The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has announced that a record 1,400 hundred companies are participating in this year’s Corporate Equality Index (CEI). That represents more than 21 million employees across the U.S. according to HRC president Kelley Robinson.
The Human Rights Campaign is an organization that has been working for 40 years to support marginalized Americans who suffer from violence, discrimination and fear based target hate, legislation and bigotry. The HRC launched the CEI in 2002, and since then they have been cultivating the index to survey whether or not U.S. corporations are protecting their employees by evaluating company policies, benefits and LGBTQ+ employee experiences in the workplace. Each year, the CEI ranks every Fortune 500 company. Companies can opt to participate in the index by providing information to the HRC, this information contributes to their overall score.
HRC has also set up an email inbox to receive anonymous messages from employees at companies where DEI efforts have been reduced over the past year. These anon messengers are invited to share their experiences about workplace discrimination and inclusion, according to Pink News.
The efforts behind the survey come at a crucial time for DEI in the workplace. Over the past few years, many companies have scaled back their diversity, equity and inclusion programs. These have included Ford, John Deere, Lowe’s, Jack Daniel’s, Tractor Supply Co, Harley-Davidson and more.
Pink News reports that around 80% of LGBTQ+ consumers are opting to boycott companies that haven’t made good on DEI programs. These consumers have said they will tell others to boycott these companies as well. The LGBTQ+ community is said to be worth around $1.4 trillion in spending power, and an increasing portion of the consumer population identifies as queer, including 30% of Gen Z adults.
Robinson has made clear in statements that HRC hopes to hold accountable the companies that are abandoning their LGBTQ+ employees and consumers.
