A new report released this week shows that a record number of U.S. companies are trying to be gay-friendly with a growing number offering benefits and protections to gay and lesbian employees and customers.According to the report, compiled by Washington-based gay rights advocacy group Human Rights Campaign, an unprecedented 138 major U.S. companies scored 100 percent in a Corporate Equality Index.
That number was up from 101 companies last year and was 10 times higher than the 13 companies with that score in 2002, said the campaign, which conducts research and education programs and lobbies Congress.
Top companies offer such benefits as medical coverage and family leave to same-sex partners, prohibit discrimination against transgender workers or advertise in ways that respect gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people, the report said.
"I think what is really significant is that we raised the bar in terms of what we asked of corporations, and the number of perfect scores went up to an unprecedented place," said Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, reports The San Francisco Chronicle.
Daryl Herrschaft, director of the group's workplace project, told Reuters, “More companies are not only implementing very comprehensive workplace policies that cover gay employees and their families but more companies are doing it faster and also seeking recognition for it.”
Consistent high scorers since the group began the index in 2002 have been IBM Corp., Citigroup, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., Levi Strauss & Co and Nike Inc., he said.
(Source:GayWired)
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