FALLS CHURCH, Va., April 30, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has again been named to DiversityInc's annual list for the Top 50 Companies for Diversity. The company, which in 2010 became the first defense contractor to make the DiversityInc list, was ranked 42^nd on the 2012 list.

In its 13^th year, DiversityInc magazine's ranking is the result of a comprehensive assessment of corporate diversity activities and represents one of the highest honors in the field. A total of 587 companies participated in this year's ranking, up 11 percent from last year.

"Great performance starts with responsibility and Northrop Grumman has the responsibility to ensure a diverse and inclusive organization. It is critical to our mission of creating great innovation and technology and is important for the success of our employees and company," said Sandra Evers-Manly, vice president, corporate responsibility and president, Northrop Grumman Foundation. "It starts with strong values, committed and accountable leaders, high employee engagement and a community where the diversity of individuals and ideas are welcomed every day. True diversity must be embraced at all levels of the organization."

To qualify for the DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list, companies must have more than 1,000 employees and fill out a detailed questionnaire based completely on empirical questions on CEO commitment, human capital, internal and external communications, and supplier diversity. The list is editorially driven and based solely on metrics. To view the entire DiversityInc Top 50 list, visit: http://diversityinc.com/the-diversityinc-top-50-companies-for-diversity-2012/

"In its third year on the list, Northrop Grumman shows strong commitment to diversity, starting with their top leadership," said Luke Visconti, CEO of DiversityInc.

Northrop Grumman has a number of initiatives to further diversity and inclusion throughout the company. These activities include:

• Employee Resource Groups, volunteer groups of employees who come together to provide members with opportunities for networking, community outreach, professional development and recruiting;
• Heritage Events, celebrations by Employee Resource Groups or Northrop Grumman business units of nationally recognized heritage months;
• Diversity Presentations, platforms for prominent speakers to meet with and create awareness for employees;
• Women's Conference, a two-day internal conference which includes speakers from Northrop Grumman's senior leadership team, panel discussions and nationally known speakers addressing topics such as leadership, development and work-life balance;
• Supplier Diversity, the efforts of the company's Socio-Economic Business Programs Office to connect prospective small disadvantaged businesses interested in working with the company's procurement organizations;
• Corporate Citizenship, programs focused on improving education, providing support for our troops and veterans, health and human services, and the environment; and
• Operation IMPACT, a Northrop Grumman program which provides career transition support and employment to service members severely injured in the global war on terrorism.

Details on Northrop Grumman's diversity and inclusion efforts can be found at www.northropgrumman.com/corporate-responsibility/diversity.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.

CONTACT: Margaret Mitchell-Jones
         (703) 280-2739
         m.mitchell-jones@ngc.com