Two local companies participated for the first time in the latest Corporate Equality Index, the annual assessment of corporate LGBT policies and practices released Wednesday, Nov. 19, by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
Celanese Corporation of Irving and RadioShack of Fort Worth joined 42 other Texas-based companies on this year’s CEI, which evaluates Fortune 1000 companies and law firms on a 1-100 scale across five categories: non-discrimination policies, employment benefits, competency and accountability around LGBT diversity and inclusion, public commitment to LGBT equality and corporate responsibility.
Four Dallas/Fort Worth companies achieved the rare perfect 100 score, among them AT&T and Comerica of Dallas, American Airlines of Fort Worth and GameStop of Grapevine.
American Airlines is among just nine companies nationwide that have received perfect scores each year since the CEI began in 2002.
“The Corporate Equality Index shows just how much progress American businesses have made in promoting fairness, spurred on by leadership from Texas-based employers,” said Deena Fidas, who heads the HRC Foundation’s Workplace Project and is co-author of the CEI. “Texas companies can tell you: equality works — not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it is simply good business to give everyone a fair shot at success in the workplace.”
Celanese was lauded for dramatically improved its score from 15 to 80 points by taking action that included adding gender identity protections to its non-discrimination policy, as well as instituting domestic partner medical benefits, same-sex partner benefits and an LGBT employee resource group with executive support.
RadioShack’s active participation earned the corporation 15 points over last year’s score. ExxonMobil of Irving, notoriously hostile to LGBT equality, has been given a score of -25 for shareholders’ actions in repeatedly voting against a policy protecting LGBT employees.
Rafael McDonnell, advocacy and communications director for Resource Center, said, “Celanese is one of the oil and gas and engineering companies who see the benefits of inclusion.” He noted that oil and gas giants like Celanese, as well as manufacturing, biotechnology and other companies in business sectors that have been under-represented are a focal point for LGBT workplace advocates like Resource Center and HRC.
AT&T celebrated its leadership on LGBT issues, as seen in the video below.
“When you have a culture where everyone can bring their full selves to work each day, it’s amazing what happens,” said Debbie Storey, AT&T senior vice president of talent development and chief diversity officer. “At AT&T we’ve long known that inclusion drives innovation – and that a truly inclusive culture is defined by its action, policies, and accountability practices. HRC understands that too, which is why this recognition is so meaningful to us.”
