A record number of businesses and law firms have embraced LGBT rights, winning 100 percent scores in a new equality index, but one major proponent of gay rights — The Washington Post — landed near the bottom of the list, with a score of 20 percent.
The 2016 Corporate Equality Index from the Washington-based Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, gave a record 407 firms a score of 100 and the award “Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality.”
“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,” he said in a statement.
To get a top ranking, firms had to have LGBT workplace rules in place, offer healthcare to partners, actively engage in gay outreach, among other positions.
Top firms include 3M, Apple, CBS, Nissan, Target and Yahoo!
The Washington Post, however, scored just 20 and struck out on six of nine categories, including prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. It was last among publishing outlets.
By comparison, the New York Times scored 85 points.
The Post was recently purchased by Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon. That company received a score of 85, a five-point one year decline.
Overall, the Washington, D.C. companies listed in the index scored an average of 87 points. HRC said that of the 22 companies ranked, nine earned 100 percent, three earned 90 percent or above, and six earned 80 percent or above.
The full index is shown below. It opens in full when “Original Document (PDF)” is clicked.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
