By the Editors of DiversityInc

© DiversityInc 2007 ® All rights reserved. No article on this site can be reproduced by any means, print, electronic or any other, without prior written permission of the publisher.

 

1. Xerox Corp.
2. PricewaterhouseCoopers
3. Bank of America
4. JPMorgan Chase
5. Ernst & Young
6. Eastman Kodak Co.
7. SC Johnson & Son
8. Merrill Lynch & Co.
9. Whirlpool Corp.
10. Chubb & Son

Everyone knows someone who is gay or lesbian. The 2000 census found that 99 percent of U.S. counties had at least one household led by same-sex partners. Increasingly, both GLBT and straight people care deeply whether corporations are giving all their employees equal treatment, regardless of orientation. And they—and their friends and relatives—are important and loyal consumers. Research by Witeck-Combs estimated the buying power of the GLBT market at $640 billion last year. By comparison, the Selig Center for Economic Growth put black buying power at $799 billion last year and Latino buying power at $798 billion.

How are companies recruiting, retaining and promoting GLBT employees? How are they using GLBT employee-resource groups and top talent to reach this community and their supporters? Which companies are having the most success answering these questions? The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for GLBT Employees. To calculate this list, we primarily used questions asked in The 2007 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity^® survey but also factored in the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index.

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Here are some key points about The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for GLBT Employees:

• All have active programs to recruit GLBT employees, compared with 76 percent of the Top 50.
• All have nondiscrimination policies that include gender identity, compared with 74 percent of the Top 50.
• All include gay/lesbian businesses in supplier-diversity tracking, compared with 74 percent of the Top 50.
• All have employee-resource groups for GLBT employees, compared with 84 percent of the Top 50.
• All have adoption assistance, compared with 92 percent of the Top 50.
• Ninety percent have corporate web sites addressing the GLBT community, compared with 74 percent of the Top 50.

Here are The 2007 DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for GLBT Employees:

No. 1: Xerox Corp.

Also No. 7 on The 2007 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list, No. 7 for Recruitment & Retention, No. 3 for Executive Women, No. 1 for Supplier Diversity, and No. 10 for Latinos

A longtime GLBT-supportive company, Xerox last year created and instituted a formal set of Gender Transition Guidelines. These assist employees, managers and human resources when an employee announces the intention to undergo a gender transition. Its corporate web site has a strong GLBT component as well. Only 74 percent of Top 50 companies mention GLBT employees on their web sites.

No. 2: PricewaterhouseCoopers

Also No. 12 on The 2007 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list, No. 3 for People With Disabilities, and No. 4 for Asian Americans

The accounting giant sponsors several GLBT events including the Chicago Games, the Equality Forum, and Out & Equal, and partners with leading GLBT organizations including GLSEN, GLAAD and the Human Rights Campaign. PricewaterhouseCoopers has a GLBT Partner Advisory Board as well.

No. 3: Bank of America

Also No. 1 on The 2007 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list, No. 1 for Recruitment & Retention, No. 1 for Executive Women, No. 3 for Latinos, No. 8 for Asian Americans, and No. 6 for Supplier Diversity

The top company this year also has a longstanding commitment to the GLBT community, reflected on its web site. Bank of America actively recruits GLBT employees and has an important GLBT resource group. The company also offers medical coverage for gender transitions.

No. 4: JPMorgan Chase

Also No. 9 on The 2007 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list, No. 6 for Recruitment & Retention, No. 4 for African Americans, No. 7 for Executive Women, No. 8 for People With Disabilities, and No. 9 for Latinos

With a strong history of involvement with the GLBT community, the banking giant offers a full menu of benefits for same-sex partners, including bereavement leave, adoption assistance and relocation assistance.

No. 5: Ernst & Young

Also No. 43 on The 2007 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list, No. 9 for People With Disabilities, and No. 2 for Asian Americans

The Big Four accounting firm has offered health-care same-sex domestic partner insurance since 2001 and has a strong GLBT employee-resource group.

No. 6: Eastman Kodak Co.

Also No. 35 on The 2007 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list, No. 1 for People With Disabilities, and No. 8 for Supplier Diversity

A long-time champion of GLBT rights, Eastman Kodak requires all employees to attend diversity training on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. The company sponsors many GLBT events and organizations, including the GLSEN, the Human Rights Campaign, the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley and the Gay Games.

No. 7: SC Johnson & Son

Also No. 6 for People With Disabilities

This company also requires all employees to attend diversity training on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. SC Johnson also offers many domestic-partner benefits to same-sex couples, including health care, bereavement, adoption assistance and relocation assistance.

No. 8: Merrill Lynch & Co.

Also one of the 25 Noteworthy Companies in 2007, No. 2 for People With Disabilities, and No. 7 for Asian Americans

The financial-services giant sponsors the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Foundation and offers many domestic-partner benefits for same-sex couples, including health coverage, bereavement leave, relocation assistance, adoption assistance and employee discounts. This company also requires all employees to attend diversity training on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.

No. 9: Whirlpool Corp.

The sponsor of Out & Equal, Rainbow Families and the Human Rights Campaign offers medical coverage for gender transitions.

No. 10: Chubb & Son

This company also requires all employees to attend diversity training on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. Chubb offers many same-sex domestic-partner benefits, including health insurance, bereavement leave, qualified joint and survivor annuity and adoption assistance.