Mar 28, 2019 · News

U.N. standards bolster Royal Caribbean’s inclusion practices

Already well recognized for its dedication to diversity and inclusion, Royal Caribbean has broadened its commitment by adopting the United Nations LGBTI Standards of Conduct for Business.

The standards are delineated in five codes of conduct addressing business practices not only within an organization but also in the treatment of outside suppliers and interactions with the communities in which companies do business. They call for:

Respecting the human rights of LGBTI workers, customers and members of the public.

Eliminating workplace discrimination against LGBTI employees.

Supporting LGBTI employees at work.

Preventing discrimination and related abuses against LGBTI customers, suppliers and distributors – and insisting that suppliers do the same.

And, in the communities where companies do business, standing up for the human rights of LGBTI people.

They include lesbian, gay, bi, trans and intersex people, the latter referring to those born with physical characteristics that don’t fit common ideas of male or female. Estimated to be about the same number of people as those with red hair, intersex people may identify as male, female, both or neither, and be straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual or asexual, according to the U.N.

“Doing the right thing is one of our most important values, and that includes creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all our guests and all our coworkers,” says Richard D. Fain, chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “These U.N. Standards are a meaningful way for us to support equality and inclusiveness, and we are proud to join this global effort.”

Fabrice Houdart, U.N. Human Rights Officer and co-author of the standards, lauds RCL “as a leader, and this is an area where leadership matters.

“We are delighted to see Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. join 238 of the early supporters of the Global LGBTI Standards of Conduct for Business. Their participation also illustrates the increasing commitment of companies in the travel and tourism industry to contribute to tackle discrimination against LGBTI people.”

The U.N. has also noted that standing up for LGBTI rights is in the private sector’s best interest by “unlocking talent and maximizing productivity.”

RCL is well aware of the power of diversity and inclusion. Its 75,000 employees represent 122 countries, and deliver memorable vacation experiences to six million guests visiting 1,000 ports around the world.

“We’ve been blessed with a diverse and multicultural workforce from day one and we’ve worked hard to promulgate a welcoming culture for all,” Fain adds. “That culture has been recognized by many outside organizations.”

Most recently that includes the Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, as one of the 2019 World’s Most Ethical Companies. This closely followed its recognition by Forbes as one of America’s Best Employers for Diversity in 2019.