Corporate

2017 LGBTQ Business Equality Excellence Award

By BEQPride Magazine | December 15, 2016

The Business Equality Network announces the inaugural LGBTQ Business Equality Excellence Award.

The Business Equality Network and the BEQ Pride editorial team are committed to the development and success of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer business community. We place special emphasis and acknowledge support for organizations and major employers that have made diverse and inclusive workplace, multicultural engagement, and supply chain diversity not just a matter of policy, but a matter of practice.

Once a year, we will honor organizations that are fostering economic stability in the LGBTQ community through the fair treatment and inclusion of LGBTQ employees, suppliers, consumers and partners in business. These organizations are recognized for their demonstrated practice of Business Equality Excellence.

Our inaugural list of 107 major corporations, employers and two sports organizations have demonstrated their comprehensive commitment to LGBTQ equality. Simply put, our awardees routinely deliver an unmistakable message that the country and each state where they are headquartered cannot ignore — diversity and inclusion matter. Their increased visible, vocal and financial commitment to equality in the workforce, workplace, marketplace and supply chain of their respective organizations contributes to the economic climate locally, nationally and around the world.

The overwhelming majority of our awardees are among the Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality as recognized by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s recently released 2017 Corporate Equality Index. Each organization has active LGBT employee resource groups or resources set aside for employees to form an ERG. All have demonstrated a vigorous dedication to bringing LGBT-owned businesses into their supply chains and are active with LGBT business organizations including corporate partnership with the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.

A state level view

The Regional and State View of Business Equality Excellence Awardees provides interesting insights on each organization’s leadership role among other corporations headquartered in the same region and state. These companies are diversity leaders in 25 states across the country and all US regions. Their support of LGBTQ equality in the workforce, workplace, marketplace and supply chain provides a first line of defense for economic equality in the absence of federal protection against discrimination and inequality for LGBTQ people.

The Midwest Region is home to 24 Awardees
The North East Region is headquarters for 43 Awardees
The South enjoys 23 Awardees within the region
The West has 17 Awardees

The Business Equality Network and BEQ Pride Magazine salute our 2017 Awardees and look forward to telling their stories in the year ahead — from their support of LGBTQ entrepreneurs; to highlights of their events and best practices; profiles of their movers and shakers; and their bold leadership to protect the rights of LGBTQ individuals.

There are 107 organizations receiving our Inaugural LGBTQ Business Equality Excellence Award. These Awardees are headquartered in 24 states across the country and the District of Columbia. Each organization has taken their support of the LGBTQ community beyond their workplace, workforce and marketplace to the small businesses and supplier community that represent the growth engine of our economy. Each awardee has a sphere of social, political and economic influence that gives hope and extends power to the LGBTQ community.

If you are employed by, do business with, are a customer of, live in a state with or otherwise have an interest in our 107 Business Excellence awardees show your support for their leadership and willingness to stand on the right side of history. Many leaders within these organizations have taken a personal, vocal and visible stand for equality — let them know you appreciate their support on the issues that are important to you.

Based on the 2017 Corporate Equality Index, 517 major employers achieved the designation of “Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality” representing 34 states and the District of Columbia. This designation engenders well-deserved brand affinity and loyalty and some portion of the estimated $917 Billion1 in purchasing power. Purchasing power is a two-way street.

Beginning with the 2019 Corporate Equality Index, organizations that have a supplier diversity program must demonstrate that their initiative includes the LGBTQ community. This new requirement is an invitation to all employers who value LGBTQ inclusion to join or support the NGLCC, an NGLCC affiliate (shown in the diagram below) or demonstrate LGBTQ supplier inclusion by other means. The LGBTQ community is inviting the rest of corporate America to “spend here”.