Equality Virginia looks to expand workplace program

Equality Virginia this week is launching an advisory board to develop its program recognizing businesses committed to workplace fairness for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

In addition, three companies joined the Virginia Competes program. Huntington Ingalls Industries, Nestle and Reed Smith officially joined the program on Tuesday, bringing the total number of companies in the program to 15.

The companies join Capital One, CarMax, Dominion Energy, Genworth, Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia, Hunton Andrews Kurth, LeClairRyan, Mercer, Northrop Grumman, Snagajob, SunTrust and Williams Mullen.

The advisory board, which first meets Thursday, initially will have 10 members. It is made up of industry partners and will work to expand the program.

Companies in the program commit to workplaces that are “diverse and welcoming for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.”

“We know there is a clear economic and business case for fair treatment of LGBT individuals,” James Parrish, executive director of Equality Virginia, said in a statement. “One does not have to look much further than North Carolina’s restroom bill HB2 to see that discriminating against transgender individuals will trigger backlash from the business community.