Amazon and Richmond’s Martin Agency join LGBT-friendly workplaces program

Amazon.com Inc., AT&T Inc., The Martin Agency and Washington Gas are the latest companies to join Equality Virginia’s Virginia Competes program, which encourages safe and welcoming workplaces for LGBT employees. The employers made an announcement Thursday in Tysons. 

Launched in 2017, the program requires that member companies have a score of at least 75 out of 100 points on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index. Companies must also have policies protecting the rights of LGBT employees. Nineteen companies are enrolled in Virginia Competes, including Altria Group Inc., Capital One Financial Corp., CarMax, Dominion Energy, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, Northrop Grumman Corp., SunTrust Banks Inc. and Williams Mullen. 

LGBT people are not explicitly protected from workplace discrimination under current Virginia law.

“The business community in Virginia has a strong and influential voice,” Equality Virginia Executive Director James Parrish said at the Virginia Competes luncheon at the Tower Club. “We welcome these new members to Virginia Competes and are glad to see them leading the way with workplace protections and cultural awareness.”

The event also included remarks from the Human Rights Campaign’s state legislative director, Cathryn Oakley, about the current lack of statewide protections for LGBT Virginians in housing, public accommodations and the workplace.