LGBTQ group names top Va. companies for equality

Nineteen Virginia companies have made the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s 2020 list of “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality.” Nearly 700 U.S. companies were included in the list, which was released in the 18th edition of the organization’s 2020 Corporate Equality Index. 

This year’s index was determined via a survey of 1,059 companies, including 122 Fortune 500 corporations, on LGBTQ-friendly practices and policies including non-discrimination policies, employment benefits, supporting an inclusive culture and corporate social responsibility. 

The top-scoring (100% CEI rating) companies in Virginia include: 

• Airbus Americas Inc. (Herndon)
• Altria Group Inc. (Richmond)
• BAE Systems Inc. (Arlington)
• Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. (McLean) 
• Capital One Financial Corp. (McLean)
• CarMax Inc. (Richmond)
• Dominion Energy (Richmond)
• Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., “Freddie Mac” (McLean)
• Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond (Richmond)
• Gannett Co. Inc. (McLean)
• Genworth Financial Inc. (Richmond)
• Hilton (McLean)
• Nestlé  USA Inc. (Arlington)
• Northrop Grumman Corp. (Reston)
• Rolls-Royce North America (USA) Holdings Co. (Reston)
• Science Applications International Corp. (Reston)
• TENGA Inc. (McLean)
• Williams Mullen (Richmond)
• Willis Towers Watson (Arlington) 

“These companies know that protecting their LGBTQ employees and customers from discrimination is not just the right thing to do — it is also the best business decision,” HRC President Alphonso David said in a statement. “In addition, many of these leaders are also advocating for the LGBTQ community and equality under the law in the public square.”

The average score for Virginia companies was 83%. 

The CEI specifically evaluated whether companies prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, offer equivalent benefits for same- and different-sex domestic partners and spouses, host LGBTQ trainings/best practices, has a diversity council or does outreach to engage broader LGBTQ community. Points are allocated in each category to create the CEI percentage rating. Companies that did not respond to the survey were rated using publicly available information. 

Washington, D.C.-based HRC was established in 1980 and is an LGBTQ advocacy and political lobbying organization.