Southwest Airlines
Risk Level:
Summary:
Southwest Airlines does not protect employees from viewpoint discrimination. A jury recently ruled that Southwest's termination of an employee for her pro-life views amounted to religious discrimination. Southwest does not have viewpoint protections for its employees. Southwest does support pro-LGBTQ advocacy groups and policies. The company has also issued a statement opposing state-level election security laws. Southwest does not donate to ideological PACs and does not appear to discriminate against religious groups in its charitable giving. For these reasons, Southwest Airlines receives a "High Risk" rating.
Has denied service to customers, suppliers, or vendors due to their political views or religious beliefs OR corporately boycotts, divests, or sanctions regions, people groups, or industries.
Southwest Airlines has not publicly terminated business relationships due to religious beliefs or political views. The company received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Among other requirements, this means the company has pledged to vet vendors based on LGBTQ policies (1). Southwest complied with the federal vaccine mandate but did not appear to fire any employees and made accommodations for unvaccinated staff (2)(3). In October 2021, one of Southwest’s pilots allegedly said a political slogan criticizing President Biden over a plane intercom. The pilot was not fired by Southwest (4). A jury awarded a flight attendant a victory over Southwest and the Transportation Workers Union of America after she claimed she had been fired in 2017 for her pro-life views and criticizing the union for supporting pro-abortion protests (5)(6).
Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.
Southwest Airlines focuses its charitable giving on disaster relief, environmental sustainability, military families, and serious illness. It does not prohibit financial donations to religious charities (1). However, it should be noted that the company’s e-pass ticket service for nonprofits excludes “religious endeavors.” It is unclear if this provision extends to faith-based charities (2).
Employment policies fail to protect against discrimination based on political affiliation/views and/or religion.
Southwest Airlines does not protect its employees from viewpoint discrimination (1).
Uses corporate reputation to support ideological causes and/or organizations hostile to freedom of expression.
Uses corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.
Southwest Airlines has partnerships with the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and the HRC (1).
All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
December 28, 2022
Company reports are intended for educational use only. Full Disclaimer