion in 2005. Kodak has eight employee networks to help employees acclimate to its corporate culture and community, including HOLA (Hispanic Organization for Leadership and Advancement). Kodak actively supports such organizations and programs as the Hispanic Scholarship Endowment Fund, the Hispanic College Fund, the National Council of La Raza, and the Latin American Education Fund. Kodak recently reached its aggressive supplier diversity spending goal more than a year ahead of schedule. In late 2001, the company endeavored to place 10 percent of its annual domestic purchasing of materials, supplies, and equipment with minority- and woman-owned enterprises by the end of 2006. Kodak expects to place 11.5 percent of its domestic purchasing with minority-owned businesses, and 12 percent of its domestic purchasing with women-owned businesses by 2008. A senior executive diversity and inclusion council was instituted in 2004 to develop and monitor diversity and inclusion policies.

Xerox
Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, Xerox is a $15.7 billion technology and services corporation. The company is number 142 on the Fortune 500 and has 55,200 employees worldwide, including 29,700 in the United States. Xerox spent $50 million with Hispanic-owned businesses in 2005, accounting for 34.2 percent of the company’s purchasing with minority-owned firms. Since 1985, it has spent more than $4.7 billion with minority-owned suppliers. The company supports or contributes to several educational programs and organizations benefiting Hispanics, including the Xerox Technical Minority Scholarship Program, the Ibero-American Action League, and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. Xerox also sponsors the Hispanic College Liaison Program, which is dedicated to increasing the number of Hispanics in engineering/technical fields by providing financial assistance such as scholarships and grants and developmental support in the form of workshops and seminars. An executive diversity council monitors the effectiveness of Xerox’s diversity efforts, and the company convenes annual diversity roundtables with managers and employees.

General Motors
General Motors Corp. is the world’s largest automaker. Headquartered in Detroit, GM employs about 327,000 people worldwide and manufactures cars and trucks in 33 countries. In 2005, 9.17 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, and Vauxhall. The first automaker to launch a minority dealer development program, GM has more Hispanic-owned dealerships than any other automotive manufacturer. In 2004, GM launched the GM BEST Jobs program to recruit more Hispanic sales associates. The GM Hispanic Initiative Team was established in 1999 to increase Hispanic representation at all levels of the company through recruiting and retention, and provide Hispanic employees with professional development opportunities. GM supports numerous educational, regional, and national organizations serving the nation’s Hispanic community, including the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Mgm Mirage
MGM Mirage owns and operates 24 resorts and casinos in Nevada, Mississippi, and Michigan, and has investments in properties in Nevada, New Jersey, Illinois, and the United Kingdom. In 2005, MGM Mirage spent more than $70 million with minority suppliers. Of that, 31.3 percent was spent with Hispanic vendors. On construction projects, the company spent more than $78 million with minority contractors, of which 48.5 percent went to Hispanic contractors. MGM Mirage has established partnerships with numerous national and local organizations that support Hispanics, including the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility and the National Council of La Raza. In collaboration with the Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce, the company selects scholarship recipients with the goal of establishing long-term relationships with students through internship and employment opportunities. MGM Mirage also has several training and development programs designed to recruit and promote Hispanic employees, including the MGM Grand Leadership Institute, a professional development program for executives.

Qwest
Denver-based Qwest is the fourth-largest local telephone company in the United States, serving nearly 15 million access lines in a 14-state region stretching from Arizona north to Wyoming and east to Minnesota. In 2005, the company spent $211 million, or about 10.4 percent of its procurement total, with minority- and woman-owned enterprises. Hispanic companies accounted for about 22 percent of Qwest’s diversity procurement spending. SOMOS, Qwest’s Hispanic resource group, partners with the company to advocate diversity as a business strategy and to encourage the growth, advancement, and cultural enrichment of its members and Qwest employees overall. Each year, Qwest participates in more than 60 Hispanic-oriented events. In 2005, the Qwest Foundation provided more than $2 million in grants to organizations that serve the Hispanic community. Additionally, Qwest supports organizations such as the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the Cesar Chavez Foundation.

Ups
Founded in 1907 as a messenger company in the United States, UPS has grown into a global $36 billion package delivery company and a leading provider of specialized transportation and logistics services. Each day, it manages the flow of goods, funds, and information in more than 200 countries and territories. Minorities make up 35 percent of the company’s 348,400 employees in the United States, and minorities accounted for half of UPS’s new employees last year. Additionally, minorities hold nearly 30 percent of the company’s management positions in the United States. The company formally launched its supplier diversity program in 1992. Today, UPS managers in seven regions and 55 districts execute the program. In 2005, UPS awarded more than $249 million in contracts to minority- and woman-owned businesses. Small businesses in the program were awarded more than $342 million in contracts. UPS partners with such organizations as the National Council of La Raza and the National Minority Supplier Development Council.

The Home Depot
The Home Depot is the fastest-growing retailer in history, the second largest retailer in the United States, and the third-largest retailer in the world. Founded in 1978, the company has more than 2,080 stores across North America and recently announced the creation of a business development operation for retail expansion into China. It posted sales last year of $81.5 billion. In 2004, The Home Depot became a member of the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR). In July of this year, the company again hosted a summit with HACR’s coalition members to discuss program ideas in the areas of community affairs, merchandising, and marketing for the Hispanic community. The Home Depot has partnered with the ASPIRA Association, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, the National Council of La Raza, and SER (Jobs for Progress National) to develop and launch an employment program. The Home Depot also has a comprehensive supplier diversity program, and is a member of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council and the National Minority Supplier Development Council.