AT&T Honored as One of America's Top Corporations for Women's Business Enterprises

AT&T Recognized as a Leader for Including Diverse Suppliers in its Supply Chain, by Women Business Enterprise National Council and the Telecommunications Industry

AT&T* announced today that the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the nation's leading advocate of women-owned businesses as suppliers to America's corporations, has named AT&T as one of America's Top Corporations for Women's Business Enterprises (WBEs).

AT&T's outstanding diversified supply chain has not gone unnoticed over the last 40 years — this is the 10th consecutive year that AT&T has received this honor from WBENC. AT&T has been included among the top corporations since the list's inception for its efforts in breaking down barriers that impede women-owned businesses from gaining fair access to procurement opportunities.

AT&T is a longtime board member and strong supporter of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council, a corporate member organization whose mission is to certify WBEs and advocate for the continued success of women in business.

"Supplier diversity is an integral part of the way AT&T does business. By providing contracting opportunities for women business enterprises, we're empowering ourselves to win in today's competitive global marketplace," said Tim Harden, AT&T president of Supply Chain and Fleet Operations. "We are honored to receive this award from WBENC because it is a reflection of our ongoing world-class supplier diversity initiatives."

AT&T remains a Top Corporation for WBEs because of its continued commitment to providing contracting opportunities for WBEs. AT&T and 19 other corporations will be recognized today at the WBENC's America's Top Corporations for Women's Business Enterprises Awards presentation in National Harbor, MD. The event will occur during WBENC's 2009 Summit and Salute to Women's Business Enterprise attracting over 1,000 and celebrating 14 Women's Business Enterprise Stars who are exemplary WBEs from across the country.

AT&T has received numerous honors for its commitment to diversity and inclusion. For the last three years, AT&T has ranked No. 1 on DiversityBusiness.com's list of the Top Organizations for Multicultural Business Opportunities, based on the quality of business opportunities that AT&T consistently grants to minority- and women-owned companies. In 2009, AT&T ranked second among DiversityInc's Top 50 Companies for Diversity for its commitment to diversity in the workplace and marketplace.

In addition, at CTIA's national wireless conference and DiversityNxt program, the National Minority Supplier Development Council's Telecommunications Industry Group will present AT&T and one of its diverse suppliers with two important awards. On April 1st, Tim Harden will accept the DiversityNxt Corporation Award for leadership in including diverse suppliers in new, next-generation supply chain solutions. The DiversityNxt Solution Supplier Award will be presented to Genesis, an AT&T minority supplier that has excelled in providing technology supply chain solutions for AT&T's broadband services. The awards will be presented at the DiversityNxt's conference in Las Vegas.