With no federal non-discrimination law and limited state protections, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Corporate Equality Index (CEI) has helped transform the American workplace for the better over the past 10 years. Released today, the 2012 CEI chronicles the remarkable advances that have taken place on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality (LGBT) in the workplace since 2002.
In the first year of the CEI, only 13 businesses achieved a top score. This year, 190 corporations, across industries, geographies and size, will receive a 100-percent score on significantly more stringent criteria, including 10 of the top 20 Fortune-ranked companies. As companies compete to recruit and retain the best employees and influence consumer choices, CEI ratings have redefined the norm for how all companies treat LGBT workers and their families. The result is that the lives of millions of LGBT Americans have been made exponentially better, public acceptance of issues important to LGBT people has soared, and both public and private employers of all sizes have voluntarily adopted inclusive policies.
This year's report includes the following findings:
The CEI rates companies on 40 specific policies and practices, 32 of which are new or more demanding this year. To achieve a perfect score and the coveted distinction of "Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality," companies must have fully inclusive equal employment opportunity policies, provide equal employment benefits, demonstrate organizational LGBT competency, evidence their commitment to equality publicly and exercise responsible citizenship.
Three years ago, HRC embarked on an ambitious project to raise the bar on its rating criteria so that a 100-percent score would reflect the "best-in-class" practices of LGBT inclusion in the workplace. This year's CEI tells a powerful story of American businesses working to meet that higher bar.
Beginning in 2006, the CEI credited participants if they offered at least one benefit related to gender transition. As a result, 487 companies, or 79 percent of participants, received credit for this category. In 2009, HRC informed companies that it would begin rating them in 2012 on equal health coverage for transgender individuals without exclusion for medically necessary care, to include sexual reassignment surgery. The fact that companies would be rated on this new criterion dramatically increased performance from 85 companies offering all of the benefits last year to 207 this year, a 144-percent increase.
A total of 850 businesses have been rated in the 2012 CEI, including the entire Fortune 500. Two-hundred seventy-seven Fortune 500 companies voluntarily submitted surveys; the remaining 214 were rated based upon publicly available data. In addition, 65 Fortune 1000 companies, 134 law firms and 160 other companies voluntarily participated in the 2012 CEI. Voluntary participation in the CEI doubled since its inception. In 2002, 319 companies participated; this year 636 companies have participated.
In spite of the fact that 77 percent of the American public favors the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, there are no federal laws barring workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Americans can also still be fired in 29 states on the basis of their sexual orientation and in 34 states on the basis of their gender identity. According to a November 2011 HRC/Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research poll, a staggering 87 percent of the American public believes that it is already illegal under federal law to fire someone for being gay and 78 percent believe that it is illegal under state law.
In the absence of these basic protections for LGBT people, it's clear that corporate America is leading the charge for equality in the workplace. American business understands that LGBT-inclusive workplace policies are the right thing to do as well as good business practices.
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For example: "It is the policy of the Company to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, age, disability, or status as a Disabled or Vietnam Era Veteran." and "It is the Company's policy that sexual harassment or harassment on the basis of a person’s race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ancestry, ethnic or national origin, age, disability or veteran's status will not be tolerated within the Company."
And who knows, maybe they do say something inclusive somewhere else, maybe I should stick my neck out to ask and discuss with them and risk the repercussions. I'll think about that. But for now when it comes to their regard of me, regardless of their score in HRC parlance they’re effectively a brutal “0”.
Well, when your Executive Board is made up exclusively of people who must raise or donate fifty grand a year just to have a vote on the organization's agenda, it's no surprise when that agenda is focused on the interests of the one-percenters, not lower and middle class LGBT's who live off their paychecks.
My neighbor committed suicide last week over a huge capital gain that he promptly lost to the market.
I am very concerned over the human impact of an ever expanding government. I believe that it's effect is no longer positive but very negative. I have no doubt that if I see it in my life so clearly that others do as well.
Is this very insidious problem part of your purview?
HRC stands for Human Rights Campaign. I believe that the frontier of Human Rights is in achieving better rights for those that work very hard for their families and get treated vastly different by our government. The example that I cited is a clear case of that. He simply couldn't pay the taxes and lost his home, his wife, his children, his dignity - then his life.
ALL TOO OFTEN we think of our government policies as innately good. Unfortunately there is a HUGE gap in EQUALITY. My neighbor is but one of millions of stories that reflect the fact there's really no mercy for those that work hard and get the worse part of the deal.
Most of us really have little imagination and it is very difficult to understand but our policies often severely hurt more than they help. I've learned the hard way.
There's no "media" for our neighbors when someone doesn't get a response after ringing a doorbell while some stench is emanating from the garage. It's just not politically correct.
His company is Human Rights Campaign.
There's a huge disparity in equality today between those that pay their own way and pay for others at the same time.
Like it or hate it, it's the truth. If you hate it, then I suggest you practice you learn the rudiments of introspection.
and there are lots of empty stores you can rent and open a consignment shop or coffee shop or a small factory and make stuff here in the USA !
S.C.O.R.E. can advise anyone on how to open one.
spend local at localy owned stores and the money stays in yur hood:)