The Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR), a leading Hispanic advocacy group that evaluates the Hispanic inclusion practices of Fortune 100 companies, recently presented AT&T (alongside only one other company) with the highest rating (95) for its 2011 Corporate Inclusion Index (HACR CII). Couple this with the latest Census Bureau statistics, which show Hispanics as the fastest growing segment, and a recent Deloitte study that shows how Hispanics are leading the mobile broadband  and digital worlds, and you’ll understand just why AT&T has actively changed their corporate makeup and why their competitors should follow suit.

HACR focuses on employment, procurement, philanthropy and governance when evaluating companies, and, while there has been an overall decrease of Hispanics seen in the C-Suite of many corporations, AT&T has done the opposite by increasing the representation of Hispanics in its workforce, appointing Hispanics to some of its most senior ranks.

But, the company’s interest in the Hispanic community apparently doesn’t stop there. AT&T has been investing more and more in programmatic initiatives such as the Aspire Program, which focuses on dropout prevention and helps ensure student college preparedness, and has provided resources to help advance the education and economic stance of Hispanics by investing millions into various foundations and programs.

AT&T exemplifies a true understanding of the need for inclusion and diversity.  One of the biggest indications of AT&Ts stance on inclusion includes a recent decision to turn more than 700 retail stores to a bilingual format, thus enabling the company to better cater to the nation’s growing Hispanic market. They have made it a point to focus on diverse suppliers for the company’s procurement base, which encourages the growth of small minority businesses, and have launched comprehensive campaigns that provide full bilingual resources across every medium. In this case, actions certainly speak louder than words.

And with these actions, it is no wonder why AT&T received such a high HACR rating. The company is well ahead of its competitors when it comes to supporting corporate diversity, minority business, and understanding that, in order to keep America competitive and thriving, we must utilize and nurture the very segments that give it a cultural and linguistic edge.

And with the world standing at the helm of social and economic change, the need for more inclusion has never been greater. Clearly, AT&T gets it.