San Jose Water Announces Community Donations of Nearly 225k in 2019

San Jose Water (“SJW” or “the Company”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of SJW Group (NYSE: SJW), announced today that it donated nearly $225,000 to local non-profits, community organizations, and other philanthropic entities in 2019, a 34% increase over 2018. Monetary donations are funded by Company shareholders.

Supporting local organizations with financial contributions and employee volunteer time are the foundation of the company’s ongoing commitment to improving quality of life in the communities it serves.

Overall, 2019 was a banner year for SJW’s community outreach, with a 40% increase in participation as compared to 2018. This included being involved in such local events such as: Bark in the Park, Cupertino Diwali Festival, Water Awareness Night with the San Jose Giants, the Guadalupe River Run, Thanksgiving in January supporting Martha’s Kitchen, and Water Appreciation Night at San Jose State’s Homecoming football game. Employee volunteers do everything from preparing and serving meals, to building fences, and providing critical home repairs to needy communities. The company intends to continue its level of participation and support throughout 2020.

The Company has also furthered its commitment to employee volunteerism by expanding its Ambassador Program. This includes a group of nearly 40 employees committed to sharing the value of water service with the public. New outreach efforts in 2019 included public tours of the Montevina Water Treatment Plant along with community open houses to help increase engagement with the community.

“SJW has been a part of this community for over 154 years. We believe there can be no company without community and remain steadfast in our commitment to making a positive impact on the health and wellness in the communities where we live, work, and serve,” stated Andrew Gere, President and COO. “The great strides made in 2019 demonstrate this commitment along with our promise to deliver outstanding customer service and safe and reliable water service to the families and businesses that we serve.”

Supplier Diversity

SJW is also committed to continuous improvement of its Supplier Diversity Program in which the Company strives to work with Diverse Business Enterprises (DBEs) that reflect its community including Minority Business Enterprises (MBE), Women-Owned Business Enterprises (WBE), Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (DVBE) and Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, and Transgendered (LGBT) DBEs. Results include a 33% increase in the number of diverse suppliers utilized and a 10% increase in total money spend with those minority suppliers.