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Dow Recognized for Support of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights

Awards reaffirm company’s commitment to equality in the workplace

Dow Recognized for Support of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights

Awards reaffirm company’s commitment to equality in the workplace

Published 12-15-11

Submitted by OLD - Dow Chemical Company

  The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) has been recognized by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and the International Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (IGLCC) for its efforts to support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights, as part of the Company’s overall commitment to equality in the workplace.

To be recognized by such prestigious and forward-thinking organizations shows that Dow’s deeply held values of integrity and respect for people have not gone unnoticed,” said Howard Ungerleider, president of Dow’s performance plastics division and executive sponsor of Gays, Lesbians and Allies at Dow (GLAD).  “We have long believed that the ability to present a truly diverse and inclusive workplace is critical to our success and integral to our strategy to attract, develop and retain the best and brightest talent.”

Dow received a 100 percent rating in HRC’s 2012 Corporate Equality Index, marking the eighth consecutive year the Company has been recognized for best-in-class practices of LGBT inclusion in the workplace. Dow has participated in the index since its inception in 2002, and in 2005 was the first in the chemical industry to receive a perfect score.  Only 190 companies achieved the 100 percent rating this year, down sharply from 337 in 2010, reflecting both HRC’s more demanding requirements and Dow’s continued progress and efforts to set the standard for LGBT inclusiveness.

HRC seeks to improve the lives of LGBT Americans by advocating for equal rights and benefits in the workplace, ensuring families are treated equally under the law and increasing public support among all Americans.

Separately, Dow placed second in the 2011 International Business Equality Index, a survey by the IGLCC measuring how international companies are performing in issues related to the LGBT community in specific countries around the world.  The IGLCC seeks to advance diversity in the business world through initiatives that promote equality and the creation of opportunities for members of the international LGBT business community.  It is the only index to analyze LGBT issues at the international level, enabling companies to understand the impact their diversity policies and values have in every country they operate in.

“We will continue to shape new policies and practices that give protection and parity to all Dow employees around the world,” added Ungerleider. “This will ensure we always provide a working environment where every Dow person is reaching his or her full potential and bringing their whole self to work.”

Dow’s GLAD network has been promoting diversity and inclusion and advocating for the fundamental rights of LGBT employees inside and outside of the Company for more than 10 years and is one of seven employee resource groups at Dow, which comprise more than 150 local chapters in every major geography around the world.

In the past several years, Dow through its GLAD network has earned recognition from several other premier national and international LGBT organizations, including Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG); Out & Equal; and Lambda Legal.

Earlier this year, Dow’s LGBT efforts and it support of the Employee Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) were featured on PBS stations around the U.S. Dow has testified before Congress in 2009 and 2010 in support of ENDA.

While many states in the U.S. and abroad have yet to pass laws protecting LGBT people from being fired based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, Dow’s global Respect and Responsibility policy provides the Company’s employees with this protection and helps create an environment in which all employees can focus on their jobs rather than fear of being discriminated for who they are. 

About Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines the power of science and technology with the “Human Element” to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company connects chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help address many of the world’s most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, renewable energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow’s diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 160 countries and in high growth sectors such as electronics, water, energy, coatings and agriculture. In 2010, Dow had annual sales of $53.7 billion and employed approximately 50,000 people worldwide. The Company’s more than 5,000 products are manufactured at 188 sites in 35 countries across the globe. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.

 

OLD - Dow Chemical Company logo

OLD - Dow Chemical Company

OLD - Dow Chemical Company

With annual sales of $54 billion and 46,000 employees worldwide, Dow is a diversified chemical company that combines the power of science and technology with the "Human Element" to constantly improve what is essential to human progress. The Company delivers a broad range of products and services to customers in around 160 countries, connecting chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help provide everything from fresh water, food and pharmaceuticals to paints, packaging and personal care products. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted.

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