Corporate

Equity In Business And The Public Square

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This map reveals a powerful narrative at play in business and the public square in this country. First, let’s address the obvious. Why are there empty grey-colored states on this map of the United States? We wanted to create a quick and easy way to activate our community in the interest of equality in business and in the public square. A number of major employers and organizations for various reasons have decided to weigh in publicly in matters of diversity, equity and inclusion. In fact, many business leaders and public figures have emerged on a soapbox posing as authorities on diversity, equity, inclusion and justice—out of personal experience or conviction, social pressure or in some cases ignorance—to the detriment of the brands or causes they represent.

The public square has become noisy and messages can become convoluted thus allowing the desired impact to be muted. Or worse yet, allow brands we know and love to remain silent while benefiting from the sidelines. This map is a state by state key of the businesses who publicly wear the badge of Best Places to Work for the LGBTQ Equality, are proud members of the Human Rights Campaign’s Business Coalition for the Equality Act and/or they include certified LGBT business enterprises in their supplier diversity initiatives. No matter their flavor of equality in business and the public square, we need to engage them, support them and in some cases challenge them to live up to their public declarations, commendations and prior actions in support of equality.

At a glance, there are 422 employer organizations that publicly support LGBTQ equality in business and in the public square grouped by the location of their US headquarters. Follow the links as follows to examine the details.

Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia have major employers that enjoy political, social and economic influence within the state. There are 19 states without a large private sector employer organization headquartered within the state that has publicly advocated for the rights of LGBTQ people in the workplace, supply chain or located within the state. Many of our favorite equality-supporting brands are operating in these 19 states and they enjoy some influence.

Why care?

Our collective voice and economic power can have an impact. When there are public concerns, laws or actions that either negatively or positively impact the LGBTQ+ community we can be heard as employees, consumers, investors and/or citizens.

Cultivating a meaningful relationship and connection with the LGBTQ+ community and allies has far reaching implications on the corporate bottom line. A deeper connection than the rainbow version of their logo, an annual Pride sponsorship or the many commercial spots and ads declaring support and solidarity with the Queer and Trans community over time.

The LGBTQ community is sophisticated and discerning with intersectional concerns representing a significant consumer base. That base has a buying power of approximately $1 trillion in the U.S. and globally a combined $3.7 trillion.

As a community, equality in business and the public square means we will show our support (or concern, as necessary) when brands are:

  • acting in favor of human rights, equality and nondiscrimination,
  • engaging with the understanding that the LGBTQ+ community is not a monolith, and
  • demonstrating the significance of diversity and inclusion in their business strategies, commitments, actions and results.

Stay alert, be heard and take action.

 

