Details on the Top 50, including in-depth profiles of the winning companies, interviews with their CEOs and their best practices, will be found in the June issue of DiversityInc magazine.

Q. What are the criteria to apply for the Top 50?

A. A company must have at least 1,000 U.S. employees to participate. The head of diversity at the company will fill out our in-depth survey (about 200 questions). If you meet the criteria and want to apply for next year, send contact information for the head of diversity (mailing address, telephone number and e-mail address) to LHall@DiversityInc.com.

Q. When is the deadline?

A. The Top 50 survey invitations will go out in October 2008 and will be due in February 2009. Results will be announced in April 2009.

Q. Are there other surveys DiversityInc does in which my organization can participate?

A. Yes. The DiversityInc Top 25 Colleges and Universities survey is out now and due May 2. Results will be announced in October. The DiversityInc Top Federal Agencies for Diversity will be sent out in May and will be due in August. Results will be announced in December. And DiversityInc also is starting a series of regional Top Companies for Diversity listings, beginning with Jacksonville, Fla., in the fourth quarter of this year. To apply for any of these lists, e-mail LHall@DiversityInc.com.

Q. Can you pay to get on the list? Do advertisers receive any special breaks?
A. Absolutely not. The list is completely unbiased and many of the companies on the Top 50 have no business relationship with DiversityInc. Companies that advertise with DiversityInc or have other business relationships receive NO preferential treatment.

Q. How many companies participated?

A. The competition, now in its eighth year, is increasingly competitive. This year, 352 companies participated, up more than 10 percent from last year and more than 100 percent since 2003.

Q. What criteria are used for ranking?

A. The Top 50 list is derived exclusively from corporate survey submissions. The survey is divided into four parts: CEO Commitment, Human Capital, Corporate and Organizational Communications and Supplier Diversity. To make the Top 50, a company must score above average in all four areas. Companies are evaluated within the context of their own industries.

Q. What sets The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity® apart from other companies?

A. Their clarity on their values and their adherence to those core beliefs globally is integral to their business success. The long-term bottom-line results prove the commitment to diversity.