We as consumers generally search out companies that are fully engaged in our community beyond advertising and marketing. The Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index (CEI) has usually been a first stop in researchingU.S.-based companies’ LGBT-friendly operating and hiring policies.
HRC this week announced changes to the annual CEI that includes increased requirements in relation to transgender employees and same-sex spouses and partners.
The new criteria raise the requirements for businesses to achieve a perfect 100 percent rating on the Index in four primary areas including: health insurance access for transgender employees; equal benefits for same-sex partners and spouses; competency training and accountability on LGBT issues; and external engagement with the LGBT community.
According to HRC, the changes to the criteria are derived from feedback from the community including HRC members, communications from participating businesses, conversations at workplace conferences and stakeholder discussions. The process was overseen by HRC Workplace Project staff in close coordination with the HRC Business Council, an advisory group of LGBT workplace activists and our allies. More on the CEI 3.0 criteria after the jump.
The most significant changes outlined in the HRC news release relate to access to health insurance for transgender employees. The new criteria will require that all employees have access to at least one insurance plan that contains no exclusions for transgender-specific care and recognizes internationally-accepted medical standards of care. Employers have been required to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity to achieve a 100 percent rating since the CEI began in 2002.
Also, for a company to receive 100 percent under the new criteria, benefits for same-sex spouses and couples must be fully equivalent to those provided to employees with different-sex spouses to the extent permitted by law including: medical and dependant coverage, COBRA-equivalent benefits, retirement benefits, FMLA-equivalent leave, bereavement leave and others.
The new criteria announced on Tuesday also provide higher standards for measuring a business’ engagement with the broader LGBT community. Businesses are rewarded for demonstrated, ongoing supplier diversity programs that include LGBT-owned suppliers, public support for equal rights legislation and sustained sponsorship and philanthropy.
In a time when record number of companies were reaching HRC’s 100 percent mark, it makes sense to raise the bar to help corporate American further evolve in its inclusiveness. Now, even those companies comfortably lounging in the middle-ground of the index will have to step up their game and become more fully engaged in our community and our issues to avoid sinking to the bottom of the pack.
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