Better Health for All

United Airlines offers excellent mental health programs for its employees and their families. These include a partnership with Lyra Health, providing 24/7 access to self-care tools, no-cost therapy, and eight complimentary coaching or therapy sessions.

The company expanded its mental health care offerings in 2024. Nearly 100% of primary care and mental health providers in its 2025 plans will remain in-network for 2026.

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

United Airlines settled a discrimination claim for $99,000 in January 2025, related to tolerating discriminatory behavior towards a worker of Mongolian ancestry

. Following this, the company agreed to review its policies and provide management training on equal opportunity and workplace violence . In September 2023, United Airlines pilots ratified a new contract valued at over $10 billion, including up to 40% pay increases over four years, improved work rules, sick leave, vacation, and retirement benefits . In contrast, United Airlines flight attendants organized rallies in October 2023, demanding better union contracts and fair compensation . A coalition of major unions representing various employee groups was formed in December 2022 to coordinate on bargaining issues . A new sick leave policy for flight attendants, introduced in January 2025, requires eight hours advance notice and was deemed lawful by an arbitrator despite union criticism .

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

In 2023, United Airlines introduced 90 new certified diverse- and/or woman-owned businesses into its supply chain, resulting in a $497 million spend.

This contributed an estimated $590 million to the U.S. GDP and supported approximately 6,500 jobs. The company's Human Rights Policy and Global Policy on Worker Welfare align with international principles, supporting the elimination of forced labor and child exploitation. United provides human trafficking awareness training for employees and ensures suppliers comply with fair labor standards. In 2013, United launched a Sustainable Supply Chain initiative to assess and improve the environmental performance of its suppliers.

Honest & Fair Business

United Airlines received a CSA Score of 30 from S&P Global as of December 2, 2025.

The company has a whistleblower protection policy that prohibits retaliation against anyone who, in good faith, reports suspected illegal or unethical behavior or participates in an investigation. A 24/7 ethics and compliance helpline and web reporting tool are available to all employees, with the Ethics and Compliance Office reviewing all reports and ensuring appropriate investigations. Corporate compliance training is provided annually to management and administrative employees and every other year to frontline employees. United also maintains a comprehensive Anti-Bribery/Anti-Corruption Compliance Policy (ABAC Policy) that applies to all employees, officers, subsidiaries, and third-party representatives. This policy provides specific guidance for individuals interacting with government officials and requires Ethics and Compliance Office approval for nearly all such transactions. The Audit Committee reviews the compliance procedures and processes for enforcing the Code of Ethics and Business Conduct.

Kind to Animals

United Airlines has a policy banning the transport of primates to medical research facilities, stating they "do not book, accept or transport primates to or from medical research facilities."

In 2018, the company partnered with American Humane to enhance the safety and well-being of pets traveling with the airline , introducing stricter guidelines including banning over 40 dog breeds and specific cat breeds from cargo holds and implementing seasonal travel limitations . This followed 2017 incidents where United Airlines reported 18 animal deaths and 13 injuries during flights, the highest among U.S. carriers that year , which led to a suspension of its PetSafe program for review . The company also partnered with Audubon International in 2017 to protect raptors around New York-area airports by relocating them to suitable habitats .

No War, No Weapons

The provided articles describe United Airlines' involvement in military-led evacuation efforts through the Civil Reserve Air Fleet

and its support for military veterans through a pilot program and travel perks . The company also invested in sustainable aviation technology and contributed to global disaster relief . United Airlines provided four Boeing 777-300 aircraft to assist in military-led evacuation efforts from Afghanistan . United Airlines has launched the United Military Pilot Program offering conditional job offers to active-duty military pilots . United Airlines contributed to disaster relief globally, supporting over 30 disasters and transporting 800,000 pounds of cargo to more than 25 countries . United Airlines invested in JetZero, a startup focused on developing blended wing body aircraft to reduce fuel consumption and emissions . United Airlines provides active-duty military personnel with benefits such as fee waivers for checked bags and priority boarding . However, none of the articles provide specific quantitative data points such as the percentage of revenue derived from defense contracts, the proportion of R&D investment in dual-use technologies, the percentage of revenue allocated to peacebuilding initiatives, or any other metric required to score the company against the rubric's defined thresholds. Therefore, no KPIs can be scored based on the available evidence.

