Email insights: Human Rights Campaign ranks Florida companies in 2016 Corporate Equality Index

lgbt-inclusion workforce

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization is out with its 2016 Corporate Equality Index, an annual report assessing LGBT inclusion in major companies and law firms across the nation, including 21 in Florida.

In an email to media outlets, the HRC champions that “Corporate America, propelled by HRC and its foundation’s annual Corporate Equality Index (CEI), has led the way on LGBT inclusion for more than a decade.”

407 businesses have earned a top score of 100 percent on Index and the distinction of “Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality.”

That record number of perfect scores was achieved, according to the HRC, despite demanding new criteria requiring that companies with global operations extend nondiscrimination protections for their LGBT workers worldwide.

The average score for companies and law firms based in Florida is 87 percent. Of the 21 companies ranked, 9 earned 100 percent, 1 earned 90 percent or above, and 7 earned 80 percent or above.

Here’s the Florida list.

Employer Name 2015 CEI Rating
Akerman LLP 100
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida Inc. 100
Carlton Fields Jorden Burt 100
Darden Restaurants Inc. 100
Harris Corp. 100
Holland & Knight LLP 100
Office Depot Inc. 100
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. 100
Tech Data Corp. 100
Jarden Corp. 90
Adecco North America LLC 85
Burger King Corp. 85
Carnival Corp. 85
HSN Inc. 85
Raymond James Financial Inc. 85
Ryder System Inc. 85
Ultimate Software Group Inc., The 80
CSX Corp. 75
Bloomin’ Brands Inc. 65
NextEra Energy Inc. 60
Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. 40

“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 nondiscrimination 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.”

The release comes just as Jacksonville embarks on a series of “community conversations” on whether to expand the city’s human rights ordinance to cover LGBT citizens.

Melissa Ross

In addition to her work writing for Florida Politics, Melissa Ross also hosts and produces WJCT’s First Coast Connect, the Jacksonville NPR/PBS station’s flagship local call-in public affairs radio program. The show has won four national awards from Public Radio News Directors Inc. (PRNDI). First Coast Connect was also recognized in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014 as Best Local Radio Show by Folio Weekly’s “Best Of Jax” Readers Poll and Melissa has also been recognized as Folio Weekly’s Best Local Radio Personality. As executive producer of The 904: Shadow on the Sunshine State, Melissa and WJCT received an Emmy in the “Documentary” category at the 2011 Suncoast Emmy Awards. The 904 examined Jacksonville’s status as Florida’s murder capital. During her years in broadcast television, Melissa picked up three additional Emmys for news and feature reporting. Melissa came to WJCT in 2009 with 20 years of experience in broadcasting, including stints in Cincinnati, Chicago, Orlando and Jacksonville. Married with two children, Melissa is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism/Communications. She can be reached at [email protected].



#FlaPol

Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media.

Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL

Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Drew Dixon, Roseanne Dunkelberger, A.G. Gancarski, William March, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Cole Pepper, Jesse Scheckner, Drew Wilson, and Mike Wright.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @PeterSchorschFL
Phone: (727) 642-3162
Address: 204 37th Avenue North #182
St. Petersburg, Florida 33704