

SoCalGas Joins the American Association of Blacks in Energy at 47th National Conference in Anaheim
SoCalGas panelists share updates on the clean energy transition
Apr 25, 2024
SoCalGas sponsored the 47th National Conference of the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE), held April 22-25, 2024, in Anaheim, California—hosted in the state for the first time in 12 years. Over 1,200 attendees from various segments of the energy industry participated in the four-day conference, with SoCalGas leaders participating in a keynote address and panel discussions that explored issues such as the clean energy transition, Renewables and Nuclear Energy, supplier diversity, and information and innovation booths showcased a hydrogen vehicle and virtual reality simulations.
The theme for this year’s AABE National Conference was “Empowered to Move Forward: Let’s Organize and Go Get It!” and showcased energy thought leaders who are diverse in ethnicity, gender, and industry expertise. AABE’s statement on diversity, equity and inclusion emphasizes greater representation of African Americans in employment, leadership, business contracting and workforce development in the energy industry.
SoCalGas President Maryam Brown’s keynote speech highlighted that through collaboration and relationships, the company can magnify its impact and help empower others. Through collaboration with other energy companies, SoCalGas can help address the ever-changing landscape of the future of clean energy, and through community relationships, the company can positively impact local communities.
“What we do at SoCalGas naturally blends into what AABE is about. We work diligently to ensure that our engagement with industry stakeholders, subject matter experts and technology developers is collaborative and forward thinking. We are supportive of AABE, and this support is only one part of a broader perspective of our clean energy future,” said Jeff Walker, SoCalGas senior vice president and chief systems and technology officer, who currently serves on AABE’s board of directors.
In 2023, SoCalGas invested $1.04 billion with diverse businesses and an additional $19 million with local nonprofits. In addition, SoCalGas is home to a diverse workforce, as 73% of its approximately 8,500 employees are people of color.
SoCalGas released its annual Supplier Diversity Report in March 2024 and announced that it exceeded the 2023 California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) diverse spending goal, by purchasing 44% of all goods and services from 618 diverse suppliers. Other highlights from the report include $716 million spent with Minority Business Enterprises (MBE), $229 million spent with Women Business Enterprises (WBE) and $74 million spent with Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (DVBE).
AABE and SoCalGas have a long history of collaboration since AABE’s founding in 1977. Rufus McKinney co-founded AABE while serving as vice president of national public affairs at SoCalGas.
Other speakers from SoCalGas at AABE’s National Conference included Mitch Mitchell, senior vice president and chief legislative officer, Erin Smith, senior vice president of talent and culture and operations support, Jawaad Malik, chief strategy and sustainability officer, and Lily Otieno, director of supply management. While the speakers focused on different topics, they shared a common theme of collaboration and working together.
SoCalGas information booths highlighted the utility’s diversity, as well as the role of hydrogen in our clean energy future, with the hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai, demonstrating SoCalGas’ efforts to work to replace half of its over-the-road fleet with clean fuel vehicles by 2025. Also on display was information about SoCalGas’ award winning H2 Innovation Experience ((H2)IE), its ASPIRE2045 sustainability goals and Angeles Link, a proposed clean renewable hydrogen pipeline system that would serve Central and Southern California.
About SoCalGas
SoCalGas is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States, serving more than 21 million consumers across approximately 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California. Our mission is: Safe, Reliable, and Affordable energy delivery today. Ready for tomorrow. SoCalGas is a recognized leader in the energy industry and has been named Corporate Member of the Year by the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce for its volunteer leadership in the communities it serves. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra (NYSE: SRE), a leading North American energy infrastructure company. For more information, visit SoCalGas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on social media @SoCalGas.
This news blog contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions about the future, involve risks and uncertainties, and are not guarantees. Future results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement. These forward-looking statements represent our estimates and assumptions only as of the date of this press release We assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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Factors, among others, that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement include: decisions, denials of cost recovery, audits, investigations, inquiries, ordered studies, regulations, denials or revocations of permits, consents, approvals or other authorizations, renewals of franchises, and other actions, including the failure to honor contracts and commitments, by the (i) California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Internal Revenue Service and other regulatory bodies and (ii) U.S. and states, counties, cities and other jurisdictions therein where we do business; the success of business development efforts and construction projects, including risks related to (i) completing construction projects or other transactions on schedule and budget, (ii) realizing anticipated benefits from any of these efforts if completed, (iii) obtaining third-party consents and approvals and (iv) third parties honoring their contracts and commitments; changes to our capital expenditure plans and their potential impact on rate base or other growth; litigation, arbitration and other proceedings, and changes (i) to laws and regulations, including those related to tax, (ii) due to the results of elections, and (iii) in trade and other foreign policy, including the imposition of tariffs by the U.S. and foreign countries; cybersecurity threats, including by state and state-sponsored actors, of ransomware or other attacks on our systems or the systems of third parties with which we conduct business, including the energy grid or other energy infrastructure; the availability, uses, sufficiency, and cost of capital resources and our ability to borrow money or otherwise raise capital on favorable terms and meet our obligations, which can be affected by, among other things, (i) actions by credit rating agencies to downgrade our credit ratings or place those ratings on negative outlook, (ii) instability in the capital markets, and (iii) fluctuating interest rates and inflation; the impact on affordability of our customer rates and our cost of capital and on our ability to pass through higher costs to customers due to (i) volatility in inflation, interest rates and commodity prices and (ii) the cost of meeting the demand for lower carbon and reliable energy in California; the impact of climate policies, laws, rules, regulations, trends and required disclosures, including actions to reduce or eliminate reliance on natural gas, increased uncertainty in the political or regulatory environment for California natural gas distribution companies, the risk of nonrecovery for stranded assets, and uncertainty related to emerging technologies; weather, natural disasters, pandemics, accidents, equipment failures, explosions, terrorism, information system outages or other events, such as work stoppages, that disrupt our operations, damage our facilities or systems, cause the release of harmful materials or fires or subject us to liability for damages, fines and penalties, some of which may not be recoverable through regulatory mechanisms or insurance or may impact our ability to obtain satisfactory levels of affordable insurance; the availability of natural gas and natural gas storage capacity, including disruptions caused by failures in the pipeline and storage systems or limitations on the injection and withdrawal of natural gas from storage facilities; and other uncertainties, some of which are difficult to predict and beyond our control.
These risks and uncertainties are further discussed in the reports that the company has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These reports are available through the EDGAR system free-of-charge on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov, and on Sempra’s website, www.sempra.com. Investors should not rely unduly on any forward-looking statements.
Sempra Infrastructure, Sempra Infrastructure Partners, Sempra Texas, Sempra Texas Utilities, Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC (Oncor) and Infraestructura Energética Nova, S.A.P.I. de C.V. (IEnova) are not the same companies as the California utilities, San Diego Gas & Electric Company or Southern California Gas Company, and Sempra Infrastructure, Sempra Infrastructure Partners, Sempra Texas, Sempra Texas Utilities, Oncor and IEnova are not regulated by the CPUC.