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NEW YORK — CVS Health, Food Lion, Kroger, Meijer, Target, Walgreens and Walmart were among the 842 U.S. companies that received a top score of 100% on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), a benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality.
The CEI rates companies on detailed criteria falling under four central pillars:
- Non-discrimination policies across business entities
- Equitable benefits for LGBTQ+ workers and their families
- Supporting an inclusive culture
- Corporate social responsibility
Food Lion was among the retail companies whose commitment to meeting these criteria earned the retailer a 100% rating and the designation as one of the “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality.”
“Food Lion has an enduring commitment to creating a sense of belonging for our associates, customers and communities,” said Linda Johnson, Chief Human Resources & Communications Officer at Food Lion. “Through our policies and practices, we continually foster a diverse and inclusive environment where our associates are encouraged to be their authentic selves. We are proud to once again be recognized as a best place to work which reaffirms our continuous focus on this important work.”
The GIANT Co. was another Ahold Delhaize USA company that scored 100% on the CEI and qualified as a Best Place to Work according to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
“Each and every team member makes us the brand that we are, and this distinction again highlights our ongoing commitment to creating a workplace culture of inclusion and belonging,” said Matt Lutcavage, vice president of team experience, The GIANT Company. “We are real people serving real people which is why at The GIANT Company everyone is respected, valued, heard, and welcomed just the way we are.”
Food Lion and GIANT are among seven Ahold Delhaize USA companies that made the Best Place to Work list. The others are Giant Food, Hannaford, Peapod Digital Labs, Retail Business Services and Stop & Shop.
This year’s CEI report shows the progress American companies have made since 2002, the first year of the CEI, when only 13 companies achieved a top score. This year’s CEI reflects growth across every measurement category, from the adoption of inclusive non-discrimination policies to equitable health care benefits for transgender employees.
“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, senior vice president of programs, research and training, Human Rights Campaign. “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.”
The full report is available online at www.hrc.org/cei.
