Aflac, the leading provider of voluntary insurance at the work site in the United States, announced today that the company has been recognized by Black Enterprise Magazine as one of the 40 Best Companies for Diversity. It is the ninth time that Aflac has appeared on this prestigious list.

"We are extremely proud of our diversity at Aflac, so this award means a lot to our management team and our workforce," Aflac Chairman and CEO Dan Amos said. "The United States has the most diverse marketplace in the world, so while achieving diversity is simply the right thing to do, it also makes tremendous business sense to have a workforce that can relate to people of various backgrounds."

Aflac's diversity, particularly as it pertains to African-Americans, is reflected in a workforce that is 34 percent African-American and 27 percent African-American women. In 2014, Aflac also promoted African-American women to two of the highest posts at the company, president of Aflac U.S. and General Counsel, the company's top legal position.

According to Black Enterprise, each company appearing on the list showed a commitment to diversifying its ranks in four areas: employee base, senior management, supplier diversity and board of directors. Companies were also chosen based on their programs created to nurture and maintain their diverse professional space. 

To determine the list, 1,000 publicly traded businesses were sent surveys, along with 100 global companies with the most significant U.S. operations. Aflac is one of three Georgia-based companies to make the list, being joined by Coca-Cola Co. and Southern Company.