SAFECO 16th Among 50 Top Companies for Diversity for 2001

Seattle-based SAFECO ranked 16th among the nation’s “50 Top Companies for Diversity for 2001,” according to a study released this week by DiversityInc.com.

Barbara Frankel, vice president and executive editor of DiversityInc.com, said SAFECO scored high because it:

* Is increasing the number of women and people of color in management and throughout the workforce;
* Provides a workplace that’s friendly to gay and lesbian employees;
* Actively markets its products to a diverse consumer base;
* Demonstrates strong support from its CEO for company-wide diversity efforts.

The annual rankings are the result of a four-month study by DiversityInc.com, an online trade publication that provides businesses with information and strategies to promote diversity.

“It’s a tremendous honor to be recognized for our commitment to diversity,” Allie Mysliwy, SAFECO senior vice president of Human Resources, commented. “SAFECO was one of the early leaders in offering benefits to the domestic partners of our employees. We have an aggressive diversity-marketing program that includes opening offices in urban neighborhoods. Under the leadership of CEO Mike McGavick, we’ve increased the number of women and people of color in key executive positions. And we’ve formed an advisory group to provide recommendations to our senior leadership on ways to continuously enhance diversity at SAFECO.

“Still, these are just the first steps,” Mysliwy added. “Enhancing diversity is not a one-time initiative. It’s part of our long-term strategy to be successful by being as diverse as the customers we serve nationwide.”