Bell Atlantic Responds to NAACP's Economic Reciprocity Initiative

Bell Atlantic Responds to NAACP's Economic Reciprocity Initiative

February 3, 1998

The NAACP Monday announced an Economic Reciprocity Initiative that
will review the policies and practices of the telecommunications
industry to determine their impact on African-Americans, including
employment, purchasing, service deployment and infrastructure
development. The NAACP's goal is to establish a consumer movement to
encourage African-Americans to do more business with companies that
have good diversity policies, and create economic boycotts of
companies that do not. The following Bell Atlantic response should be
attributed to Jacquelyn B. Gates, Bell Atlantic's Vice President of
Ethics, Compliance, Diversity and Organizational Development.

"Bell Atlantic fully supports the goals of the NAACP's Economic
Reciprocity Initiative, and we will provide the NAACP with information
on our diversity achievements, initiatives and goals. We have a
long-standing commitment to diversity and are proud of our record of
creating opportunities and an open and respectful workplace for our
employees. We have made significant contributions to
African-American organizations, such as the NAACP, and are long-time
supporters of minority business enterprises. In addition, we are
working with African-American employee groups within our organization
to further improve our record. We value all of our customers and
welcome suggestions from the NAACP on ways we can improve our service
to them."