Boeing says it fired 65 employees for racist, discriminatory conduct

FILE PHOTO: The Boeing logo is pictured at the Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition fair (LABACE) at Congonhas Airport in Sao Paulo, Brazil August 14, 2018. REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker

(Reuters) – 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.

In a company-wide report that reveals the first demographic breakdown of its workforce, the plane maker 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 racial justice and movements such as Black Lives Matter.

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

Boeing, which has seen the ranks of its senior female executives shrink in recent years, also said data showed women made up 13.6% of its executive council, a drop from about 30% 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% and 25% of Boeing U.S. and non-U.S. workforce, the company said.

(Reporting by Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D’Silva)

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