Mary Eugene
Program Integration Analyst

Practicing the SS&L habits means noticing the moment to reach out to one another and respond constructively. Listening to learn has led to stronger connections, insights and actions that strengthen our inclusive culture. As a result, we’ve adjusted policies; begun offering unique benefits such as free tutoring and fitness subscriptions, virtual behavioral health services and a holistic coaching program; and enhanced child and elder care benefits.

Born and raised in Louisiana, Mary Eugene, a Michoud Assembly Facility program integration analyst, has lived through many hurricanes, including Hurricane Ida in September 2021. Ida’s strong wind forces caused significant property damage to Eugene’s home and those of her family. The stifling heat, extended power loss, and decreasing fuel and food supplies in Ida’s aftermath took a substantial toll on Eugene’s mental health.

“This last year showed me how Boeing is more than a company," she said. "My manager checked on me every day; my team and I kept in touch the whole time. There are numerous stories of co-workers helping one another — offering their homes, providing information about resources, bringing food and fuel for generators. It meant a lot to have people genuinely showing care and concern.”

Shay Paredes
Aerospace Engineer

We recognize the importance of LGBTQIA+ inclusion and the spectrum of identities within our diverse team. When our team members spoke up about the importance of expanded voluntary self-identification for gender identity and sexual orientation, we listened and took action. We’re committed to offering expanded benefits such as domestic partnership benefits and comprehensive gender affirmation support.

Shay Paredes believes it is never too late to learn what truly inspires happiness and change. As much of the world spent 2020 navigating unforeseen changes brought on by COVID-19, Paredes navigated personal change when she came out as transgender.

“I transitioned right as COVID was ramping up, which made getting gender-affirming care quite difficult,” Paredes said. “By the time I transitioned ‘at work’ in August, my manager and teammates were remarkably supportive.” Boeing’s Gender Transition Team assisted Paredes, her manager and her team by helping provide a safe, inclusive environment during her transition.

The support Paredes received from Boeing meant that she no longer had to endure the daily mental toll created by living two lives. “I became a better teammate and employee because I could finally be entirely present with my team,” she said. “I no longer had to go through the ‘psychological whiplash’ of switching back and forth between who I was at work and who I was in my private life.”

Avery Mueller
Software Engineer

Each member of our global team brings something uniquely valuable to Boeing, and we build stronger teams when everyone has an opportunity to speak up and contribute. This year, we expanded our Autism at Work pilot and are planning more disability hiring efforts in 2022. With team member input, we’ve made significant efforts to expand accessibility at work and on our commercial airplanes.

Many college seniors face their graduation day asking, “What do I do now?” On Avery Mueller’s graduation day from Rutgers University, he asked, “What do I do now for aerospace?” Mueller was already using his computer science degree as a software engineer on the V-22 Osprey team.

After recognizing the need to recruit diverse talent, Boeing piloted the Autism at Work program at its Philadelphia-area site in Ridley Township, Pennsylvania. As part of the program, Mueller gained valuable work, development and social experience while finishing his degree and graduating with an established role at Boeing.

Mueller and his Autism at Work cohorts represent qualified talent that is able to perform a wide range of jobs but may miss those opportunities because traditional selection processes overlook strengths and unduly emphasize weaknesses. “My autism makes it difficult for me to communicate what I’m capable of doing,” Mueller said. “This program bridges gaps in interviews and makes it easier to present myself in the workplace.”

“There's not much difference other than I have a label attached and some background issues that aren’t always obvious,” he added. “My experience shows how Boeing is making a difference in opening the floor for discussions, not just about neurodiversity, but about creating an inclusive workplace for everybody.”

VaSean Crews
Operations Avionics Lead

We care about our military veterans and their families. To support our U.S. military reservists, we expanded the military pay differential to two years, helping them to serve and care for their families without a pay gap when on temporary special military duty. We also provide full pay for two weeks during annual Reserve training. And as a SkillBridge partner, we work with the U.S. Department of Defense to assist service members transitioning into the civilian workforce.

Joe Biden, Condoleezza Rice, Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton — these are just a few of the people VaSean Crews met on a Boeing jet during his time in the U.S. Air Force. Now that Crews is retired from the military and working as an avionics technician, Boeing remains part of daily life. He has experienced firsthand the support Boeing provides to military, veterans and their families.

