LOS ANGELES, March 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern
California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) achieved a record year in 2014 with
48.4 percent of its contracting budget going to woman, minority,
and service-disabled veteran-owned business enterprises. Over the
years, SoCalGas has steadily increased its procurement with diverse
suppliers and is seen as a national industry leader.
"We have long known that our supplier diversity activities bring
economic benefits to not only our suppliers, but also to the
regional economies where they do business," said Dennis Arriola, president and CEO of SoCalGas.
"At SoCalGas, supplier diversity isn't just a program or a
department. It is an integral part of our strategy, our commitment
to diversity in action and a smart and effective way to run our
business."
As a result of SoCalGas' efforts, spending last year reached a
total of $571.4 million with diverse
firms or 48.4 percent of the company's total procurement. Diverse
suppliers provide SoCalGas with everything from meters to pipes to
information technology to advertising solutions to financial
investment advice.
One example of a diverse supplier is Loop Capital Markets, an
African American-owned, full-service investment bank, brokerage and
advisory firm. It was one of four companies selected to work on the
utility's $250 million, 30-year bond
deal. Working with SoCalGas, Loop Capital Markets has seen
firsthand the company's commitment to supplier diversity.
"We've heard their executives talk about supplier diversity and
how it's part of their DNA. That's been really clear from the
interactions we've had," said Sidney
Dillard, partner, Corporate Investment Banking at Loop
Capital Markets.
SoCalGas was recognized last year for its efforts with supplier
diversity and won numerous awards from a variety of organizations
including: Asian Business Association of Los Angeles, Elite Service Disabled Veteran
Owned Business of Los Angeles,
Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce, National
Latina Women Business Association, Southern California Minority
Supplier Development Council, and U.S. Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce.
SoCalGas' commitment to diversity extends beyond its diverse
suppliers to its workforce and the communities it serves as well.
Last year, SoCalGas donated more than $4.8
million and thousands of volunteer hours to the more than
500 communities it serves, benefitting underserved community groups
in African American, Hispanic, Pacific Asian, Asian Indian and
Native American communities. And SoCalGas' commitment doesn't stop
there. Its diverse workforce of more than 8,300 employees includes
65 percent minorities.
About Southern California Gas Co.
Southern California
Gas Co. has been delivering clean, safe and reliable natural gas to
its customers for more than 140 years. It is the nation's largest
natural gas distribution utility, providing service to 21 million
consumers connected through more than 5.8 million meters in more
than 500 communities. The company's service territory encompasses
approximately 20,000 square miles throughout central and
Southern California, from
Visalia to the Mexican border.
Southern California Gas Co. is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra
Energy (NYSE: SRE). Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services
holding company with 2014 revenues of $11
billion. The Sempra Energy companies' 17,000 employees serve
more than 32 million consumers worldwide.
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SOURCE Southern California Gas Co.