At Boeing, we’re committed to ensuring an inclusive environment for employees of all backgrounds and identities, and we are a proud supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, both inside the workplace and outside our walls.

To help advance inclusion at Boeing, early in 2021, we expanded options for teammates to voluntarily self-identify their gender identity and sexual orientation in our human resources information system. There is no default identity at Boeing, as we hope that U.S.-based employees will continue to confidentially self-ID. This will help us to better understand and support our diverse workforce. As of June 1, we also expanded our benefits eligibility to domestic partners of U.S. employees.

To help create a safe space for Boeing employees to grow and thrive exactly as they are, we also offer benefits to facilitate gender transitions for employees or their dependents as they transition from their assigned birth gender to the gender with which they identify. In partnership with Human Resources and the Global Equity, Diversity & Inclusion team, our teammates create a Gender Transition Plan, which outlines the timeline and milestones for the employee’s transition. We also provide Gender Transition Guidelines to managers, Human Resources and transitioning employees so our teams have consistent guidance throughout the transition.

In addition, we’re committed to driving out discrimination and confronting bias so that every teammate feels valued, respected and inspired to reach their full potential at Boeing. We recently launched an internal program, Seek, Speak & Listen, to empower employees to seek out diverse perspectives, speak up about bias or other issues, and listen to understand one another. Together, we will continue to advance equity, diversity and inclusion within Boeing and beyond.

Since 2018, Boeing has hosted the Out & Equal Workplace Summit in Washington, D.C., which brings attendees together from all over the world to connect and discuss workplace advocacy for LGBTQ+ employees.

In 2019, Boeing made a $100,000 donation to The Trevor Project, a nonprofit organization that provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ+ youth ages 13-24. As part of Boeing’s partnership with The Trevor Project, Boeing Human Resources hosted training with employees to help them detect and respond to suicide risk among LGBTQ+ youth.

The company continues to support the LGBTQ+ community and offers resources and opportunities to help employees extend our impact. Boeing’s 2020 employee gift match to LGBTQ+ organizations totaled $18,000.

In 1989, a group of employees formed the Boeing Bonsai Club, a covert club for LGBTQ+ employees seeking support and camaraderie. The group sought official recognition in the late 1980s, but their application was denied. They welcomed members to the Bonsai Club until company policies changed to make Boeing a more welcoming and inclusive place.

Decades later, the Boeing Bonsai Club grew into the largest employee-led Business Resource Group at Boeing, the Boeing Employees Pride Alliance, which connects thousands of employees in 19 chapters to foster a safe, inclusive and supportive environment for LGBTQ+ employees; increase the number of allies at all levels at Boeing; and advocate for LGBTQ+ issues that affect our workforce.

Today, Boeing continues to support the LGBTQ+ community and strengthen inclusion to empower every teammate to reach their full potential.