Rating Criteria for the 2025 CEI

1. Workforce Protections (5 points possible)

• Policy includes sexual orientation and gender identity/gender identity or expression for all operations (5)

2. Inclusive Benefits (50 points possible)

To secure full credit for benefits criteria, each benefit must be available to all benefits-eligible U.S. employees. In areas where more than one health insurance plan is available, at least one inclusive plan must be available.

• Equivalency in same- and different-sex spousal medical and soft benefits (No points awarded)
• Equivalency in same- and different-sex domestic partner medical and soft benefits (10)
• Equivalency in spousal and domestic partner family formation benefits regardless of sex. (10)
• Equal health coverage for transgender individuals without exclusion for medically necessary care (25)
• LGBTQ+ Benefits Guide (5)

3. Supporting an Inclusive Culture (25 points possible)

a. Four LGBTQ+ ​Internal Training and Accountability Efforts (5)
Businesses must demonstrate a firm-wide, sustained and accountable commitment to diversity and cultural competency, including at least four of the following elements:

• New hire training clearly states that the nondiscrimination policy includes gender identity and sexual orientation and provides definitions or scenarios illustrating the policy for each
• Supervisors undergo training that includes gender identity and sexual orientation as discrete topics (may be part of a broader training), and provides definitions or scenarios illustrating the policy for each
• Integration of gender identity and sexual orientation in professional development, skills-based or other leadership training that includes elements of diversity and/or cultural competency
• Integration of intersectionality in professional development, skills-based, or other training (required)
• Senior management/executive performance measures include LGBTQ+ diversity metrics.

b. One LGBTQ+ Data Collection Effort (5)

• Anonymous employee engagement or climate surveys conducted on an annual or biennial basis allow employees the option to identify as LGBTQ+
• Data collection forms that include employee race, ethnicity, gender, military and disability status — typically recorded as part of employee records — include optional questions on sexual orientation and gender identity.
• Board (or other governing body) member demographic data collection include the option for individuals to report their sexual orientation and gender identity or self-identity as LGBTQ+

c. Transgender Inclusion Best Practices (5)

• Gender transition guidelines with supportive restroom, dress code and documentation guidance
• Implementation of the at least one (1) of the following policies or practices
  • Trans-inclusive restroom/facilities policy
  • Gender-neutral dress code
  • Policies/procedures that allow for optional sharing of gender pronouns

d. Employee Group –OR– Diversity Council (10)

4. Corporate Social Responsibility (20 points possible)

a. Five Distinct Efforts of Outreach or Engagement to Broader LGBTQ+ Community (15)
Businesses must demonstrate ongoing LGBTQ+ specific engagement that extends across the firm, including at least five efforts in any of the following categories. Businesses do not need efforts in every category, they may meet this criteria through any combination of categories available.

• LGBTQ+ employee recruitment efforts with demonstrated reach of LGBTQ+ applicants (required documentation may include a short summary of the event or an estimation of the number of candidates reached)
• Supplier diversity program with demonstrated effort to include certified LGBTQ+ suppliers
• Marketing or advertising to LGBTQ+ consumers (e.g.: advertising with LGBTQ+ content, advertising in LGBTQ+ media or sponsoring LGBTQ+ organizations and events)
• Philanthropic support of at least one LGBTQ+ organization or event (e.g.: financial, in kind or pro bono support)
• Demonstrated public support for LGBTQ+ equality under the law through local, state or federal legislation or initiatives

b. LGBTQ+ Corporate Social Responsibility

Contractor/supplier non-discrimination standards AND Philanthropic Giving Guidelines (5)

5. Responsible citizenship (-25)

Employers will receive anywhere from 5 to 25 points deductions for a large-scale official or public anti-LGBTQ+ blemish through Criterion 5: Responsible Citizenship. Scores in this criterion are based on information that has come to HRC’s attention related to topics including but not limited to: 

• advocating for public policies or regulations related to LGBTQ+ equality that would be detrimental to employees and their families;
• undue influence by a significant shareholder calculated to undermine a business’s employment policies or practices related to its LGBTQ+ employees;
• opposing shareholder resolutions reasonably aimed at encouraging the adoption of inclusive workplace policies;
• revoking inclusive LGBTQ+ policies or practices;
• engaging in proven practices that are contrary to the business’s written LGBTQ+ employment policies;
• directing corporate charitable contributions to organizations whose primary mission includes advocacy against LGBTQ+ equality; or,
• failing to uphold established commitments to the LGBTQ+ community resulting from pressure from anti-LGBTQ+ extremists.

If at any time after losing points in this criterion an employer responds to the LGBTQ+ community’s concerns, HRC will re-evaluate the point deduction for that employer. The rating change may not be reflected until the following year’s Corporate Equality Index report, depending on the situation.

HRC will always seek to improve an organization’s rating and seek resolutions to benefit an organization’s LGBTQ+ workers, consumers and investors.

Point Allocations

Businesses are rated on a scale from 0 to 100, with a certain number of points awarded for meeting each criterion. The HRC Foundation will continue to award partial credit to employers that have satisfied a portion of certain criterion.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to us with any questions about the Corporate Equality Index at cei@hrc.org.