“I started as a flying crew chief on a Boeing KC-135 after joining the Air Force and finishing my aircraft training,” Crews said, “and then I flew on Air Force Two, a Boeing 757.” After Crews completed rigorous selection and training processes, his typical workday involved ensuring air transport went smoothly for everyone beneath the U.S. president, including the vice president, secretary of state, first lady, and members of the Cabinet and Congress.

After Crews left the Air Force, his experience secured him a job at Boeing, and he joined the Air Force Reserve. “Whenever I had military commitments, Boeing supported tremendously,” Crews said. Whether providing differential pay to maintain a consistent wage during annual Reserve training or holding his job during a deployment, Boeing served Crews so that he could serve his country.

Though Crews retired from the Air Force Reserve in 2021, he is continuously aware of the value Boeing places on members of the military. “Whether they’re in service, still in reserves or retired,” Crews said, “Boeing always shows its appreciation for members of the military.”

Elliott Russell
Global Learning Program Manager

All voices matter and speaking up makes a difference for global inclusion. We’ve made enhancements to learning and development programs for our international teammates and recently launched our Global Talent Project — a significant investment to broaden access to opportunity and advancement for teammates around the globe.

Leadership Next, or LX, is a two-year program designed to develop the next generation of Boeing leaders. A key benefit of LX is that members are part of a global network, but when London-based Elliott Russell joined the LX program, he realized the majority of his cohort was from the United States.

Russell saw how globalization of future talent promotes diverse perspectives, increases networks and enhances innovation, and he hoped Boeing would improve in this area. “There was a feeling that Boeing was a U.S. company with international presence,” Russell said. “Since we are a global company, we needed opportunities to help increase worldwide representation.”

In 2019, leaders directed their attention to developing global talent and increasing awareness of LX. The first year, the LX program had only 1% international representation but by the time Russell graduated the program at the end of 2020, international representation increased to 16%. Today, the program has 24% international membership.

As an LX alumnus, Russell stays close to the program as an International Integrator on the LX Alumni Association and continues to sponsor the Global Learning LXchange, an educational series aimed at further opening the countries where Boeing operates, and their diverse cultures, to LX members.

“Thinking creatively about how we staff and support teams, providing space for new cross-cultural relationships and building trust in one another to perform at our highest possible level is a reminder of how our diversity is not just a strength but a competitive advantage,” Russell said. “Boeing is global, its future is global, and I’m proud that, year over year, there are more opportunities for global leaders to excel.”

We want to partner with the entire Boeing ecosystem — our suppliers, joint ventures, subsidiaries and customers — to promote healthy, inclusive communities together, all around the world, and learn from each other in the spirit of Seek, Speak & Listen. This year, we’re launching Virtual Academy, an online environment where we will share the resources and tools we’re using to improve inclusion. We’re inviting our suppliers to join us in demonstrating commitment to an equitable, diverse and inclusive work environment consistent with the Supplier Code of Conduct.

Small businesses and diverse suppliers are a vital part of our strong supply base. In 2021, we spent more than $4 billion with diverse suppliers and small businesses, subcontracted more than $2 billion to minority- and women-owned businesses, subcontracted more than $400 million to veteran-owned businesses, and onboarded more than 330 new diverse suppliers and small businesses.

Their agility, innovation, and ability to provide creative product and service solutions are essential to delivering greater value to our customers. Boeing has a dedicated Global Supplier Diversity team that seeks out small businesses and diverse suppliers and provides mentoring services, such as site analysis, Lean assessments, certification information and training.

“We see ourselves as being the strategic integrators and advocates for small businesses and diverse suppliers who do business with Boeing,” said Camille Geiger, Global Supplier Diversity leader. “One example is the various support and mentoring we offer, such as Effective Bid Training, where we provide our insights, suggested improvements and other actions suppliers can take to help themselves be more competitive in procurement processes.”

Supplier diversity and small business utilization are also key elements in our responsible and sustainable supply chain practices, and we will continue to collaborate with suppliers to source responsibly; create economic opportunity for diverse communities; proactively manage supply chain quality, readiness and health; and advance global sustainability and social responsibility.