SAN DIEGO, March 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- During a year
when the economy was devastated by the pandemic, San Diego Gas
& Electric sustained small and diverse suppliers by buying more
than 40 percent in goods and services from them, according to the
company's newly released 2020 supplier diversity annual report.
"As one of the largest employers in the region, we recognize our
supplier diversity program can be leveraged to help create a more
inclusive economy and more equitable economic recovery," said
SDG&E CEO Caroline Winn. "Small
and diverse businesses are job creation engines. When they
flourish, our entire region flourishes."
Overall, SDG&E injected more than $2
billion into the economy last year, the highest level of
expenditures on goods and services in the company's 140-year
history. The company invested $872
million on small and diverse suppliers, representing 41.6%
of the total expenditures – far exceeding the 21.5% goal set by the
California Public Utilities Commission's (CPUC). Last year also
marks the eighth consecutive year that SDG&E's supplier
diversity spending surpassed 40%. (Videos of some of SDG&E's
diverse suppliers: A.M. Ortega Construction, Patriot
General Engineering)
Year after year, SDG&E's supplier diversity program has
grown, paving the way for many subcontractors to become prime
contractors and add jobs to the local economy.
To encourage large local employers to follow suit, SDG&E
recently partnered with the San Diego Regional Economic Development
Corp. (EDC) on a new study that analyzes the impact of increased
local procurement on quality job creation, and includes
recommendations for large employers to support small businesses by
buying local. Along with the study, SDG&E also sponsored the
EDC's "Right Recovery Town Halls."
Here is a breakdown of SDG&E's 2020 spending by diverse
business categories:
- Minority Business Enterprise: $455.4
million or 21.7%
- Women Business Enterprise: $285.9
million or 13.6%
- Service-Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise: $120.5 million or 5.7%
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Business Enterprise:
$10.4 million or 0.5%
Diverse suppliers support many of SDG&E's key functions
including electric engineering and construction, gas operations,
clean transportation, sustainability/environmental services and
wildfire mitigation/vegetation management. Early in the pandemic,
SDG&E even partnered with a Vista-based whiskey distillery to
refocus production on hand sanitizers for its field crews.
SDG&E is an innovative San
Diego-based energy company that provides clean, safe and
reliable energy to better the lives of the people it serves in
San Diego and southern
Orange counties. The company is
committed to creating a sustainable future by providing its
electricity from renewable sources; modernizing natural gas
pipelines; accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles;
supporting numerous non-profit partners; and, investing in
innovative technologies to ensure the reliable operation of the
region's infrastructure for generations to come. SDG&E is a
subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE). For more information,
visit SDGEnews.com or connect with SDG&E on Twitter (@SDGE),
Instagram (@SDGE) and Facebook.
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SOURCE SDG&E