Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at United
“Connecting people. Uniting the world.” It is the purpose that drives us. And it is about more than being a conduit between global cultures. It is demonstrating that we know diversity, equity and inclusion are good for our business, our employees and our customers. To ensure United is as diverse and far-reaching as the communities we connect and the customers we serve, we are taking a collaborative leadership approach. Together, we will do all the right things to be the best airline for everyone in the United family and beyond.”
As a global airline driven by purpose and values, we are in the business of bringing people together. Looking ahead, we are aiming even higher: We are committed to doing our part to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace and world.
Our approach to diversity, equity and inclusion is key to a strong United culture and a critical competitive advantage.
Over the past decade, our focus has evolved from excellence in employee engagement and talent programs to a strategic approach that embeds diversity, equity and inclusion throughout our business and goes even further to impact the communities where we work, live and fly.
We are determined to be a global leader in DEI and will continue to work to ensure that our people, policies and processes reflect the customers and communities we serve.
Creating a more diverse, equitable and inclusive culture at United where all employees feel safe to be their authentic selves requires a long-term mindset. We are committed to taking a thoughtful and comprehensive approach toward real change.
Purpose-driven, action-oriented
We are taking action to build a culture of greater inclusion and belonging and to better reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. While we are busy laying the groundwork for sustainable changes at United, we are also committed to taking immediate action when we can.
- Created “We Stand United,” a Collaborative Action Team to build and implement a systemwide DEI strategy focused on employees, customers, communities and commercial partners
- Launched REAL (Recognize, Explore, Act, Learn) Conversations series with a company-wide conversation on race
- Delivered “Respect @ Work” training across the system, focused on creating a more inclusive culture
- Created ALLIED (Advancing Leadership and Learning on Inclusion, Equity and Diversity), a mutual mentoring program that pairs officers and leaders across levels and cultures
- Redesigned the United mobile app to be more accessible for people with visual disabilities
- Launched our Cultural Advisory Board to drive cultural awareness and improve our customer experience to meet our customers’ needs
- Launched Cultural Connections trainings for all Inflight-related employees to better engage with our customers traveling to and from our destinations
- Raised more than $30,000 in our first campaign launch with community partner, My Block, My Hood, My City, benefitting underprivileged youth through sales of a Black Lives Matter United-branded lapel pin
- Partnered with Kirkland & Ellis to donate an additional $50,000 to My Block, My Hood, My City, and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund
Business Resource Groups are our strategic imperative
Our employee-run Business Resource Groups (BRGs) are a strategic vehicle to amplify our employees’ voices and create platforms for service, learnings, leadership development and challenging inequities.
Each group provides inclusive workplace support for their target demographic, increases awareness and understanding and provides business contributions that reflect the diversity and needs of our customers around the globe.
To contribute to United’s goal of being the world’s leading airline for an inclusive workplace, our strength is in our numbers: