Boeing Says It Fired 65 Employees for Racist, Discriminatory Conduct

Boeing Co said on Friday it fired 65 employees over the last year for engaging in or being part of racist, discriminatory or hateful conduct.
Boeing Says It Fired 65 Employees for Racist, Discriminatory Conduct
The company logo for Boeing is displayed on a screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, on March 11, 2019. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters)
Reuters
5/3/2021
Updated:
5/3/2021
Boeing said on Friday it fired 65 employees over the last year for engaging in or being part of racist, discriminatory or hateful conduct.

In a company-wide report that reveals the first demographic breakdown of its workforce, the planemaker said the employees were terminated between June 2020 and April 21, 2021.

American companies have come under pressure from investors to publicly disclose information about diversity among employees in the wake of movements such as Black Lives Matter.

Boeing said about 69 percent of its U.S. workforce was made of white employees and 31 percent from other races, including about 6.4 percent black employees. Boeing has previously said it aims to take the number of black employees up by 20 percent.

Boeing, which has seen the ranks of its senior female executives shrink in recent years, also said data showed women made up 13.6 percent of its executive council, a drop from about 30 percent over the past year.

Part of the reason for the gender gap in the council is its expansion to 22 members, with just three female executives, from 13 members, with four female executives, as of March 1, 2020.

Overall, women represented between 23 percent and 25 percent of Boeing U.S. and non-U.S. workforce, the company said.