OREANDA-NEWS. November 24, 2015. Southwest Airlines® (NYSE: LUV) announced today that it has received a rating of 100 from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation on the 2016 Corporate Equality Index, which earns us the distinction of being a "Best Place to Work for LGBT Equality".  The Corporate Equality Index (CEI) is a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBT workplace equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.   

"We are proud to be recognized as a company dedicated to being a top place to work for our LGBT Employees," said Ellen Torbert, Vice President Diversity & Inclusion at Southwest Airlines. "We're committed to hiring and retaining diverse talent and we believe that one of the best ways to do that is to ensure Southwest Airlines offers industry-leading pay and best-in-class benefits to our Employees and continues to create an environment where all of our Employees feel valued and appreciated."

This recognition reflects Southwest's continuous efforts to put Employees first, offer great benefits, and positively impact the communities the airline serves.  Southwest Airlines has been a longtime supporter of the LGBT community and is proud of the continued community relationships it has with organizations that are working hard to make a positive difference in the lives of the LGBT community. 

The 2016 CEI rated 1,027 businesses in the report, which evaluates LGBT-related policies and practices including non-discrimination workplace protections, domestic partner benefits, transgender-inclusive health care benefits, competency programs, and public engagement with the LGBT community. Southwest's efforts in satisfying all of the CEI's criteria results in a 100 percent ranking and the designation as a Best Place to Work for LGBT Equality.

For more information on the 2016 Corporate Equality Index, or to download a free copy of the report, visit www.hrc.org/cei.