SAN JOSE, Calif., June 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Water Works Association (AWWA) honored California Water Service (Cal Water) with the 2018 Diversity Award today for the utility’s ongoing commitment to promoting and embracing diversity in business. The Diversity Award, presented at ACE18, AWWA’s annual national conference, recognizes an individual or organization that has created, promoted, and maintained diversity by establishing an environment that recognizes, encourages, and effectively utilizes each person’s talent.
In 2014, 2015, and 2016, Cal Water surpassed the annual goal set by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to achieve 21.5% spending with certified woman-, minority-, disabled veteran-, and LGBT-owned businesses. The utility tripled its spending with disabled veteran-owned businesses in 2017 compared to 2016, surpassing a 1.5% goal with a 2.75% spending rate. Additionally, beyond establishing internal processes to include diverse businesses in competitive bidding opportunities, the utility encourages its prime contractors to include diverse suppliers in its subcontracting bids, remains engaged in supplier outreach efforts through Chambers of Commerce and other advocacy groups, and helps diverse suppliers grow their technical expertise and capabilities through the Cal Water Mentor-Protégé Program. “We are pleased to be recognized by AWWA for our efforts in supplier diversity. Company-wide, our employees—also a diverse group of professionals highly trained in their areas of expertise—are committed to providing opportunities for and doing business with diverse suppliers,” said Martin A. Kropelnicki, Cal Water President and CEO. “This keeps our procurement process competitive and helps us fulfill our promise to provide quality, service, and value to our customers and communities.” California Water Service serves about 2 million people through 484,900 service connections in California. The utility has provided water service in the state since 1926. Additional information may be obtained online at www.calwater.com .
Yvonne Kingman, 310-257-1434
