Newspapers / Q-notes (Charlotte, N.C.) / May 26, 2001, edition 1 / Page 11
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Home Depot adds sexual orientation to its employment non-discrimination policy Q-Notes ▼ May 26, 2001 T PAGE 11 ExxonMobil will face similar proposal for third year by Anabel Evora Special to Q-Notes ATLANTA — Home Depot management successfully sidestepped a divisive shareholder resolution by adding sexual orientation to its non discrimination policy. “Home Depot made a good business decision by adding the words ‘sexual orientation’ to its non discrimination policy,” said Kim I. Mills, educa tion director for the Human Rights Campaign, a gay activist group. “The company responded quickly and favorably to its customers and share holders and now joins 86 percent pf the Fortune 50 in prohibiting this type of discrimination.” Home Depot agreed May 11 to add sexual orien tation as a protected category in its written equal employment opponunity policy following an out cry from customers and stockholders. The Uni tarian Universalist Association had successfully sponsored a shareholder proposal asking the com pany to amend its non-discrimination policy. Home Depot publicly opposed such a change in its proxy statement, which was sent to sharehold ers three weeks ago. The Unitarian Universalist Association agreed May 11 to withdraw the pro posal, which would have come to a vote at the shareholder meeting May 30 in Atlanta. The majority of Fortune 500 Companies have written policies that expressly ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, according to the GLBT groups that track such trends. A similar shareholder proposal is on the ballot for the third year in a row at ExxonMobil, whose annual shareholder meeting is slated for May 30 in Dallas. Before Exxon merged with Mobil in late 1999, Mobil prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. During merger talks, com pany executives decided to eliminate Mobil’s non discrimination policy rather than apply it to the newly formed corporation. Executives also decided to end Mobil’s same-sex domestic partner benefits program. Institutional sponsors of that resolution •include the New York City Employees’ Retirement System, the New York State Common Retirement Fund and several individual shareholders affiliated with the New York-based Equality Project. In the past, the Equality Project has led shareholder pro posals that resulted in sexual orientation non-dis crimination policies at companies such as DaimlerChrysler, Johnson & Johnson, McDonald’s and General Electric. ▼ Discover the world undeFthe waves, with a friendly, gay group of both new and exp^enced divers. Or join us to hike the Alps, raft through^e Grand Canyon, kayak in New Zealand and more. / m. Please ^11 for our free illustrated catalog of active gay vacations. flLVSON nDV«NTURa Active vacations fat gay men, lesbians & friends 1 -800-825-9766 www.alysonadverpuf&S-com Come Visit Your Friends at GOOD OL DAYS The Arboretum 3351 Pineville/Matthews Rd. 704.543.4100 One First Union Center 301 S. College Street 704.339-0004 (50 U Live Jazz & Blues & More every Wednesday, Friday & Saturday 9 pm to Midni gkt Visit our weLsite www.PewterRose.com for more information 1820 Soutk Blvd. Cliarlotte 704-332-8149 Mediterranean Cuisine St^wblrry Hill - 4219-3 Pr^idence^^d ~ Td: 704-366-6887 & 70^66-6812^ Fa Come Enj^^ the Cozy stled in the Strar^rhei lanti Hill S enee, _ of trigumg Menu Cuisme with Nightly Featured S Cocktails Imported Beer nean Imported ^ne Free Detiyery in the South Park Area Hours Mon-Sun 11:30am - 10pm >atiu:c^ay Night lOpm - Jpiir ^'V-*
Q-notes (Charlotte, N.C.)
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May 26, 2001, edition 1
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