HRC: More Top US Companies Back Gays, Offer Protections
The Human Rights Campaign released its 11th annual Corporate Equality Index on Wednesday.
The CEI rates U.S. companies based on their LGBT-inclusive policies and raises awareness on potential areas of weakness. HRC Deputy Director Deena Fidas says they are always trying to improve on the previous year’s results.
FIDAS: As we closed out last year’s CEI in December, we immediately rolled up our sleeves and looked at, ‘What gaps can we fill? What industries or businesses have never been engaged and we can get them engaged?’”
The 2013 CEI reported a record-setting 252 businesses that achieved the top rating of 100 percent, earning them the distinction of “Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality.” When the first CEI was released in 2002, only 13 businesses reached a perfect score.
HRC rated 889 businesses in total, including the entire Fortune 500. Seventy-four major businesses and law firms publicly supported pro-equality legislation in the past 18 months, nearly 40 percent of which were Fortune 500 firms.
The CEI ranked companies based on 40 workplace policies and practices that relate to LGBT equality. The CEI also recorded its largest growth with 54 new businesses participating since last year.
-Chasen Stern
