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SBC to Receive Leadership Award in Supporting Women
SBC to Receive Leadership Award in Supporting Women
Published 02-10-00
Submitted by SBC Communications Inc.
SBC Communications Inc. will receive the "Women Mean Business" Corporate Award from Business and Professional Women/USA (BPW/USA) today for its leadership in supporting women in the workplace. The women's organization will recognize SBC's commitment to advancing women at a gala event this evening at 8 p.m. at the Capitol Hilton, Washington, D.C.
"BPW/USA is pleased to add SBC's name to the honor roll of corporations who understand the important contributions women make in the business place," said Gail Shaffer, chief executive officer of BPW/USA. "SBC exemplifies the BPW/USA motto, 'Women Mean Business' by proving that the advancement and development of professional women positively affects the bottom line."
Proceeds from the awards gala benefit the Business and Professional Women's Foundation. Scholarships from the BPW Foundation go to disadvantaged women. SBC, through its Foundation, will present BPW with a grant to be used for the organization's Career Advancement Scholarship and Loan Program.
SBC's workforce is comprised of more than 51 percent women, with women making up 48 percent of managers and 24 percent of corporate senior officers. The company has a number of initiatives to advance women, including a professional women's employee organization, the SBC Center for Learning, a Leadership Development Program, a tuition reimbursement policy and other professional development programs.
"Promoting the advancement of women in the workplace makes good business sense," said Karen Jennings, senior vice president, human resources, for SBC. "Companies that hope to compete in today's global marketplace must reflect their diverse customer base. SBC has long been committed to diversity and inclusion."
In addition to its leadership in hiring and promoting women, SBC has furthered the advancement of women and women's issues in the communities it serves. The SBC Foundation made a $10 million donation to fund the first major museum ever built to honor the accomplishments of women. The Women's Museum: An Institute for the Future will open to the public in 2000.
SBC has championed women's issues in the community through other programs as well. Since 1996, the SBC Foundation has directed about $6 million through more than 200 grants to other organizations that support women's issues in SBC territories.
SBC has also been a leader in promoting opportunities for women's business enterprises through its supplier chain. In recent months, SBC has been recognized by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council as one of the top 15 corporations in America for women's business enterprises. In the last five years, SBC has spent over $2.4 billion, or 8.3 percent of its procurement dollars, with women-owned businesses. Additionally, SBC has been recognized by Working Woman magazine as one of the top 25 corporations for executive women. Last year's Corporate Award was given to Eli Lilly and Company.
SBC Communications Inc. (www.sbc.com) is a global communications leader. Through its subsidiaries - Southwestern Bell, Ameritech, Pacific Bell, SBC Telecom, Nevada Bell, SNET and Cellular One - and world-class network, SBC provides local and long-distance phone service, wireless and data communications, paging, high-speed Internet access and messaging, cable and satellite television, security services and telecommunications equipment, as well as directory advertising and publishing. In the United States, the company currently has 90.4 million voice grade equivalent lines, 11.2 million wireless customers and is undertaking a national expansion program that will bring SBC service to an additional 30 markets. Internationally, SBC has telecommunications investments in 23 countries. With more than 204,000 employees, SBC is the 13th largest employer in the U.S., with annual revenues that rank it among the largest Fortune 500 companies.
