Local companies earn perfect score on LGBTQ index

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A national report that ranks businesses according to inclusion policies for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer employees gave perfect scores to eight major employers based in Pittsburgh.

A number of companies with significant operations in the region also earned 100 percent on the 2018 Corporate Equality Index compiled by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.

Companies headquartered in Pittsburgh that achieved perfect scores were Alcoa, American Eagle Outfitters, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, Highmark, K&L Gates, PNC Financial Services Corp., PPG and Reed Smith.

The Washington, D.C.based foundation scores large public and private companies and law firms according to non-discrimination policies, benefits for LGBTQ workers and their families, internal education and accountability to promote inclusion policies, and public commitment to LGBTQ equality.

Companies provide data for the rankings through surveys.

Among the companies with large operations in the region that achieved perfect scores were Arconic, Bank of New York Mellon, Bayer, Boston Consulting Group, Comcast, Eaton, Emerson Electric, Siemens, ThermoFisher Scientific, Uber Technologies and Verizon.

Foundation president Chad Griffith said the new ranking represents “a highwater mark in LGBTQ workplace inclusion” with more than 600 employers achieving the 100 percent score.

“On a practical level, this means that millions of LGBTQ workers across America — as well as LGBTQ workers employed by multinational companies around the globe — are covered under non-discrimination policies and able to bring their full selves to work every day,” Mr. Griffith said.