Northrop Grumman Moves Up to 29th on DiversityInc's 2013 Top 50 Companies for Diversity List

FALLS CHURCH, Va., April 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has been ranked 29th on DiversityInc's annual list for the Top 50 Companies for Diversity, a jump of 13 spots from last year's ranking of 42.

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The DiversityInc Top 50 list includes companies from a wide range of industries whose leadership, procurement practices, communications and training best reflect the reality of the rapidly changing face of America, according to DiversityInc. The full list can be found at www.DiversityInc.com/top50.

"Northrop Grumman's increasing emphasis on talent development has paid off with human-capital results. The company's top level [CEO and direct reports] has 70 percent more women than the DiversityInc Top 50 average," said DiversityInc CEO Luke Visconti.

"I'm delighted that we increased our ranking on this list, demonstrating that our companywide focus on the importance of diversity and inclusion continues to propel our company to top performance," said Sandra Evers-Manly, vice president, corporate responsibility, Northrop Grumman, and president, Northrop Grumman Foundation. "We strongly believe that creating a workplace that values diversity and inclusion is fundamental to generating innovation, increasing productivity, boosting engagement and improving profitability. Our customers count on us to provide affordable and innovative solutions to their most vexing problems, and our diverse, engaged and skilled workforce allows us to meet this challenge."

Northrop Grumman's progress on diversity and inclusion is tied to leadership performance. Other initiatives to expand diversity and inclusion include:

• Employee resource groups (ERGs) – Volunteer groups of employees who provide opportunities for networking, community outreach, professional development and recruiting. In 2012, more than 14,000 Northrop Grumman employees engaged in ERGs. The groups are involved in all aspects of the business such as initiating science, technology, engineering and math projects in K-12, helping create Web-based accessibility initiatives for people with disabilities, and supporting veterans programs.
• Northrop Grumman Women's Conference – A two-day annual internal conference that includes senior leadership speakers and nationally known external presenters addressing leadership, development and work-life balance.
• Supplier Diversity – The company works to connect small disadvantaged businesses with the company's procurement organizations. Northrop Grumman has received many awards for its supplier diversity efforts. In 2012, they included the Chairman's Historical Corporation of the Year Award by the Latin Business Association; the Outstanding Corporate Supplier Diversity Award from the National Minority Business Council; and Supplier Diversity Corporation of the Year from the U.S. Business Leadership Network.
• Operation IMPACT – A Northrop Grumman program that provides career transition support and employment to service members severely injured in combat. The program has helped 108 returning service personnel and their family members join the company.
• Support for people with disabilities, veterans, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals – Northrop Grumman is committed to supporting initiatives on accessibility, accommodations, transition support and assistance by having allies at work. This year the company received the Private Sector Employer of the Year award as voted by readers of Careers and Disabled magazine.

Details on Northrop Grumman's diversity and inclusion efforts can be found at http://www.northropgrumman.com/CorporateResponsibility/Diversity/Pages/default.aspx.  

About DiversityInc

DiversityInc is the leading source of information on diversity management. The company is a consultancy and publishes two websites, www.DiversityInc.com and www.DiversityIncBestPractices.com, as well as a magazine, published five times a year. DiversityInc also produces diversity events, which average more than 600 attendees from 200 companies and have featured more than 20 CEOs of major corporations.

About Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cybersecurity, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.

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SOURCE Northrop Grumman Corporation