10.10.2007 - 04:54pm ET

(CSRwire) ABBOTT PARK, Ill., Oct. 10, 2007 – Abbott has been named to Hispanic Business magazine's list of the nation's best companies for Hispanics. Abbott was recognized as one of the magazine's "Diversity Elite 60" companies for its commitment to Hispanic hiring, promotion, marketing, philanthropy and supplier diversity.

"As an innovation-driven company, Abbott relies on the diversity of our people to provide different ideas, perspectives and experience that enable us to translate science into new solutions for patients," said Stephen Fussell, senior vice president, Human Resources, Abbott.

Diversity a Long-Standing Priority for Abbott

Abbott's commitment to diversity starts at the top with the company's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Miles D. White, who chairs the company's Executive Inclusion Council. The Council oversees the company's diversity and inclusion efforts, monitors the hiring and advancement of women and minorities in management, and supports programs that promote an inclusive work environment for all employees.

Abbott maintains aggressive goals for the recruitment, hiring and retention of women and minorities. Minorities at Abbott make up more than one-quarter (26 percent), and women nearly one-half (47 percent), of Abbott's total U.S. workforce. Abbott has increased the number of minorities in management by 68 percent and the number of women in management by 64 percent over the past five years.

More than 7,700 employees participate in Abbott's employee networks, which play a vital role in building more diverse leadership within Abbott. These include:

LA VOICE Network (Hispanic/Latino), Women Leaders in Action, Black Business Network, Asian Cultural Leadership Network, PRIDE Network (gay/lesbian) and the Part-Time Network. By focusing on career development, mentoring, informal networking and work-life integration, Abbott's active networks offer leadership and expanded advancement opportunities for women and minorities. Each network is sponsored by a member of senior management who helps align the group's objectives with Abbott's business strategy.

Abbott Widely Recognized as a Premier Employer

In addition to being included in Hispanic Business magazine's "Diversity Elite 60," Abbott has been included on DiversityInc magazine's list of the "Top 50 Companies for Diversity" for four years. The company was named one of the "Top 50 Companies for Black MBAs to Work" by Black MBA magazine, and has been recognized for many years by FORTUNE magazine as one of the "Best Companies for Minorities."

Abbott also has been included in Working Mother magazine's "100 Best Companies for Working Mothers" for the past seven years, has been named one of the "50 Best Places to Launch a Career" by BusinessWeek and was included in the 2008 edition of the Princeton Review's Best Entry-Level Jobs. In addition, Abbott has been recognized by Science and The Scientist magazines as a top employer for scientists, and FORTUNE has named Abbott as one of "America's Most Admired Companies" every year since the list's inception in 1983.

About Abbott

Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs 65,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.

Abbott's news releases and other information are available on the company's Web site at www.abbott.com.

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