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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Sempra Challenges International Employment Values

As Sempra Energy expands into international markets, its work culture challenges local attitudes about who can hold a job. In China, for instance, Sempra was one of the first large companies to employ women, Farrar said. “That is exciting that we are impacting on how minorities are viewed in other parts of the world,” Farrar added. The owner of utilities serving Southern California, including San Diego, Sempra has a workforce in which African-Americans, Asians, Hispanics and Native Americans make up 50 percent of its total employee base and 31 percent of management. Overseeing the strategy and success of its programs is the Office of Corporate Diversity Affairs, a part of its human resources department and vital to the business-planning process. As district manager for a region including the San Fernando Valley, Joe Chow works closely with that office to seek minority and women-owned vendors and potential employees. “We go out and put on programs at fairs and events to promote the company and the diversity programs,” Chow said. In its recruitment efforts, Sempra goes after the best employees it can and hopes they appreciate the culture and feel they are embraced by what it offers, said Shawn Farrar, director of corporate diversity at the company’s San Diego headquarters. The company strives to hire workers that reflect the areas it serves, understand cultural issues they encounter and knows how to work with customers effectively, Farrar said. “There are certain things we deal with culturally that we have to be aware of,” Farrar said. Among Sempra’s programs is a partnership with historically black colleges, such as Howard University in Washington, D.C., to hire graduates as engineers. Another program matches new hires with veteran employees on a formal and informal basis based on their schooling, background or job title, Farrar said. The company’s efforts have been noticed. Since 1998, the utility has landed in the top five of Fortune magazine’s “America’s Best 50 Companies for Minorities.” Last year, the Asian Business Association presented Sempra-owned Southern California Gas Co. with the Odyssey Award for its work with Asian-owned vendors; and Hispanic Business magazine named Sempra in the Top 10 of its Top 50 Companies for Hispanics. In 2007, the company placed 29th on “Diversity Inc.’s” overall list ranking diversity programs. As the company expands into international market, its work culture challenges local attitudes toward who can hold a job. In China, for instance, Sempra was one of the first large companies to employee women, Farrar said.

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