• Aetna
• Bright Horizons Family Solutions
• Capital One Financial Corp.
• Chubb & Son
• Compuware
• CSX
• Electronic Data Systems
• Harris N.A.
• Hilton Hotels Corp.
• Hyatt Hotels Corp.
• IKON Office Solutions
• Kellogg Company
• Kraft
• LaSalle Bank Corp.
• Macy's/Bloomingdale's
• Merrill Lynch & Co.
• MetLife
• New York Life Insurance Company
• Nielsen Media Research
• PNC Financial Services Group
• Sandia National Laboratories
• SC Johnson & Son
• SunTrust Banks
• Toyota Motor North America
• WellPoint

Today we present to you our 25 Noteworthy Companies, which are our editors' choices based on the empirical data submitted in The 2007 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity^® survey, for companies that come close to making the Top 50 and have strong potential to make it next year.

These companies have a long track record of moving on to the Top 50. Of the 25 companies on the Noteworthy Companies list last year, 10 made it on to the Top 50 this year.

What makes the 25 Noteworthy Companies stand out?

Consider these facts:

• They have more board diversity than the Top 50, with 24 percent of their directors on average being people of color, compared with 19 percent for the Top 50.
• Seventy-one percent of their CEOs personally sign off on compensation tied to diversity, compared with 90 percent of the Top 50 and 34 percent of the bottom quarter of entrants (there were 317 participants).

• Fifty-two percent of the Noteworthy Companies have mandatory diversity training for their entire work force, compared with 58 percent of the Top 50 and 38 percent of the bottom quarter of entrants.

• They spend 17 percent of total advertising dollars on multicultural advertising, compared with 19 percent for the Top 50 and 7 percent of the bottom quarter of entrants.
  
  

We present the 25 Noteworthy Companies in alphabetical order, since they are not ranked:

Aetna

The company has made immense strides in diversity management in recent years. CEO Ronald A. Williams chairs the diversity council, compared with 42 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 54 percent of the Top 50. Twenty-five percent of its board of directors is people of color, compared with a 24 percent average for the 25 Noteworthy Companies and a 19 percent average for the Top 50.

Bright Horizons Family Solutions

CEO and Director David H. Lissy chairs the diversity council, compared with 42 percent of the Noteworthy Companies and 54 percent of the Top 50. Diversity training is mandatory for the entire work force, compared with 52 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 58 percent of the Top 50.

Capital One Financial Corp.

Thirty-seven percent of its work force is people of color, compared with 32 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 34 percent of the Top 50. Fifty-four percent of its new hires are people of color, compared with 42 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 42 percent of the Top 50.

Chubb & Son

Also No. 10 for GLBT Employees

Chairman, President and CEO John D. Finnegan is on the board of directors of a diversity-related not-for-profit or educational organization (United Negro College Fund), compared with 17 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 30 percent of the Top 50. Sixty-four percent of Chubb's new hires are women, compared with 52 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 48 percent of the Top 50.

Compuware

Forty percent of its board of directors is people of color, compared with 24 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 19 percent of the Top 50. Diversity training is mandatory for its entire work force, compared with 52 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 58 percent of the Top 50.

CSX

Thirty-three percent of the CEO's direct reports' bonuses are tied to diversity, compared with an average of 19 percent for the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 26 percent for the Top 50. The transportation company has an external diversity council, compared with 24 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 19 percent of the Top 50.

Electronic Data Systems

Chairman and CEO Michael H. Jordan appoints members of the diversity council, compared with 58 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 60 percent of the Top 50. The company spends 8 percent of its total procurement with diverse suppliers, compared with 6 percent for the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 9.9 percent for the Top 50.

Harris N.A.

The bank has an employee-resource group for people with disabilities, compared with 26 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 55 percent of the Top 50. Diversity training is mandatory for its entire work force, compared with 52 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 58 percent of the Top 50.

Hilton Hotels Corp.

Co-Chairman and CEO Stephen F. Bollenbach chairs the diversity council, compared with 42 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 54 percent of the Top 50. Fifty percent of its managers promoted were people of color, compared with 25 percent for the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 31 percent for the Top 50.

Hyatt Hotels Corp.

