Southwest Airlines Receives Top Score on 2021 Disability Equality Index

Image: Southwest airplane. (photo via Southwest)
Image: Southwest airplane. (photo via Southwest)
Lacey Pfalz
by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 10:43 AM ET, Wed July 14, 2021

Southwest Airlines received a top score on the 2021 Disability Equality Index (DEI) and was named a "Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion" within the report.

The DEI is the most comprehensive tool to measure disability workplace inclusion. It was launched in 2015 by Disability:IN and The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD).

Out of the assessment's 319 participants, 191 companies, including Southwest Airlines and Marriott International, achieved the highest score possible for their commitments to fostering inclusion and equality in the workplace for people with disabilities.

Across the globe, the number of people with disabilities numbers over one billion. It crosses age groups, races, genders, sexual orientation, religion and more, making disability equality an overarchingly critical measure of the rest of the company's diversity, equality and inclusion standards.

"Southwest Airlines was founded on the principle of putting people first," said Julie Weber, Southwest Airlines' Vice President and Chief People Officer. "We believe in providing our employees an inclusive and welcoming environment, valuing them for their unique skills, perspectives, and abilities they bring. By doing our best as an employer, we create an environment where our people can do their best."


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Lacey Pfalz

Lacey Pfalz

Associate Editor

Lacey Pfalz is Associate Editor at TravelPulse. She's a passionate advocate of responsible travel and believes the best travel experiences happen outside of a planned itinerary. Lacey currently lives in rural Wisconsin. She can be reached at [email protected].

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