PORTLAND, Ore. — Stoel Rives LLP is proud to announce that it received a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), earning the designation as a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality!” CEI is the nation’s premier benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality. Stoel Rives is one of 842 major U.S. businesses that earned top marks this year.
“I commend everyone at the firm for their ongoing efforts, whether big or small, to make everyone here feel welcome, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, race or religion,” said Karen O’Connor, chair of Stoel Rives’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. “Kudos also to my fellow committee members for stepping up to ensure that inclusivity remains a vital part of our culture at Stoel.”
“When the Human Rights Campaign Foundation created the Corporate Equality Index 20 years ago, we dreamed that LGBTQ+ workers — from the factory floor to corporate headquarters, in big cities and small towns — could have access to the policies and benefits needed to thrive and live life authentically,” said Jay Brown, Human Rights Campaign Senior Vice President of Programs, Research and Training. “We are proud that the Corporate Equality Index paved the way to that reality for countless LGBTQ+ workers in America and abroad. But there is still more to do, which is why we are raising the bar yet again to create more equitable workplaces and a better tomorrow for LGBTQ+ workers everywhere.”
In 2002, the first year of the CEI, only 13 companies achieved a top score, and this year’s results demonstrate the incredible impact the CEI has had on the business world over its 20-year life. The 2022 CEI reflects growth across every measurement category — from the adoption of inclusive non-discrimination policies to equitable healthcare benefits for transgender employees — and showcases how 1,271 U.S.-based companies are not only promoting LGBTQ-friendly workplace policies in the U.S. but helping advance the cause of LGBTQ+ inclusion in workplaces abroad.
Companies rated in the CEI include Fortune magazine’s 500 largest publicly traded businesses, American Lawyer magazine’s top 200 revenue-grossing law firms (AmLaw 200), and hundreds of publicly and privately held mid- to large-sized businesses.
The CEI rates companies and top law firms on detailed criteria falling under four central pillars:
- Nondiscrimination policies across business entities
- Equitable benefits for LGBTQ+ workers and their families
- Supporting an inclusive culture
- Corporate social responsibility
The full report is available online at www.hrc.org/cei.