DALLAS, Feb. 22,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines Co.
(NYSE:LUV) is proud to announce its score of 100 on the Human
Rights Campaign Foundation's 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index
(CEI), the nation's foremost benchmarking survey and report
measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+
workplace equality.
It's the airline's ninth consecutive year to earn a top score on
the CEI—underscoring the Company's dedication to LGBTQ+ equality.
Southwest Airlines® joins 545 major U.S. businesses that
earned top marks this year.
"Southwest has a long history of putting our People first, and
this recognition highlights our continued commitment to creating an
inclusive and equitable environment for our LGBTQ+
Employees," said Juan Suarez,
Vice President Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion at Southwest
Airlines.
The 2023-2024 CEI results showcase how U.S.-based companies
promote LGBTQ+-friendly workplace policies in the U.S. and abroad.
In its first year, the CEI included 319 participants and the latest
results included 1,384 participants, demonstrating the tremendous
trajectory and increasing breadth of the CEI. A record-breaking
1,340 businesses have non-discrimination protections specific to
gender identity, up from just 17 in 2002. These critical
non-discrimination protections cover 21 million employees in the
U.S. and around the globe. Southwest's efforts in satisfying
all the CEI's criteria earned a score of 100 and the designation as
recipient of the Equality 100 Award: Leader in LGBTQ+ Workplace
Inclusion.
"For over two decades, businesses have played an important role
in furthering LGBTQ+ equality by centering employee needs and
voices around workplace inclusion. While there's much more work to
do, year-over-year growth in CEI participation is evidence of a
business community recognizing the responsibility and value in
upholding equity and inclusion," said RaShawn "Shawnie"
Hawkins, Human Rights Campaign Sr
Director of Workplace Equality. "Our goal at the Human Rights
Campaign Foundation is to work in a spirit of partnership with
companies, providing educational resources and leading
benchmarking, and collaborating on ways for businesses to support
the LGBTQ+ community at a time when we face unprecedented
legislative attacks, heightened anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and physical
violence. The CEI is an ever-evolving tool—a blueprint that
companies can use to show up more effectively in supporting their
LGBTQ+ employees and their families."
The CEI rates employers providing these crucial protections to
over 20 million U.S. workers. An additional 18 million employees at
companies outside the U.S. rated in the CEI include Fortune
magazine's 500 largest publicly traded businesses, American Lawyer
magazine's top 200 revenue-grossing law firms (AmLaw 200), and
hundreds of publicly and privately held mid- to large-sized
businesses.
Companies are rated on detailed criteria falling under four
central pillars to achieve the CEI distinction:
- Non-discrimination policies across business
entities;
- Equitable benefits for LGBTQ+ workers and their
families;
- Supporting an inclusive culture; and
- Corporate social responsibility.
The full report is available online at www.hrc.org/cei.
ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
Southwest Airlines Co. operates one of the world's most
admired and awarded airlines, offering its one-of-a-kind value and
Hospitality at 121 airports across 11 countries. Southwest took
flight in 1971 to democratize the sky through friendly, reliable,
and low-cost air travel and now carries more air travelers flying
nonstop within the United States
than any other airline1. Based in Dallas and famous for an Employee-first
corporate Culture, Southwest maintains an unprecedented record of
no involuntary furloughs or layoffs in its history. By empowering
its nearly 75,0002 People to deliver unparalleled
Hospitality, the maverick airline cherishes a passionate loyalty
among more than 137 million Customers carried in 2023. That formula
for success brought industry-leading prosperity and 47 consecutive
years3 of profitability for Southwest
Shareholders (NYSE: LUV). Southwest leverages a unique legacy and
mission to serve communities around the world including harnessing
the power of its People and Purpose to put communities at the Heart
of its success. Learn more by visiting
Southwest.com/citizenship. As the airline with Heart,
Southwest has set a goal to work toward achieving net zero carbon
emissions by 2050. Southwest has also set near-term targets and a
three-pillar strategy to achieve its environmental goals. Learn
more by visiting Southwest.com/planet.
1 Based on U.S. Dept. of Transportation
quarterly Airline Origin & Destination Survey since Q1
2021
2 Fulltime-equivalent active
Employees
3 1973-2019 annual
profitability
ABOUT THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FOUNDATION
The Human
Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of the Human
Rights Campaign (HRC), America's largest civil rights organization
working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender
and queer (LGBTQ+) people. Through its programs, the HRC Foundation
seeks to make transformational change in the everyday lives of
LGBTQ+ people, shedding light on inequity and deepening the
public's understanding of LGBTQ+ issues, with a clear focus on
advancing transgender and racial justice. Its work has transformed
the landscape for more than 15 million workers, 11 million
students, 1 million clients in the adoption and foster care system
and so much more. The HRC Foundation provides direct consultation
and technical assistance to institutions and communities, driving
the advancement of inclusive policies and practices; it builds the
capacity of future leaders and allies through fellowship and
training programs; and, with the firm belief that we are stronger
working together, it forges partnerships with advocates in the U.S.
and around the globe to increase our impact and shape the future of
our work.
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SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.