HOUSTON, Sept. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) is one of 13 companies featured in Latin Business Magazine’s Corporate Diversity Honor Roll, which appears in the magazine’s Summer 2008 issue. This is the third consecutive year that Continental has been named to the list.
“If recent events on the diversity front, both national and corporate, are any indication, diversity, in all its myriad nuances, has become ever more mainstream in nature,” says the magazine’s introduction to the Honor Roll. “We know it’s not always easy, but we salute the good-faith efforts of all involved.”
“We are pleased to be recognized once again for our corporate diversity initiatives,” said Diedra Fontaine, Director of Diversity and Sales Development, Continental Airlines. “As a global airline, we believe that the rich diversity of ideas, experiences, cultures, and lifestyles represented by our employees makes it possible for us to give the best possible service to our customers worldwide.”
The article mentions Continental’s diverse workforce, online supplier-diversity training program, Diversity Council and numerous Hispanic-market sponsorships. Approximately 18 percent of Continental’s domestic workforce is of Hispanic descent and Hispanics occupy many top-level positions at the company. Continental is the official airline for events of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Publications. For the second year, Continental is sponsoring an educational outreach program called “Destino: Latinoamerica” (Destination: Latin America), an essay contest for Hispanic high school students, in conjunction with the National Association of Hispanic Publications. The airline’s Latin America Sales group also sponsors Hispanic organizations and events each year throughout the United States.
Latin Business magazine is a bimonthly trade magazine with a national circulation of 150,408. The magazine bases its annual Corporate Diversity Honor Roll on a survey of Latino employees, supplier and subcontractor diversity, community outreach and other factors.
Continental Airlines, the world’s fifth largest airline, offers service to 69 destinations in 23 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Continental serves more destinations in Mexico (29) from the U.S. and has more flights from the U.S. to Mexico than any other airline. Continental also serves more cities in Central America (10) than any other U.S. carrier, as well as nine South American destinations and 23 in the Caribbean.
Continental’s Spanish-language services include bilingual flight attendants on many flights to Latin America; and bilingual airport personnel, reservations agents and signage. Spanish-language functions on the continental.com Web site include flight booking, check-in, seat selection, flight and gate information, and OnePass frequent flyer program enrollment. Passengers also may make reservations in Spanish at 1-800-537-9222. For more company information, go to continental.com (in Spanish — www.continental.com/espanol).
