The leading insurer ranked as a top company with best minority representation among senior management and overall employee base.

COLUMBUS, Ga., June 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, during a Diversity Symposium and Awards Luncheon at Rockefeller Plaza in New York, Black Enterprise magazine once again recognized Aflac's corporate diversity. For the third consecutive year, the 40 Best Companies for Diversity listing applauded the Columbus, Ga.-based insurer, naming the company as one of the 15 best in the world for its impressive leadership in workforce and senior management minority representation.

"We are excited that Aflac's diversity achievements have been recognized globally for the past several years," stated Dan Amos, Aflac's chairman and CEO. "From workforce to top-level management, we ensure that our commitments to diversity are upheld in all aspects of business."

Over 1,000 of the nation's publicly traded companies and 50 leading global companies with a large presence in the United States were evaluated on key components in workforce, management, advertising, and board and vendor diversity. From these findings, the publication then determined a sub-list that recognized the top 15 standout companies in each of the categories. Only three Georgia-based companies, including Coca-Cola and UPS, were named to the coveted listing.

"In developing this year's list, we wanted to make sure we identified companies that viewed diversity as a business imperative," says Black Enterprise Careers and Lifestyle Editor Sonia Alleyne. "In fact, several of the 40 Best Companies for Diversity excel in all four categories we surveyed, including Denny's Corp., Fannie Mae, McDonald's Corp. and WGL Holdings Inc. A varied pool of senior managers and suppliers at these companies, along with their strengths in developing a diverse workforce and corporate board, will enable them to be even more competitive on a global scale."

Today, Aflac boasts a minority employee base of 41 percent, with 67 percent of women rounding out the workforce. Nearly 25 percent of management positions are held by minorities, and last year minorities accounted for 46 percent of the new hire class. The company's vendor management program has increased spending from $3 million to $34 million in the last four years.

"Diversity efforts throughout the corporation are highly embraced because of the foundation and emphasis placed on its importance from upper management," said Brenda Mullins, second vice president and diversity officer for Aflac Human Resources. "The way we engage in business activities and our daily lives reflect this positive support."

Earlier this year, Aflac was recognized as a top company in supplier diversity by Hispanic Trends magazine.

The complete special report on the best companies for diversity, including methodology and selection criteria, is available in the July 2007 issue of Black Enterprise, on newsstands June 26.

About Black Enterprise

Black Enterprise magazine is the premier publication for African-American business owners to seek out the latest information on money management, career development and business practices.

About Aflac

For more than 50 years, Aflac products have given policyholders the opportunity to direct cash where it is needed most when a life-interrupting medical event causes financial challenges. Aflac is the number one provider of guaranteed-renewable insurance in the United States and the number one insurance company in terms of individual insurance policies in force in Japan. Our insurance products provide protection to more than 40 million people worldwide. Aflac has been included in Fortune magazine's listing of America's Most Admired Companies for seven consecutive years and in Fortune magazine's list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for nine consecutive years. Aflac has also been recognized three times by both Fortune magazine's listing of the Top 50 Employers for Minorities and Working Mother magazine's listing of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac, visit http://www.aflac.com.

Media Contacts:
Yolonda King
Aflac Incorporated
(706) 243-8547 Voice
(706) 320-2288 Fax
yking@aflac.com

Mechell Clark
Aflac Incorporated
(706) 243-8547 Voice
(706) 320-2288 Fax
meclark@aflac.com

SOURCE Aflac