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California's Largest Corporate Employer on a Course for Citizenship and Sustainability

AT&T California Highlights Accomplishments in Strengthening Communities, Innovation and Technology, Supporting Education and Improving the Environment

California's Largest Corporate Employer on a Course for Citizenship and Sustainability

AT&T California Highlights Accomplishments in Strengthening Communities, Innovation and Technology, Supporting Education and Improving the Environment

Published 08-13-09

Submitted by AT&T Inc.

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 13 /CSRwire - PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - AT&T* California announced it has made significant progress in its efforts to strengthen communities, stimulate economic growth, and help ensure America's global competitiveness through an increased investment in social and environmental investments for important education, environmental and volunteerism programs.

"Being an active corporate citizen and strengthening the communities where we live and work have always been priorities for AT&T," said Ken McNeely, President, AT&T California. "We are committed to exploring ways in which society's needs intersect with our company and while we have made significant progress, we recognize the need for continual improvement."

The impact of these investments are highlighted in the company's recently released 2008 Citizenship and Sustainability Report - "Connecting for a Sustainable Future" - available online at www.att.com/csr.

The 2008 report provides a detailed look at AT&T's six strategic focus areas: Strengthening Communities; Leading Innovation and Technology; Minimizing Our Environmental Impact; Investing in People; Leading with Integrity and Connecting People and Business.

In California last year, AT&T made significant progress in many of these areas.

Strengthening Communities:
AT&T has a long history of supporting the communities where we live and work. In 2008 alone, AT&T and the AT&T Foundation contributed more than $30.8 million to thousands of organizations in support of key initiatives across the Golden State. Most notably, the company launched AT&T Aspire, a $100 million national philanthropic program to help strengthen student success and workforce readiness. As part of this commitment, AT&T awarded 35 grants valued at $3.7 million to educational organizations in California, including $730,000 in AT&T Foundation grants to eight Los Angeles-area educational institutions.

"A clear example of Aspire's positive impact in Los Angeles is Jefferson New Tech, which recently improved its California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) scores to a 98 percent passing rate for seniors and is now among the top schools in LAUSD," said Gary Toebben, President & CEO, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. "AT&T's Aspire program played a big role in helping to make this happen."

The company also joined California State University to help improve access to college for students in traditionally underserved communities, and ultimately expand California's professional workforce. A $1.6 million four-year contribution from the AT&T Foundation funded the CSU College Corps program to provide college counseling for 1,000 high school students, as well as the CSU/AT&T Road to College bus tour, a statewide education and outreach campaign centered on improving underserved student access to the CSU system. The bus tour will continue in its second year next spring, as it makes stops at underserved high schools across California.

Serving communities and supporting key volunteer programs within them is an easy and important way to make a real difference in people's lives. The AT&T Pioneers, which consists primarily of retired AT&T employees, volunteered more than 330,000 hours last year in support of community programs across California. Major efforts included the coordination of a five-week food drive at some 30 AT&T building locations across the state that collected more than 7,600 pounds of food for area food banks.

AT&T employees often take on volunteer leadership roles in their communities and play active roles on business chamber boards, and with non-profits and educational organizations working hard to ensure the health and vibrancy of their communities.

In San Diego, for the past several years AT&T has hosted several thousand children at "Kids Day at PETCO Park," treating kids from dozens of area organizations to their first ballpark experience.

"Kids Day is an opportunity for our children to enjoy America's favorite pastime while also acknowledging family members, program staff and volunteers for the valuable support they provide to our youngest residents," said Assembly member Joel Anderson (R - La Mesa). "AT&T is a valued member of our community, and this event is a great example of the company's ongoing support of programs that improve the quality of life for the residents of our communities."

Leading Innovation and Technology:
Even in tough economic times, at AT&T we recognize that investing in high-tech jobs, faster wireless and wired networks, important education programs, and new technological applications for the community will help stimulate both economic growth and opportunity for people to connect.

In fact, AT&T is investing billions to enhance and expand the advanced networks that will create jobs and fuel economic growth. Between 2006 and 2008, AT&T invested more than $7.8 billion to enhance its wireless and wired networks in California.

The company recently joined UC Merced to celebrate the launch of a new telemedicine network made possible by nearly $1 million in funding from the California Emerging Technology Fund, California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley and AT&T. The telemedicine network is designed to increase access to healthcare services, particularly specialty care, in the medically underserved Valley. The network has enabled the school to start a Valley Telehealth Partnership (VTP) in which six healthcare sites will have the connectivity, equipment and training necessary to successfully implement and maintain a telehealth program.

"Thanks to AT&T's vision, commitment to community and generous support of UC Merced's Valley Telehealth Partnership, rapid advances are being made in establishing a telehealth network in the San Joaquin Valley to increase access to specialty health care in our underserved region," said UC Merced's Dean of Natural Sciences Maria Pallavicini. "Residents in some of the Valley's most rural areas will reap the benefits for years to come."

Using high-resolution video equipment provided by the VTP, healthcare sites will be able to access medical specialists for real-time consultations with patients via broadband-enabled video conferencing. Specialties are expected to include dermatology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, infectious diseases, psychiatry, pediatric specialties and others.

Minimizing Our Environmental Impact:
As part of our ongoing efforts to minimize our environmental impact in ways that are relevant to our business and important to the communities we serve, AT&T recently announced plans to install and operate a 1-megawatt solar power system at its San Ramon campus. The power produced by the system, which is expected to equal up to 25 percent of peak power and 5.5 percent of the facility's annual electricity consumption, is equivalent to the electricity required to power more than 165 California homes each year.

