With almost two hundred people in attendance, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), in conjunction with the Equality Professionals Network (EPN), sponsored a discussion and live panel yesterday to preview their widely anticipated report: Corporate Equality Index 2014. The event was held at the newly constructed auditorium of the Qualcomm headquarters off Lusk Blvd in Sorrento Valley and included a complimentary box lunch.
The CEI has been produced every year since 2002 and according to HRC, “The CEI report, released each fall, provides an in-depth analysis and rating of large U.S. employers and their policies and practices pertinent to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees. Businesses rated 100 percent are recognized in our “Best Places to Work” list, and are invited to apply for the HRC Award for Workplace Equality Innovation. All consumer-oriented businesses are included in our “Buying for Equality” guide.”
Qualcomm seemed the perfect setting to host the preview. In brief, opening remarks, Dan Sullivan, the executive vice-president for Human Resources for the global semiconductor company that designs, manufactures and markets digital wireless telecommunications, noted that in 1995, Qualcomm was among the first companies to “put in writing an LGBT statement” that codified non-discriminatory policies. In 1997, the company added domestic benefits which, according to Sullivan, “led other companies to benchmark what we were doing here.” Other groundbreaking measures the company took included financial support for opponents of Prop. 8, a measure that would have banned same-sex marriage in California. In 2013, additional benefits for the transgender community including surgery were added to their roster.
Jaye Whittaker, chair of the EPN, spoke next, introducing her organization which “represents LGBT professionals and their allies from corporate, small-business and government sectors to advance LGBT workplace equality, networking and professional development.” Connor Maddocks, a trans activist who is an integral part of the San Diego LGBT Center, reminded the audience that that night, as part of the National Day of Trans Remembrance, a march and subsequent vigil would be held to honor those members of our community who are no longer with us.
Liz Cooper, manager of Corporate Programs for HRC, followed as the day’s keynote speaker. She began by introducing herself to the audience (she joined the Workplace Project in August, 2010) and remarked that the Corporate Equality Index 2014 would be released Dec. 9. She went on to highlight the remarkable strides corporate America has made since the HRC campaign began the CEI Workplace project. “In 2002,” Cooper noted, “319 companies participated in our survey. In 2013, that number jumped to over 700.” She also presented a slideshow – a snapshot really – of how huge a sea change there has been in the work landscape for the LGBT community when, in 2002, in most states you could be fired simply for being gay, lesbian or bisexual and where, in all but a handful of progressive states, you would most certainly be fired for issues involving gender identity.
Cooper also talked about wanting the goal of the CEI – all of its participants reach 100 percent – to be “transparent, fair and attainable.” She went on to explain how the ratings are broken down. “When we first started in 2002, there were only thirteen companies that received a rating of 100 percent. Last year, 252 companies did.” She also noted that in 2013, “a majority of Fortune 500 companies had non-discriminatory policies in place for sexual orientation (88%) and gender identity (57%). Cooper went on to note the resistance she met when, in 2009, the HRC revised their guidelines to include more trans-friendly policies. “In 2009,” Cooper explained, “49 companies met or exceeded the new HRC trans-friendly guidelines. In 2013, there were 287. Where once there was fear and/or panic, there was now excitement.”
The ratings the HRC uses down are broken down into four area: 30 points are assigned for inclusion of non-discriminatory policies, 35 points are assigned for benefits including benefits for the trans community, 20 points for internal policies including education and training, retention and employee groups and 15 points for external factors like recruitment, marketing/philanthropy and legislative efforts.
Cooper went on to provide some more statistics about the number of companies in the attendant 2014 HRC Buyers Guide before revealing some of the major companies who have scored 100 percent. They include Nissan, Qualcomm, DuPont, Groupon, Proctor and Gamble, Care Fusion, Danaher and Wynn Las Vegas.
After a short break, a Q&A panel was held including some Human Resource and Development reps from some of the biggest companies including Qualcomm’s Lee-Willis Irvine, global head of inclusion and diversity, Intuit’s Linda Higgs, Director of Customer Care and former PRIDE employee network chair and Michele Cox, Human Resource Business Partner at JP Morgan Chase.
Surprising everyone was a guest visit from Kristin Beck, a former U.S. Navy Seal who transitioned and wrote Princess Warrior, a book documenting her journey from the hypermasculine world of the U.S. military to her role as trans model, spokesperson and anti-bullying activist.
On behalf of the Board and members of EPN (Equality Professionals Network), thank you so much for covering this event and for raising awareness about LGBT workplace equality and HRC’s Corporate Equality Index (CEI).