BALTIMORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) purchased $257 million in goods and services from diversity-certified suppliers in 2016, which equates to 26 percent of total purchases. BGE’s expenditures with diversity-certified suppliers increased $76 million, or 42 percent, over the amount spent in 2015. Notably, BGE’s 2016 support of diversity-certified suppliers represents a company milestone, as the company exceeded its long-held goal of 25 percent of total spend with businesses owned by women, minorities and disabled veterans for the first time.

“We’re always looking for innovative ways to build diverse perspectives into our business—including through our suppliers and contractors. It enhances our ability to serve our customers and strengthens our community,” said Calvin G. Butler Jr., chief executive officer for BGE. “It’s no coincidence that as we’ve expanded our network of suppliers, last year we also recorded our best performance in reliability, safety, financials and customer satisfaction.”

In 2009, BGE voluntarily committed to the Maryland Public Services Commission (PSC) to allocate 25 percent of company spending with diverse suppliers, an amount that would position the company as an industry leader.

To help achieve this goal, BGE created the Focus 25 supplier diversity academy in 2013. This program helps educate small businesses on how to navigate large business processes and competitively bid for contract opportunities. Today, the academy’s third class of 11 regional companies successfully completed the program, bringing the total number of Focus 25 companies to 29.

“Through Focus 25, we’ve created new partnerships that help small businesses grow and also contribute to BGE’s strong performance,” said Frank Kelly, diverse business enablement manager for BGE. “The program has been such a success that we’re currently sharing our best practices with other Baltimore companies and organizations to multiply its impact.”

Exelon also maintains a database that enables businesses to register with the company and include pertinent information, including their diversity status. Exelon can then build lists of potential partners based on this information. To be considered as a supplier, companies can access the SMART by GEP tool via http://www.exeloncorp.com/suppliers.

Through the BLocal initiative, BGE is sharing the Focus 25 program with its BLocal partners to help them meet their commitments to build, hire, buy and invest in Baltimore City. $75 million of BGE’s diverse spend was spent with Maryland businesses. In addition, BGE and Exelon also contributed $43 million in purchasing with diverse businesses based in Baltimore City.

In January, the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore released a study analyzing BGE’s economic impact on the state of Maryland. The company, one of the 25 largest private employers in Maryland with 3,200 employees, had an estimated economic impact of $5.1 billion of output, supported more than 9,500 jobs and produced more than $920 million in labor income in the company’s service area during 2015.

BGE, founded in 1816 as the nation’s first gas utility, is Maryland’s largest natural gas and electric utility. Headquartered in Baltimore, BGE delivers power to more than 1.25 million electric customers and more than 650,000 natural gas customers in central Maryland. The company’s approximately 3,200 employees are committed to the safe and reliable delivery of natural gas and electricity, as well as enhanced energy management, conservation, environmental stewardship and community assistance. The company also has an estimated annual economic impact of $5 billion of output in its service area, supporting more than 9,500 local jobs and producing $923 million in labor income. BGE is a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation’s leading competitive energy provider. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.

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