LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa.,
April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/
-- Air Products (NYSE: APD), a world-leading industrial gases
company, announced today it has once again earned a perfect score
of 100 percent on the 2019 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), regarded
as the nation's premier benchmarking survey and report on corporate
policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality,
administered by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation.
"Over a year ago, the objective of becoming the "most diverse"
industrial gas company in the world was added to Air Products'
publicly-stated company goal. We continued to make strides toward
this goal in the last year with our programs and policies. This
year we focused on unconscious bias, and our training efforts
included creating intentional actions to interrupt and eliminate
any potential unconscious bias regarding who we hire, develop and
listen to, and how we create a more inclusive team
environment. We are pleased to have again achieved a perfect
score from CEI, and we know there is always more to do," said
Seifi Ghasemi, Chairman, President
and CEO at Air Products.
The 2019 CEI evaluates LGBTQ-related policies and practices
including non-discrimination workplace protections, domestic
partner benefits, transgender-inclusive health care benefits,
competency programs, and public engagement with the LGBTQ
community. Air Products' efforts in satisfying all CEI criteria
results in a 100 percent ranking and the designation as a Best
Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality.
"The top-scoring companies on this year's CEI are not only
establishing policies that affirm and include employees here in
the United States, they are
applying these policies to their global operations and impacting
millions of people beyond our shores," said HRC President
Chad Griffin. "Many of these
companies have also become vocal advocates for equality in the
public square. Time and again, leading American businesses have
shown that protecting their employees and customers from
discrimination isn't just the right thing to do -- it's also good
for business."
Air Products continues to drive progress through efforts such as
its Inclusion Network, a coalition of supportive communities
focused on attracting and retaining talent, raising cultural
awareness, developing skills, and contributing to the company's
diversity and inclusion objectives. The Inclusion Network includes
Spectrum, an Air Products Employee Resource Group for LGBT+
employees that celebrated its 25th year of achievements
in 2018.
During the year and around the world, "Breaking Through the
Bias" workshops were held to guide employees to counteract bias and
practice inclusion intentionally. These interactive workshops were
tailored to help employees identify unconscious bias, to understand
the importance of addressing them to achieve inclusion, how bias
can impact or distort decision making, and strategies and skills to
mitigate bias. Air Products' global headquarters also hosted the
Blind Spots Tour Van, which included an interactive format of
videos, quizzes and other materials for employees to gain their own
insights into any unconscious bias.
Air Products is a member of the CEO Action for Diversity &
Inclusion™, which includes more than 600 CEOs of
organizations pledging to take action to building a workplace where
diverse perspectives and experiences are welcomed and
respected. As part of this, Air Products observed and
participated in the membership's "Day of Understanding," which was
designed to increase understanding of diversity and inclusion and
to embrace differences. Senior leaders across the company shared
personalized communications with their teams to continue the
dialogue on diversity and inclusion. The company created a video
featuring Chairman, President and CEO Seifi
Ghasemi and other senior leader perspectives; encouraged all
employees to join Air Products' Inclusion Network or participate in
Inclusion challenges designed to increase awareness of behaviors
and skills that promote inclusiveness; and invited employees to
take the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion's "I Act On"
pledge, a personal commitment to tackling bias and cultivating more
inclusive behaviors.
For more information on the 2019 Corporate Equality Index, or to
download the report, visit: www.hrc.org/cei.
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of
America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve
equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender and queer people.
HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full
members of society at home, at work and in every community.
About Air Products
Air Products (NYSE: APD) is a world-leading industrial gases
company in operation for over 75 years. The Company provides
industrial gases and related equipment to dozens of industries,
including refining, chemical, metals, electronics, manufacturing,
and food and beverage. Air Products is also the world's leading
supplier of liquefied natural gas process technology and
equipment.
The Company had fiscal 2018 sales of $8.9
billion from operations in 50 countries and has a current
market capitalization of about $40
billion. Approximately 16,000 passionate, talented and
committed employees from diverse backgrounds are driven by Air
Products' higher purpose to create innovative solutions that
benefit the environment, enhance sustainability and address the
challenges facing customers, communities, and the world. For more
information, visit www.airproducts.com.
NOTE: This release may contain forward-looking statements
within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are
based on management's reasonable expectations and assumptions as of
the date of this release regarding important risk factors. Actual
performance and financial results may differ materially from
projections and estimates expressed in the forward-looking
statements because of many factors not anticipated by management,
including risk factors described in the company's Form 10K for its
fiscal year ended September 30,
2018.
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SOURCE Air Products