Latina Style 50 Names AT&T its “Company of the Year” for 2013

By Celeste Carrasco, Director of Federal Public Affairs, AT&T

Each year, Latina Style 50 analyzes Corporate America's efforts to promote diversity and provide career advancement opportunities for Hispanic women.  In 2008, it named AT&T its Company of the Year in recognition of our efforts to make AT&T a better, more welcoming place for Hispanic women. 

This year, we did it again – the LATINA Style 50 Report has named AT&T its “Company of the Year” for 2013.  The organization evaluated companies on the basis of retirement plans, programs to assist military personnel, and leadership programs to help Latinas succeed.  In the end, the group saluted AT&T for its “outstanding effort and commitment… to empower Latinas nationwide.”

Moreover, Carmen Nava, Senior Vice President of Customer Experience and AT&T’s highest ranking Latina, was recognized as one of the top five female executives of the year. 

LATINA Style Inc., made the official announcement this month at its annual Diversity Leaders Conference, which AT&T was proud to sponsor. Carmen delivered the keynote address and was part of a panel discussion with the other prominent Latina businesswomen.

AT&T’s groundbreaking Hispanic Employee Resource Group (“HACEMOS”), which is commemorating its 25^th anniversary, also earned recognition as one of the top five Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) for 2013. AT&T’s Human Resources Associate Director and HACEMOS National President Delia Hernandez participated in a panel discussion focused on making employee resource efforts more sensitive to the needs of Latinas.

Finally, AT&T’s Celeste Carrasco and Susan Santana hosted a table during the luncheon for representatives from LULAC, Mobile Future, MANA, and LNESC.

This public honor, coming twice during the past six years, is remarkably gratifying for so many reasons. AT&T has made Latino outreach a cornerstone of our corporate ethos.  One in eight of our employees is Latino.  In 2010, thanks to the commitment of so many of our Hispanic employees, HACEMOS won the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s ERG Challenge.  The Chamber also voted us “Corporation of the Year” in 2012.

At AT&T, we make this effort a priority because our business is based on innovating new ways for people from all walks of life to connect with others everywhere they live and work.