Air Products Perfect Again on 2019 Corporate Equality Index Scoring

Company Earns 100 Percent on Human Rights Campaign Foundation's 17th Annual Scorecard on LGBTQ Workplace Equality

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Apr 04, 2019, 13:00 ET

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., April 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Air Products (NYSE: APD), a world-leading industrial gases company, announced today it has once again earned a perfect score of 100 percent on the 2019 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), regarded as the nation's premier benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation.

"Over a year ago, the objective of becoming the "most diverse" industrial gas company in the world was added to Air Products' publicly-stated company goal. We continued to make strides toward this goal in the last year with our programs and policies. This year we focused on unconscious bias, and our training efforts included creating intentional actions to interrupt and eliminate any potential unconscious bias regarding who we hire, develop and listen to, and how we create a more inclusive team environment. We are pleased to have again achieved a perfect score from CEI, and we know there is always more to do," said Seifi Ghasemi, Chairman, President and CEO at Air Products.

The 2019 CEI evaluates LGBTQ-related policies and practices including non-discrimination workplace protections, domestic partner benefits, transgender-inclusive health care benefits, competency programs, and public engagement with the LGBTQ community. Air Products' efforts in satisfying all CEI criteria results in a 100 percent ranking and the designation as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality.

"The top-scoring companies on this year's CEI are not only establishing policies that affirm and include employees here in the United States, they are applying these policies to their global operations and impacting millions of people beyond our shores," said HRC President Chad Griffin. "Many of these companies have also become vocal advocates for equality in the public square. Time and again, leading American businesses have shown that protecting their employees and customers from discrimination isn't just the right thing to do -- it's also good for business."

Air Products continues to drive progress through efforts such as its Inclusion Network, a coalition of supportive communities focused on attracting and retaining talent, raising cultural awareness, developing skills, and contributing to the company's diversity and inclusion objectives. The Inclusion Network includes Spectrum, an Air Products Employee Resource Group for LGBT+ employees that celebrated its 25^th year of achievements in 2018.

During the year and around the world, "Breaking Through the Bias" workshops were held to guide employees to counteract bias and practice inclusion intentionally. These interactive workshops were tailored to help employees identify unconscious bias, to understand the importance of addressing them to achieve inclusion, how bias can impact or distort decision making, and strategies and skills to mitigate bias. Air Products' global headquarters also hosted the Blind Spots Tour Van, which included an interactive format of videos, quizzes and other materials for employees to gain their own insights into any unconscious bias.

Air Products is a member of the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™, which includes more than 600 CEOs of organizations pledging to take action to building a workplace where diverse perspectives and experiences are welcomed and respected. As part of this, Air Products observed and participated in the membership's "Day of Understanding," which was designed to increase understanding of diversity and inclusion and to embrace differences. Senior leaders across the company shared personalized communications with their teams to continue the dialogue on diversity and inclusion. The company created a video featuring Chairman, President and CEO Seifi Ghasemi and other senior leader perspectives; encouraged all employees to join Air Products' Inclusion Network or participate in Inclusion challenges designed to increase awareness of behaviors and skills that promote inclusiveness; and invited employees to take the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion's "I Act On" pledge, a personal commitment to tackling bias and cultivating more inclusive behaviors.

For more information on the 2019 Corporate Equality Index, or to download the report, visit: www.hrc.org/cei.

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

About Air Products

Air Products (NYSE: APD) is a world-leading industrial gases company in operation for over 75 years. The Company provides industrial gases and related equipment to dozens of industries, including refining, chemical, metals, electronics, manufacturing, and food and beverage. Air Products is also the world's leading supplier of liquefied natural gas process technology and equipment.

The Company had fiscal 2018 sales of $8.9 billion from operations in 50 countries and has a current market capitalization of about $40 billion. Approximately 16,000 passionate, talented and committed employees from diverse backgrounds are driven by Air Products' higher purpose to create innovative solutions that benefit the environment, enhance sustainability and address the challenges facing customers, communities, and the world. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

NOTE: This release may contain forward-looking statements within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on management's reasonable expectations and assumptions as of the date of this release regarding important risk factors. Actual performance and financial results may differ materially from projections and estimates expressed in the forward-looking statements because of many factors not anticipated by management, including risk factors described in the company's Form 10K for its fiscal year ended September 30, 2018.

SOURCE Air Products