Fortune announced this week that Sempra Energy, the parent company of eight principal subsidiaries, including Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), has earned the No. 4 spot on the magazine's annual list of "America's 50 Best Companies for Minorities." This marks the company's third consecutive year among the top five of the list, which will be published in the July 10, 2000, issue of Fortune.

The ranking was based on Sempra Energy's efforts in 15 different categories, including hiring, promoting and retaining people of color, as well as supplier diversity and charitable contributions.

"Our consistently high rankings on Fortune's list underscore our long-term commitment to diversity at all levels," said Stephen L. Baum, chief executive officer of Sempra Energy. "We believe that having employees and suppliers that reflect the communities we serve is not only the right thing to do, but it's a smart business strategy that makes us a stronger competitor, more in tune with our customers."

In Fortune's survey, Sempra Energy had a high percentage -- 47 percent -- of African-Americans, Asians, Hispanics and Native Americans among its workforce, as well as a similarly high percentage -- 28 percent -- among officers and managers. Minority representation on the board of directors was 31 percent. Sempra Energy's results in diversity at the upper ranks of the company were superior to those of its peers on the list, who averaged 22-percent minority participation at the officer and manager level, and 16 percent on the board of directors.

The amount of goods and services that Sempra Energy purchases from minority suppliers also contributed to its high ranking. In 1999, the company's two utility subsidiaries -- SoCalGas and SDG&E -- spent a combined $93 million, or 25 percent of their total purchasing, with minority-, women- and service-disabled-veteran-owned businesses.

Sempra Energy has established an Office of Corporate Diversity Affairs that manages employee diversity at the company. This special entity strives to create an environment in which employees of all ethnic backgrounds are valued and can use their unique perspectives to contribute to the business goals of the company. Sempra Energy also has a dedicated team that manages supplier diversity. The team conducts outreach programs and mentors minority-, women- and service-disabled-veteran-owned businesses, helping Sempra Energy reduce costs, bring innovation and provide customers with the best products and services at competitive prices.

The full text of Fortune's "America's 50 Best Companies for Minorities" is posted on the magazine's Web site at www.fortune.com.

Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company with 12,000 employees and revenues of nearly $5.5 billion. Through its eight principal subsidiaries -- Southern California Gas Company, San Diego Gas & Electric, Sempra Energy Solutions, Sempra Energy Trading, Sempra Energy International, Sempra Energy Resources, Sempra Communications and Sempra Energy Financial -- Sempra Energy serves more than 9 million customers in the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico and South America.

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