Lowe’s Company – Gender Identity Non-Discrimination (2011)

Outcome: Successfully withdrawn. The company responded very positively and quickly to our request, and now its 200,000 employees are protected by an up-to-date policy that includes gender expression.

WHEREAS
Lowe’s Company Inc., (Lowe’s) does not explicitly prohibit discrimination based on gender identity or gender expression in its written employment policy;
According to the Human Rights Campaign, nearly 70% of the Fortune 100 and 43% of the Fortune 500 now prohibit discrimination based on gender identity or expression;
We believe that corporations that prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression have a competitive advantage in recruiting and retaining employees from the widest talent pool;
Sixteen states, the District of Columbia, and more than 114 cities and counties have laws prohibiting employment discrimination based on gender identity or expression;
Our company is headquartered in North Carolina where major employers such as Bank of America, GlaxoSmithKline, Duke University, and University of North Carolina Chapel Hill include gender identity or expression in their nondiscrimination policies.
Our company has operations in and makes sales to institutions in states and cities that prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression.
RESOLVED
The Shareholders request that Lowe’s amend its written equal employment opportunity policy to explicitly prohibit discrimination based gender identity or expression and substantially implement the policy.
SUPPORTING STATEMENT
We believe employment discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression diminishes employee morale and productivity.  Because state and local laws are inconsistent with respect to employment discrimination, our company would benefit from a consistent, corporate-wide policy to enhance efforts to prevent discrimination, resolve complaints internally, access employees from the broadest talent pool, and ensure a respectful and supportive atmosphere for all employees. Lowe’s will enhance its competitive edge by joining the growing ranks of companies guaranteeing equal opportunity for all employees.