Also No. 9 for Executive Women

The hotel chain has an external diversity council, compared with 24 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 19 percent of the Top 50. Forty-seven percent of its managers promoted were people of color, compared with 25 percent for the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 31 percent for the Top 50.

IKON Office Solutions

Twenty-eight percent of its total management is people of color, compared with 21 percent for the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 24 percent for the Top 50. The company has strong work/life benefits, including lactation programs, onsite childcare, floating religious holidays, adoption assistance, ability to work at home and/or telecommute, and dependent-care benefits.

Kellogg Company

Sixty-one percent of its managers participate in the mentoring program, compared with 21 percent for the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 32 percent for the Top 50. Its board of directors is 25 percent people of color, compared with a 24 percent average for the Noteworthy Companies and a 19 percent average for the Top 50.

Kraft

The CEO appoints members of the diversity council, compared with 58 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 60 percent of the Top 50. The company has an external diversity council, compared with 24 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 19 percent of the Top 50.

LaSalle Bank Corp.

Forty-six percent of its new hires are people of color, compared with 42 percent for the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 42 percent for the Top 50. President and CEO Larry Richman chairs the diversity council, compared with 42 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 54 percent of the Top 50.

Macy's/Bloomingdale's

Thirty percent of its board of directors is women, compared with 20 percent for the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 19 percent for the Top 50. Fifty-one percent of its top 10 percent highest-paid employees are women, compared with 29 percent for the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 30 percent for the Top 50.

Merrill Lynch & Co.

Also No. 2 for People With Disabilities, No. 7 for Asian Americans, and No. 8 for GLBT Employees

Thirty-four percent of its board of directors is people of color, compared with 24 percent for the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 19 percent for the Top 50. Merrill Lynch is a longtime leader in the disabilities area and has a strong employee-resource group for people with disabilities, compared with 26 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 55 percent of the Top 50.

MetLife

Also No. 5 for Asian Americans

Eleven percent of new hires are Asian American, compared with 9.5 percent for the Top 50 and a U.S. work force that is 4.5 percent Asian American. Fifty percent of its managers participate in the mentoring program, compared with 21 percent for the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 32 percent for the Top 50.

New York Life Insurance Company

Fifty-three percent of its work force is women, compared with 51 percent for the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 47 percent for the Top 50. Thirty-three percent of the women in its management are women of color, compared with 24 percent for the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 27 percent for the Top 50.

Nielsen Media Research

Forty-three percent of the women in its management received promotions, compared with 32 percent for the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 34 percent for the Top 50. The company also has strong employee-resource groups, funded by the company, with a senior manager on each, and they are used for both recruitment and marketing.

PNC Financial Services Group

Also No. 6 for African Americans

In its first year participating, the bank had a strong showing. Forty-nine percent of its female new hires are women of color, compared with 41 percent for the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 44 percent for the Top 50. Fifty-two percent of the women in its management received promotions, compared with 32 percent for the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 34 percent for the Top 50.

Sandia National Laboratories

The CEO chairs the diversity council, compared with 42 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 54 percent of the Top 50. Sandia has an employee-resource group for people with disabilities, compared with 26 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 55 percent of the Top 50.

SC Johnson & Son

Also No. 6 for People With Disabilities and No. 7 for GLBT Employees

Thirty-three percent of its board of directors is women, compared with 20 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 19 percent of the Top 50. Forty-nine percent of the women in its management received promotions, compared with 32 percent for the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 34 percent for the Top 50.

SunTrust Banks

The CEO chairs the diversity council, compared with 42 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 54 percent of the Top 50. Forty-seven percent of its female new hires are women of color, compared with 41 percent for the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 44 percent for the Top 50.

Toyota Motor North America

The auto giant has an external diversity council, compared with 24 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 19 percent of the Top 50. Thirty-five percent of its female managers who received promotions are women of color, compared with 29 percent for the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 31 percent for the Top 50.

WellPoint

Thirty-five percent of its board of directors is women, compared with 20 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 19 percent of the Top 50. WellPoint has strong employee-resource groups, including one for people with disabilities. Only 26 percent of the 25 Noteworthy Companies and 55 percent of the Top 50 have this.