HRC releases 2016 Corporate Equality Index [PHOTOS]

The results of The Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) annual Corporate Equality Index (CEI), a national benchmarking tool on corporate policies and practices related to LGBT workplace equality was announced during a press conference in downtown Atlanta on Wednesday.

Chad Griffin, President of HRC was on hand to deliver remarks on the findings of the annual report.  In total, 851 companies were officially rated in the 2016 CEI, up from 781 in the 2015 report. The average score for companies and law firms based in Georgia is 82 percent. Of the 24 companies ranked, 13 earned 100 percent, 3 earned 90 percent or above, and 1 earned 80 percent or above.

“Atlanta was the first city in the deep South to score a perfect 100 on HRC’s Municipal Equality Index,” says Griffin. “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 adds.

The 2016 CEI unveiled that a record 407 businesses earned a top score of 100 percent and the distinction of “Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality.”

Georgia companies earning a 2015 CEI score of 100:

Alston & Bird LLP

Coca-Cola Co,. The

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta

First Data Corp.

Home Depot Inc., The

InterContinental Hotels Group America

Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP

King & Spaulding LLP

NCR Corp.

Newell Rubbermaid Inc.

Sun Trust Banks Inc.

Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP

Troutman Sanders LLP

Earning a score of 90 percent: Cox Enterprises, Delta Air Lines, and United Parcel Services.

The full report, including a searchable employer database is is available online at www.hrc.org/cei.