GreenCell Mobility, a leader in sustainable urban mass mobility solutions, celebrates Pride Month by highlighting the contributions of its LGBTQIA+ employees and promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace culture. The company emphasizes its commitment to equality and has taken several initiatives to foster a safe and comfortable travel experience for all, particularly for women passengers.
Apple’s annual Pride Band release is a highly anticipated event, and the 2024 edition does not disappoint. The Braided Solo Loop features a vibrant and inclusive color palette, representing multiple Pride flags and symbolizing the ongoing fight for LGBTQ+ rights. This year’s band is a beautiful and comfortable accessory that supports an important cause.
In the corporate world, diversity and inclusion have become common terms, but achieving true equity remains a challenge, particularly for the LGBTQ+ community. Trailblazers like Nikita Panchal, Global Talent Head at ACG World, are leading the way in creating lasting change. In the first episode of Shine’s campaign “Welcome LGBTQ+ at Work,” Panchal shared her organization’s strategies for fostering an inclusive environment. She emphasized that ACG World’s D&I initiative, “Spectrum,” aims to create a workplace where everyone feels represented, respected, and included.
Austrian Airlines will make its debut at the Vienna Rainbow Parade on June 8, 2024, showcasing its commitment to diversity, acceptance, and equal rights. The airline’s participation sends a powerful message of visibility, acceptance, and equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender characteristics.
Air Canada has reaffirmed its commitment to Team Canada by extending its partnership as the Official Airline through the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, commencing with Paris 2024. The airline rolled out a unique Boeing 777 livery that will transport Team Canada athletes, coaches, and support staff. Air Canada’s ‘Going for Gold’ employee program will ensure a seamless travel experience for over 1,000 team members. Notably, Air Canada values diversity and inclusion, providing special support for athletes embodying these principles. Ten Team Air Canada athlete ambassadors have been selected to represent Canadian excellence in sports and values.
At Expedia Group’s 25th annual EXPLORE partner conference, industry leaders reiterated the importance of fostering a more open, inclusive, and accessible travel ecosystem. Key discussions highlighted the valuable perspectives of Lawrence P. (Green Book Global) and Heather Ansley (Paralyzed Veterans of America), supported by the Open World Accelerator program and Made to Travel Fund. Expedia Group also previewed insights from upcoming inclusive travel research, underscoring its commitment to powering travel for all. Read more about their progress in the 2023 Global Impact Report.
For over 17 years, Alaska Airlines’ Pacific Islander Alliance (P.I.A.) has been an integral part of the airline’s commitment to supporting and empowering Pacific Islander employees and representing the host culture authentically. The P.I.A. has facilitated educational, career, and leadership development opportunities, as well as community involvement initiatives. Led by passionate individuals like Jill Tanga, Shanyn Wright, Lindsay Tuiasosopo, and Kalei Solatario, the P.I.A. actively encourages Pacific Islander voices within the workplace and beyond. Their efforts include promoting the Hawaiian language and culture through virtual and in-person classes, fostering self-expression and cultural pride among employees and the broader community.
A North London employer has come under fire for using offensive language in its job adverts. Camden People’s Theatre (CPT) used the terms ‘benefit class, criminal class and underclass’ in two job adverts. The language has been widely criticized as insulting and offensive. CPT has since said it’s reviewing the language of the adverts and is continuing its efforts to diversify its talent.
The blunder comes after new research this week showed the arts to be extremely exclusive. It found that six in 10 of all arts and culture workers in the UK come from middle-class backgrounds, compared with just over 42% of the wider workforce.
The report was shared by the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre, which broke down inequalities in the UK’s arts, culture and heritage workforce by background and region. It also found that 90% of workers in the arts are white and only 20% are disabled.
The Wisconsin Assembly’s audit committee has voted to conduct a comprehensive review of diversity and inclusion efforts across state government. This decision comes after Republican leaders in the Assembly vowed to eliminate equity initiatives, citing concerns about costs and outcomes. The review will include cabinet-level agencies, other executive branch agencies, the state Department of Justice, and the state university system.
The audit was initiated after State Auditor Joe Chrisman sent a memo to committee members outlining the potential benefits of the review, including identifying compliance with executive orders, quantifying costs, and assessing outcomes.
Conservative lawmakers across the country have been working to limit diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, with Republican lawmakers in about two dozen states filing bills this year to restrict such efforts. Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who is white, has pledged to end diversity efforts in state government, saying that such initiatives are “cancerous” and that he wants a society that is “truly colorblind.”
Democratic Governor Tony Evers has signed an executive order requiring each state agency to create and monitor equity and inclusion plans, leading to concerns among Republicans about the cost and effectiveness of these initiatives.
The Australian Government has released a suite of free resources to aid tourism businesses in addressing industry-wide workforce shortages. These resources aim to encourage the hiring of underrepresented groups, such as people with disabilities, older Australians, and younger Australians, to build a more resilient and diverse workforce.
