NAFE Names AT&T to Top 50 Companies for Executive Women

DALLAS, March 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AT&T* announced today that it has been named to the NAFE Top 50 Companies and 10 Nonprofits for Executive Women by the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE). The list recognizes organizations whose policies and practices encourage women's advancement and whose numbers at the highest levels of leadership demonstrate that commitment.

NAFE's list serves as an annual benchmark for Corporate America. The number of women responsible for running operations (profit-and-loss, or P&L positions) at the NAFE Top Companies has reached 26 percent, significantly more than the 11 percent at Fortune 500 companies as counted by Catalyst. To be considered a NAFE recipient, companies must have at least two women on the board and track gender in P&L jobs.

AT&T's commitment to inclusion stems from its tradition of innovation and understanding of diversity as a competitive advantage. AT&T is committed to the advancement of women through various leadership and employee development initiatives and a world-class global supplier diversity program that helps diverse businesses, including women's business enterprises, win large corporate contracts and compete in the global market. In addition, AT&T supports an employee resource group, Women of AT&T, dedicated to connect and inspire its members to achieve their personal and professional goals.

"It's great to be applauded for something that's so deeply engrained in your culture," said Cindy Brinkley, AT&T senior vice president, talent development and chief diversity officer. "We've long understood the value women bring to leadership roles, and the success we've enjoyed over the years is a direct reflection of that recognition. That's why women looking for meaningful and exciting leadership opportunities have always been attracted to AT&T, and why they will continue to be."

The NAFE Top 50 Companies award comes on the heels of a significant recognition by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), which recently named AT&T one of America's Top Corporations for Women's Business Enterprises (WBEs) for being a world-class leader in the inclusion of women business enterprises in its supply chain.

AT&T has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to supplier diversity excellence for more than 40 years. AT&T established its Women Business Enterprise Program (WBE) in 1980, and since then, it has been able to expand contracting opportunities for diverse businesses across its enterprise, the telecom industry, and to other industries such as advertising and contract manufacturing as well.

AT&T is a member of WEConnect International, a non-profit organization that facilitates sustainable economic growth by increasing opportunities for women owned businesses around the world. AT&T is also a member of the Billion Dollar Roundtable, a supplier diversity think tank of 17 corporations that spend more than $1 billion annually with diverse companies.

Last year, AT&T launched its Women of Color Businesses Growth Initiative at WBENC's 10th Annual Women in Business national conference. The year-long program mentors a pilot group of small, women-owned business owners to develop the tools and strategies necessary to win large corporate contracts. A key component of the program is assisting the firms in obtaining TL9000 quality certification. AT&T introduced the program mentees to the WBENC network as a powerful learning and marketing resource for their businesses.

In recent years, AT&T has received other honors for its commitment to the advancement of women, including recognition as:

• One of the 50 Best Companies for Latinas to Work by LATINA Style magazine every year since 1998.
• One of America's Top Corporations for Women's Business Enterprises by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council for 11 consecutive years for its efforts in breaking down barriers that keep women-owned business enterprises from gaining fair access to procurement opportunities.
• One of the 10 Companies for Executive Women by DiversityInc based on its commitment to advancing women into leadership positions.

NAFE will honor the Top Companies at a luncheon at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City on March 25. That morning, senior women executives from the NAFE Top Companies will meet at the closed door NAFE Roundtable to discuss critical business issues, including how to ensure an increase in women-run operations.

About NAFE

The National Association for Female Executives (NAFE), founded in 1972, serves 20,000 members nationwide with networking, tools and solutions to strengthen and grow their careers and businesses. NAFE magazine publishes the annual Top Companies issue and the annual Women of Excellence issue. NAFE.com provides up-to-date information, community for women in business and access to member benefits. NAFE is a division of Working Mother Media and Bonnier Corporation.  

* 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® magazine's list of the World's Most Admired Companies.

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com.

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SOURCE AT&T Inc.