AT&T also is rapidly examining other alternative energy sources. With one of the largest vehicle fleets in the U.S., the company introduced a new fleet of alternative-fuel vehicles that will lower our vehicle operating costs while contributing to a cleaner environment. This year, the company is rolling out 43 alternative-fuel vehicles in 14 California cities. This is part of a company-wide plan announced in March, to invest up to $565 million nationally over the next 10 years on alternative-fuel vehicles. The company will replace AT&T company-owned passenger cars with alternative-fuel models and bring the AT&T alternative-fuel fleet to more than 15,000 vehicles by 2019.

The U.S. Green Building Council also recently recognized the AT&T Center in downtown Los Angeles as the first LEED Gold certified building in the history of downtown L.A. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System(TM) is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building is environmentally responsible, profitable and a healthy place to work.

Further, as the state's largest provider of broadband services, the increased use of this technology also helps people improve their productivity and reduce their environmental impact. For example, as more people telecommute -- using broadband and working from home - this keeps cars off the road and reduces their carbon footprint.

Investing in People:
The investments AT&T makes in our people can help bring prosperity, growth and opportunity to workers, families and local businesses. AT&T employed more than 45,300 in California as of the end of 2008 "“ making it the state’s largest corporate employer - and its payroll represented more than $3.44 billion. AT&T's California workforce also mirrors the diversity of our customers and suppliers, which has always been important to AT&T. Overall, almost 44 percent of our workforce is comprised of women, of which more than 59 percent are minorities.

AT&T is also widely recognized for its commitment to diversity-owned businesses, setting the corporate standard for supplier diversity programs. The company strives to be a great place to work, to be respectful and supportive of our diverse workforce and inclusive culture, and to recognize the benefits of our diverse suppliers, customers and business partners.

AT&T has consistently met its supplier diversity goals in California, and last year spent $869 million with minority, women and disabled-veteran business enterprises. This is the most of any California utility and more than all other California telecommunications providers combined.

Connecting People and Business:
At AT&T, our mission is to connect people with their world, everywhere they live and work. AT&T recently joined the global nonprofit One Economy Corporation's Bring IT Home California, a program designed to make California a national leader in digital inclusion. The initiative strives to connect low-income Californians to free or low-cost broadband at home. Bring IT Home California is made possible by a $2.5 million grant from the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) and AT&T's contribution of two years of high speed Internet access for 10,000 California households. Through this effort, we are helping to build digital inclusion programs that include broadband access, community training programs, self-help and educational online content, and, where needed, programs that help residents purchase low-cost computers.

"I've seen first-hand the impact access to technology can have for low-income residents and the under-served communities of San Francisco," said San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. "In the Mission neighborhood, community members are now able to learn how to use the Internet and it is benefiting their education, their families and the community in many ways. Programs and partnerships like Bring IT Home California are not only helping to bring the internet home, they are bringing home a little more hope and opportunity."

AT&T also has helped to strengthen the operations and improve the sustainability of traditionally underserved, self-employed and small-business owners in California through its Micro Enterprise Technical Assistance Program (MTAP). Launched in 2006, the program awards $25,000 grants to 10 organizations each year that have demonstrated a successful track record of providing training and technical assistance to low- and moderate-income aspiring and existing small business owners across California.

"Providing resources to strengthen and enhance the capabilities of minority small businesses is a key component to any supplier diversity program," said California Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D - San Francisco). "This effort will help small minority businesses - and especially those owned by women of color - develop the skills needed to promote and maintain important business relationships."

A complete list of AT&T's citizenship and sustainability goals is available at www.att.com/csr

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates - AT&T operating companies - are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest 3G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. AT&T offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse(SM) and AT&T | DIRECTV(SM) brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T's Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations are known for their leadership in directory publishing and advertising sales. In 2009, AT&T again ranked No. 1 in the telecommunications industry on FORTUNE(R) magazine's list of the World's Most Admired Companies.

Statements of Support:

Strengthening Communities:

Gary Toebben, President & CEO, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce:

"A clear example of Aspire’s positive impact in Los Angeles is Jefferson New Tech, which recently improved its California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) scores to a 98 percent passing rate for seniors and is now among the top schools in LAUSD," said Gary Toebben, President & CEO, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. "AT&T's Aspire program played a big role in helping to make this happen."

Assembly member Joel Anderson (R - La Mesa)
"Kids Day is an opportunity for our children to enjoy America's favorite pastime while also acknowledging family members, program staff and volunteers for the valuable support they provide to our youngest residents," said Assembly member Joel Anderson (R - La Mesa). "AT&T is a valued member of our community, and this event is a great example of the company's ongoing support of programs that improve the quality of life for the residents of our communities."

Leading With Innovation and Technology:

UC Merced's Dean of Natural Sciences Maria Pallavicini:

"Thanks to AT&T's vision, commitment to community and generous support of UC Merced's Valley Telehealth Partnership, rapid advances are being made in establishing a telehealth network in the San Joaquin Valley to increase access to specialty health care in our underserved region," said UC Merced's Dean of Natural Sciences Maria Pallavicini. "Residents in some of the Valley's most rural areas will reap the benefits for years to come."

Connecting People and Business:

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom:

"I've seen first-hand the impact access to technology can have for low-income residents and the under-served communities of San Francisco," said San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. "In the Mission neighborhood, community members are now able to learn how to use the Internet and it is benefiting their education, their families and the community in many ways. Programs and partnerships like Bring IT Home California are not only helping to bring the internet home, they are bringing home a little more hope and opportunity."

California Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D - San Francisco):

"Providing resources to strengthen and enhance the capabilities of minority small businesses is a key component to any supplier diversity program," said California Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D - San Francisco). "This effort will help small minority businesses - and especially those owned by women of color - develop the skills needed to promote and maintain important business relationships."

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