BLACK ENTERPRISE Announces the 40 Best Companies for Diversity

BLACK ENTERPRISE has released its seventh annual listing of the 40 Best Companies for Diversity as featured in the publication’s July issue and on BlackEnterprise.com. The companies singled out for distinction demonstrated a commitment to diversity in one or more of four key areas: board of directors, employee base, senior management and supplier diversity.

Of the 40 best, McDonald’s Corp., Fannie Mae, Verizon Communications Inc. and WGL Holdings Inc. demonstrated significant strengths in all four areas surveyed. Darden Restaurants Inc., Pepco Holdings Inc. and Sodexo Inc. were cited as solid in three. Making their fist appearance on this list are Allstate Corp., JPMorgan Chase & Co., MetLife Corp., Nationwide, Prudential Financial Inc. and Wells Fargo & Co.

In 2005, BLACK ENTERPRISE began publishing its list of the “Best Companies for Diversity,” identifying those corporations that best fostered an atmosphere of inclusion for African Americans within their workforce. This year the editors took the unprecedented step of singling out those that have also implemented policy to ensure that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) employees are protected from additional discrimination and gain access to opportunities for advancement. In the cover feature “Black and Gay in Corporate America,” BLACK ENTERPRISE takes an in-depth look at how a growing number of African American LGBT managers are breaking through isolation and fear within their companies.

The full list of the 2011 Black Enterprise 40 Best Companies for Diversity is as follows:

To select our 2011 companies, BLACK ENTERPRISE sent surveys to the nation’s top 1,000 publicly traded companies as well as to the 100 leading global companies with strong U.S. operations. The questionnaire focused on activities related to the participation of African Americans and members of other ethnic minority groups as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. A heavier weighting was applied to the senior management and supplier diversity areas. The final scores, along with the results of reporting and research conducted by the editorial staff, were used to determine the 40 Best Companies for Diversity.

The complete report, including methodology and selection criteria, is available in the July issue of BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine, on newsstands now.

BLACK ENTERPRISE, your ultimate source for wealth creation, is the premier business, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans. Since 1970, BE has provided essential business information and advice to professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and decision makers. Every month, BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine provides four million readers with information on entrepreneurship, careers, and financial management. As multimedia company, BLACK ENTERPRISE produces television programming, business and lifestyle events, Web content and digital media. BLACK ENTERPRISE is the definitive source of information for and about African American business markets and leaders, and the authority on black business news and trends.