OVERLAND PARK, Kan., April 11 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second consecutive year, Sprint today announced that it has been named to the Top 50 Companies for Diversity list by DiversityInc, ranking 37th overall. This year's ranking is based on 230 detailed questions analyzing human capital, CEO commitment, corporate communications and supplier diversity. The most in-depth empirical analysis of corporate diversity management and planning, the Top 50 Companies for Diversity survey is the only national ranking of its kind. A total of 203 companies competed in the survey.

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"Sprint's continued progress and dedication in the areas of diversity and inclusion continues to set us apart as a corporate body," said David Thomas, chief diversity officer - Sprint. "Embracing inclusion is fundamental to the way we do business at Sprint, and we are pleased with our progress to date in making these values real and apparent to our employees and in the communities we serve. Sprint is honored to be recognized for the second consecutive year by DiversityInc as one of the Top 50 Companies for Diversity."

Sprint has made great strides in promoting an inclusive culture among its customers, employees, suppliers and communities. In 2004, membership in Sprint's employee affinity groups, which are a crucial component of Sprint's overall inclusion strategy, increased by 105 percent. Sprint also rolled out an enterprise-wide inclusion training effort in which more than 6,500 managers have participated. And, Sprint has deepened relationships with key national diverse organizations.

Additionally, Sprint's Office of Diversity and Inclusion, which provides leadership and coordination for its diversity efforts, and the Diversity Council, which consists of senior management team members from around the company, continue to make tangible changes in order to increase diversity at all levels of the company and to make inclusion an ingrained part of its culture. "By building on the cornerstones of employees, suppliers, customers and community, we will help ensure Sprint's success in reaching diverse markets and creating a culture of inclusion," said Thomas.

"Managing diversity is a critical business imperative for any successful business, from sales and marketing to recruiting and retaining the best talent," said Luke Visconti, partner/co-founder, DiversityInc. "Sprint's excellence in every aspect of managing diversity is what makes it one of America's leading companies."

To access the Top 50 Companies for Diversity list for 2005, please visit http://www.diversityinc.com/ . Winning companies, including Sprint, will be featured in the June issue of DiversityInc Magazine.

To learn more about Sprint's diversity and inclusion efforts, please visit http://www.sprint.com/diversity .

About Sprint

Sprint offers an extensive range of innovative communication products and solutions, including global IP, wireless, local and multiproduct bundles. A Fortune 100 company with more than $27 billion in annual revenues in 2004, Sprint is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying state- of-the-art network technologies, including the United States' first nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic network; an award-winning Tier 1 Internet backbone; and one of the largest 100-percent digital, nationwide wireless networks in the United States. For more information, visit http://www.sprint.com/mr .

CONTACT: Media, Robinette Dixon of Sprint, +1-913-794-3073,
robinette.c.dixon@mail.sprint.com

Web site: http://www.sprint.com/
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