Boeing reports firing of 65 employees over last 10 months for ‘racist, hateful conduct’
Apr 30, 2021, 11:45 AM
Boeing workers in Washington. (Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
Boeing terminated 65 employees over the last 10 months for “racist, discriminatory or otherwise hateful conduct,” the company reported Friday.
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This came as a result of what Boeing President and CEO Dave Calhoun calls a “zero-tolerance approach to behavior that is contrary to our values.”
“There is no place for hate within our company, and we will keep expecting the best from everyone in their interactions with one another,” Calhoun outlined in a letter to employees published Friday.
Boeing also took “corrective against” against an additional 53 employees who engaged in similar behavior.
Last August, the company released what it called its “Racial Equity Action Plan,” affirming its commitment to diverse hiring practices, addressing instances of conscious and unconscious racial bias, and investment millions in social justice nonprofits across the United States.
In service of that plan, Boeing released a breakdown of its hiring demographics on Friday. That report indicated that 6.4% of its current employees are Black, 14.2% are of Asian descent, 7% are Hispanic, and 66.8% are white. Among its new hires, 8.3% are Black, 13.9% are Asian, 9.6% are Hispanic, and 62.8% are white.
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By 2025, the company hopes to increase its percentage of Black employees by 20%, and “eliminate any statistically significant differences between the workplace experiences of underrepresented and at-representation groups.” It also plans to continue providing annual updates on its diversity metrics, and its progress toward its goals.
“As you will see in the data, we are on par with the aerospace industry, and we have made advancements in some areas, but we are not where we want to be,” Calhoun noted. “This work is a business imperative for us, because diversity and inclusion make us better in every way; when everyone has a voice, everyone is inspired to succeed together.”
“As we resolve to do better, the gaps we see in our representation show us where we must focus our efforts to address disparities,” he added.
