This list is comprised of companies our senior editorial staff determines have the potential to make The 2012 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list. In the 2011 survey, seven companies moved up from the 25 Noteworthy Companies list to the DiversityInc Top 50.

All of these companies are either above average or significantly improving in the four areas measured: CEO Commitment, Human Capital, Corporate and Organizational Communications, and Supplier Diversity. Each of these companies also has demonstrated, through its data, notable progress in the last year.

Here are some facts about these 25 companies in aggregate:

• Sixty-eight percent of their CEOs sign off on executive compensation tied to diversity goals
• Sixty-four percent of their CEOs meet with employee-resource groups on a regular basis
• Twenty-four percent of their heads of diversity report directly to the CEO
• All have employee-resource groups
• Eighty-four percent include diversity in their requests for proposals

The 25 Noteworthy Companies (in alphabetical order):

Altria Group

This is Altria’s first time on this list, but its predecessor company, Phillip Morris, was a long-time diversity leader. The commitment is there from Chairman and CEO Mike Szymanczyk, who sits on the UNCF board and requires that all officers of the company serve on nonprofit boards, many of them multicultural.

BASF

BASF has an increasingly improving cross-cultural mentoring program, strong employee-resource groups, and, as a result of both of these and other diversity-management initiatives, talent-development efforts starting to show results.

Boehringer Ingelheim

The key to the success of this company has been the increasing engagement of its employee-resource groups, which are relatively new, very enthusiastic and starting to have a major impact on talent development, diversity training and community outreach.

Brown-Forman Corp.

Employee-resource groups are key to the improved diversity-management efforts at Brown-Forman. Chairman and CEO Paul Varga is very involved, meeting with these groups and chairing the executive diversity council.

Capital One

A longtime diversity leader, Capital One has extraordinary work/life benefits and has been a model of flexibility for other companies.

The Chubb Corp.

Improving talent development puts Chubb on this list. The company’s employee-resource groups play a key part in identifying and nurturing talent, especially Blacks, Latinos, Asians, women and LGBT people.

Comcast

Comcast has an excellent supplier-diversity program as well as strong philanthropic connections to multicultural communities.

Comerica

Chairman and CEO Ralph Babb is a visible supporter of diversity management, meeting regularly with employee-resource groups, signing off on executive compensation tied to diversity, and frequently communicating inside and outside the company how important diversity is to its success.

The Dow Chemical Co.

In its first year participating, this company had high marks across all four areas we measure.

Hyatt

Hyatt has been participating in the DiversityInc Top 50 for many years and has strong human-capital numbers and excellent supplier diversity.

HSBC – North America

Also a long-time participant, with good workforce diversity, HSBC has strong employee-resource groups and work/life benefits.

ING North America

ING joins this list for the first time. ING is showing real progress, especially in CEO and senior leadership commitment, and with improving cross-cultural mentoring, employee-resource groups and diversity training.

Kellogg Co.

With a strong commitment from new CEO and President John Bryant, who is heading the diversity executive council, Kellogg is making definite progress. The employee-resource groups are gaining in strength and the company is increasingly focused on talent development.

KeyCorp

The inclusive atmosphere created by former Chairman and CEO Henry Meyer paved the way for the appointment of Beth Mooney, who takes over this week. The bank has a strong history of community philanthropy.

Macy’s

Improvements in talent development and strong employee-resource groups have helped Macy’s.

MassMutual

Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer Lorie Valle-Yañez has made a major difference, getting senior leadership buy-in and moving this company to connect its workforce diversity with its customer outreach.

MetLife

MetLife made this list because of highly competitive human-capital numbers, as well as solid employee-resource groups.

MGM Resorts International

This company, formerly known as MGM MIRAGE, has first-rate diversity training throughout the organization and good branding as a diversity leader.

Pfizer

In its second year competing, Pfizer is making substantial progress in its talent development as well as use of its global employee-resource groups.

Scripps Networks

Scripps has been making real progress with its diversity metrics and training, resulting in improvements in its human-capital demographics.

Southern Company

The utility continues to improve its reputation as a diversity leader as its multicultural philanthropy, supplier diversity and talent-development efforts all gain. Click here to read “Southern Company’s Prospects Are Electric.”

Staples

This is Staples’ first time on this list. Staples is using its young employee-resource groups as well as its burgeoning mentoring program to further its connection to employees.

Tyco International

In its first time participating, Tyco has made a good showing in its senior-management commitment as well as its use of employee-resource groups.

The Walt Disney Co.

Disney’s emphasis on multicultural marketing is well known as it continues to try to connect with the changing consumer base.

Wyndham Worldwide

Wyndham has made good progress this year with its employee-resource groups as well as talent development.