The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has released the 2016 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), an annual report assessing LGBT inclusion in major companies and law firms across the nation — including 90 in Illinois. State Farm received a perfect rating under the index.
In total, 851 companies were officially rated in the 2016 CEI, up from 781 in the 2015 report. The average score for companies and law firms based in Illinois is 90 percent, with 41 earning 100 percent.
The CEI rates companies and top law firms on detailed criteria falling under five broad categories. They are non-discrimination policies; employment benefits; demonstration of organizational competency and accountability around LGBT diversity and inclusion; public commitment to LGBT equality; and responsible citizenship.
The Illinois companies earning perfect scores include A.T. Kearney Inc., AbbVie Inc., Aon Corp., Astellas Pharma US Inc., Baker & McKenzie LLP, Barilla America Inc., Baxter International Inc., Boeing Co., Chapman and Cutler LLP, CNA Insurance, Discover Financial Services, Exelon Corp., Faegre Baker Daniels, Groupon Inc., HERE North America LLC, Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, Huron Consulting Group Inc., Hyatt Hotels Corp., Jenner & Block LLP, JLL, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Kraft Foods Group Inc.
They also include Leo Burnett Company Inc., Mayer Brown LLP, McDermott Will & Emery LLP, McDonald's Corp., MillerCoors LLC, Navigant Consulting Inc., Northern Trust Corp., Orbitz Worldwide Inc., Schiff Hardin LLP, Sears Holdings Corp., Seyfarth Shaw LLP, Sidley Austin LLP, Starcom MediaVest Group, State Farm Group, United Airlines, W.W. Grainger Inc., Walgreen Co. and Winston & Strawn LLP.
Allscripts-Misys Healthcare Solutions Inc. and Navistar International Corp. were at the bottom of the Illinois list, with each company earning a score of 30 percent.
"Corporate America has long been a leader on LGBT equality, from advocating for marriage equality to expanding essential benefits to transgender employees," said HRC President Chad Griffin. "But this year, many leading U.S. companies have broken new ground by expanding explicit non-discrimination protections to their LGBT workers around the globe. They've shown the world that LGBT equality isn't an issue that stops at our own borders, but extends internationally." However, Griffin added there is much work left to be done in places and in companies where LGBT workers still face significant obstacles.
Pride at Work issued a statement that was disparaging of the CEI. Executive Director Jerame Davis said, "We are disappointed that the HRC Corporate Equality Index (CEI) rewards big corporations for questionable employment practices without taking into consideration the lived experiences of the LGBTQ working people in those corporations.
"It is our position that any company that takes action to stall, stymie, or otherwise undermine the efforts of their workers to unionize is preventing LGBTQ working people from achieving the full non-discrimination protections federal—and most state—law currently doesn't provide. LGBTQ working people receive far more protection under an inclusive union contract than they do under any existing state law."
The full report, including a searchable employer database, is available online at www.hrc.org/cei .
Employer Name 2015 CEI Rating
A.T. Kearney Inc. 100
AbbVie Inc. 100
Aon Corp. 100
Astellas Pharma US Inc. 100
Baker & McKenzie LLP 100
Barilla America Inc. 100
Baxter International Inc. 100
Boeing Co. 100
Chapman and Cutler LLP 100
CNA Insurance 100
Discover Financial Services 100
Exelon Corp. 100
Faegre Baker Daniels 100
Groupon Inc. 100
HERE North America LLC 100
Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP 100
Huron Consulting Group Inc. 100
Hyatt Hotels Corp. 100
Jenner & Block LLP 100
JLL 100
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP 100
Kirkland & Ellis LLP 100
Kraft Foods Group Inc. 100
Leo Burnett Company Inc. 100
Mayer Brown LLP 100
McDermott Will & Emery LLP 100
McDonald's Corp. 100
MillerCoors LLC 100
Navigant Consulting Inc. 100
Northern Trust Corp. 100
Orbitz Worldwide Inc. 100
Schiff Hardin LLP 100
Sears Holdings Corp. 100
Seyfarth Shaw LLP 100
Sidley Austin LLP 100
Starcom MediaVest Group 100
State Farm Group 100
United Airlines 100
W.W. Grainger Inc. 100
Walgreen Co. 100
Winston & Strawn LLP 100
Health Care Service Corp. 95
BMO Bankcorp Inc. 90
Caterpillar Inc. 90
CDW Corp. 90
Crate and Barrel / CB2 90
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago 90
R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co. 90
Allstate Corp., The 85
Grant Thornton LLP 85
Morningstar Inc. 85
True Value Co. 85
Motorola Solutions Inc. 80
Abbott Laboratories 75
Deere & Co. 75
US Foods Inc. 75
Zurich North America 75
CME Group Inc. 70
Hospira Inc. 65
USG Corp. 65
Illinois Tool Works Inc. 60
Perkins + Will Inc. 35
Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon LLP 35
Allscripts-Misys Healthcare Solutions Inc. 30
Navistar International Corp. 30
"Corporate America has long been a leader on LGBT equality, from advocating for marriage equality to expanding essential benefits to transgender employees," said HRC President Chad Griffin. "But this year, many leading U.S. companies have broken new ground by expanding explicit non-discrimination protections to their LGBT workers around the globe. They've shown the world that LGBT equality isn't an issue that stops at our own borders, but extends internationally."
Despite this progress and a new global commitment, there is much work left to be done in places and in companies where LGBT workers still face significant obstacles.
"While support for LGBT workers is growing in the U.S. and around the world, too many companies still fail to guarantee basic, vital workplace protections that allow employees to bring their full selves to work," Griffin said. "That continues to create barriers for LGBT people, especially for transgender people, who face high rates of unemployment and discrimination in hiring. These companies should look to the example set by global corporate leaders as a path forward to achieving LGBT equality for all workers, no matter where they live."
Key national findings contained in the 2016 CEI:
407 companies earned a 100 percent in the 2015 CEI, up from 366 in the 2015 report.
511 companies participating in this year's CEI now offer transgender workers at least one health care plan that has transgender-inclusive coverage. That's a 150 percent increase since 2012, when the CEI first included trans-inclusive health care as a requisite for companies to receive a perfect score;
Gender identity is now part of non-discrimination policies at 75 percent of Fortune 500 companies, up from just 3 percent in 2002;
More than 330 major employers have adopted supportive inclusion guidelines for transgender workers who are transitioning.
And 176 Fortune 500 companies were given unofficial scores based on publicly available information
Just as the CEI has successfully steered the country's top corporations, law firms and their influential leaders toward breaking new ground in workplace equality — from enacting LGBT non-discrimination policies to extending same-sex partner benefits — it has also helped companies move toward full inclusion for their transgender employees.
The CEI rates companies and top law firms on detailed criteria falling under five broad categories:
Non-discrimination policies
Employment benefits
Demonstrated organizational competency and accountability around LGBT diversity and inclusion
Public commitment to LGBT equality
Responsible citizenship
The full report, including a searchable employer database is available online at www.hrc.org/cei.
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. HRC envisions a world where LGBT people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.