Planet-Friendly Business

United Airlines aims for 100% greenhouse gas reduction by 2050 and net-zero emissions by 2050, but there is no evidence of SBTi-validated targets. The company explicitly states it will achieve its 2050 greenhouse gas reduction without relying on traditional carbon offsets. United is investing in carbon reduction technologies, including a $15 million investment in carbon capture company Svante (March 2023)

and an investment in direct air capture startup Heirloom (February 2025) to purchase 500,000 tons of CO₂ for cleaner jet fuel production . The company has committed to the future production of over three billion gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). In October 2024, United partnered with California to increase SAF use to 200 million gallons by 2035, targeting 40% of intrastate travel demand. By December 2023, over 35% of its ground support equipment was electric, supported by a $6 million investment in charging infrastructure and the purchase of over 1000 electric units. In July 2023, United expanded its Sustainable Flight Fund to nearly $200 million to support SAF research and production startups.

Respect for Cultures & Communities

United Airlines was among the most frequent offenders for discrimination complaints lodged with the Transportation Department last year, with nearly half of the more than 120 complaints being race-related.

Specific incidents include a manager's use of a racial slur against a worker of Mongolian descent in January 2021, a lawsuit by a Mexican American business manager alleging racism and sexism, and a lawsuit by flight attendants alleging racial, age, and religious discrimination. United also settled a lawsuit this year involving an Asian American employee alleging racial slurs by a manager, and a former ramp agent sued this month for racial harassment. For the January 2021 racial slur incident, no internal investigation occurred after the worker reported it, and United Airlines initially provided no response. The company has standard grievance processes, as evidenced by a worker reporting an incident to a supervisor and lawsuits being filed. United has made general charitable donations, including 6 million MileagePlus miles and an additional $100,000 to those affected by hurricanes, and 6 million MileagePlus Miles to Central Texas Rescue, Response and Recovery Efforts.

Safe & Smart Tech

United Airlines has not experienced any documented data breaches within the past three years (February 2023 - February 2026). The company maintains a strong security program with preventative focus, employing robust identity, segmentation, monitoring, and data protections, alongside resilience strategies.

It utilizes Armis Centrix™ for operational technology (OT) asset inventory and vulnerability prioritization, and Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange™ for enhanced cyberthreat protection. United has a Responsible AI framework and principles, supported by a cross-functional risk management team to ensure compliance and safeguards for AI solutions. The company uses generative AI to provide detailed, human-reviewed explanations for flight delays, emphasizing clear and transparent customer communications. Data governance includes technical measures and access controls designed to mitigate the risk of loss and unauthorized access to personal data, guided by data privacy principles. There are no documented incidents of unauthorized data use. The company has a Vulnerability Disclosure Program (VDP) and was the first airline to launch a bug bounty program in 2015. Annual corporate compliance training includes dedicated modules on cybersecurity and privacy. United is committed to complying with applicable privacy laws and regulations, guided by NIST frameworks, and actively prepares for new regulatory requirements.

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

United Airlines has implemented several waste reduction initiatives. The company replaced mini plastic wine bottles with aluminum cans in domestic economy cabins, projected to eliminate approximately 4.7 million single-use plastic bottles annually.

It also upcycles about 900 pounds of expired life jackets into consumer products each year. Additionally, the airline refreshed its Polaris bedding with 100% recycled plastic, which eliminated 200,000 pounds of single-use plastics, and introduced amenity kits in reusable bags made from recycled materials, featuring recycled plastic eye masks and bamboo toothbrushes. In 2019, a 'Flight for the Planet' specifically minimized cabin waste by using beeswax lids and compostable cutlery.