Companies by Region

Northeast

AccentureNew YorkNY
ADP, IncRoselandNJ
AIGNew YorkNY
Alcoa Corp.PittsburghPA
AlixPartners LLPNew YorkNY
Altice USA Inc.Long Island CityNY
Amalgamated BankNew YorkNY
American Eagle Outfitters Inc.PittsburghPA
American ExpressNew YorkNY
American Express Global Business TravelNew YorkNY
AmerisourceBergenChesterbrookPA
AramarkPhiladelphiaPA
ArconicNew YorkNY
Ascena Retail Group Inc.MahwahNJ
AXANew YorkNY
BarclaysNew YorkNY
BASF North AmericaFlorham ParkNJ
BayerWhippanyNJ
Becton DickinsonFranklin LakesNJ
BiogenCambridgeMA
BlueCross BlueShield Association of MassachusettsBostonMA
BNP ParibasNew YorkNY
BNY MellonNew YorkNY
Boehringer Ingelheim USA Corp.RidgefieldCT
Boston ScientificMarlboroughMA
BrexBaltimoreMD
Bright HorizonsWatertownMA
Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS)New YorkNY
Broadridge Financial Solutions Inc.Lake SuccessNY
Brown Advisory, Inc.BaltimoreMD
Brown Rudnick LLPBostonMA
Burson Cohn & WolfeNew YorkNY
Celgene CorporationSummitNJ
Cengage Learning Inc.BostonMA
ChobaniNorwichNY
Choice Hotels International Inc.RockvilleNY
ChubbPhiladelphiaPA
CitiNew YorkNY
Citizens BankProvidenceRI
Colgate-Palmolive CompanyNew YorkNY
Comcast/NBC UniversalPhiladelphiaPA
CorningCorningNY
CVS HealthWoonsocketRI
Daniel J. Edelman Inc.New YorkNY
Danone North AmericaWhite PlainsNY
Day Pitney LLPParsippanyNJ
Debevoise & Plimpton LLPNew YorkNY
Deloitte LLPNew YorkNY
DiageoNorwalkCT
Dun & BradstreetShort HillsNJ
Eastern Bank CorporationBostonMA
EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma, and EMD Performance MaterialsBurlingtonMA
EYNew YorkNY
Giant of Maryland LLCLandoverMD
Goldman SachsNew YorkNY
Halstead Real EstateNew YorkNY
Hannaford SupermarketsScarboroughME
Hartford (The)HartfordCT
Hershey Co., TheHersheyPA
Hess Corp.New YorkNY
Hiscox USANew YorkNY
Host Hotels & Resorts Inc.BethesdaMD
Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLPNew YorkNY
IBMArmonkNY
IHS Markit Ltd.New YorkNY
IKEA Holding US Inc.ConshohockenPA
International Flavors & FragrancesNew YorkNY
Iron MountainBostonMA
Jackson LewisNew YorkNY
John HancockBostonMA
Johnson & JohnsonNew BrunswickNJ
JPMorgan ChaseNew YorkNY
Kelley Drye & Warren, LLPNew YorkNY
Kenneth Cole Productions Inc.New YorkNY
Kind LLCNew YorkNY
KPMGNew YorkNY
Lendlease Americas Inc.New YorkNY
Liberty MutualBostonMA
Lockheed MartinBethesdaMD
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLCJersey CityNJ
L’OréalNew YorkNY
Lowenstein Sandler LLPNew YorkNY
Marriott International, Inc.BethesdaMD
MarsMt. OliveNJ
Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.New YorkNY
MassMutualSpringfieldMA
MastercardPurchaseNY
McCormick & Company Inc.Hunt ValleyMD
McGraw HillNew YorkNY
McKinsey & Co. Inc.New YorkNY
Merck & Co., Inc.KenilworthNJ
MetLifeNew YorkNY
MLBNew YorkNY
Moody’s Corp.New YorkNY
Morgan StanleyNew YorkNY
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLPPhiladelphiaPA
NasdaqNew YorkNY
National Grid USAWalthamMA
NBANew YorkNY
New York Life Insurance CompanyNew YorkNY
NielsenNew YorkNY
Novartis Pharmaceuticals CorporationEast HanoverNJ
Nuance CommunicationsBurlingtonMA
Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc.Lakeville-MiddleboroMA
PelotonNew YorkNY
PepsiCoPurchaseNY
PfizerNew YorkNY
Philip Morris International Inc.New YorkNY
Pitney BowesStamfordCT
PNC Financial Services GroupPittsburghPA
Power Home RemodelingChesterPA
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC)New YorkNY
Prudential FinancialNewarkNJ
Publicis HealthNew YorkNY
PVH Corp.New YorkNY
Quest Diagnostics IncorporatedSecaucusNJ
RaytheonWalthamMA
Realogy Holdings Corp.MadisonNJ
S&P GlobalNew YorkNY
SanofiBridgewaterNJ
SAP America Inc.Newtown SquarePA
Shire PLCLexingtonMA
Shutterstock Inc.New YorkNY
SodexoGaithersburgMD
Spotify USA Inc.SpotifyNY
Standard Chartered BankNew YorkNY
Stanley Black & DeckerNew BritainCT
StaplesFraminghamMA
SUEZ Water Technologies and SolutionsTrevosePA
Sun LifeWellesley HillsMA
SynchronyStamfordCT
TD BankCherry HillNJ
TE Auto AmericasBerwynPA
Teva PharmaceuticalsParsippanyNJ
The Depository Trust & Clearing Corp.New YorkNY
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.New YorkNY
The GIANT CompanyCarlislePA
The Guardian Life Insurance Co. of AmericaNew YorkNY
The Knot WorldwideChevy ChaseMD
Thermo Fisher ScientificWalthamMA
TIAANew YorkNY
TripAdvisorNeedhamMA
Turner ConstructionNew YorkNY
UBSNew YorkNY
Under Armour Inc.BaltimoreMD
Unilever, PLCEnglewood CliffsNJ
USTAWhite PlainsNY
VanguardMalvernPA
VerizonNew YorkNY
ViacomNew YorkNY
Warby ParkerNew YorkNY
Wyndham Hotels & ResortsParsippanyNJ
Xylem Inc.Rye BrookNY
Yext Inc.New YorkNY

 

South

Advance Auto Parts (Advance Holding)RaleighNC
Airbus Americas Inc.HerndonVA
Altria GroupRcihmondVA
American AirlinesFor WorthTX
AstraZenecaWilmingtonDE
Asurion LLCNashvilleTN
AT&TDallasTX
Bank of AmericaCharlotteNC
BBVABirminghamAL
Booz Allen HamiltonMcLeanVA
BP AmericaHoustonTX
Bridgestone Americas Holding Inc.NashvilleTN
Brown-Forman Corp.LouisvilleKY
Buckley LLPWashingtonDC
Capital OneMcLeanVA
Citrix Systems, IncFort LauderdaleFL
Coca-Cola Company (The)AtlantaGA
Compass Real Estate LLCCharlotteNC
ConocoPhillipsHoustonTX
CortevaWilmingtonDE
Cox CommunicationsAtlantaGA
Darden Restaurants Inc.OrlandoFL
DellRound RockTX
Delta Air Lines Inc.AtlantaGA
Dominion Energy, Inc.RichmondVA
E*TRADE Financial Corp.AringtonVA
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. (DuPont)WilmingtonDE
Ericsson Inc.PlanoTX
Evolent Health Inc.ArlingtonVA
Fannie MaeWashingtonDC
Federal Reserve BankAtlantaGA
First Data Corp.AtlantaGA
Food LionSalisburyNC
Fossil Group Inc.RichardsonTX
Freddie MacMcLeanVA
GE AppliancesLouisvilleKY
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)Research Triangle ParkNC
Global PaymentsAtlantaGA
GuidehouseWashingtonDC
Highmark HealthWilmingtonDE
HiltonMcLeanVA
Hogan Lovells US LLPWashingtonDC
Holland & Knight LLPBrandonFL
HSN Inc.St. PetersburgFL
Humana, Inc.LouisvilleKY
Ingersoll-Rand CompanyDavidsonNC
InterContinental Hotels Group AmericasAtlantaGA
Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.DallasTX
JSXDallasTX
Kabbage Inc.AtlantaGA
Keller Williams Realty Inc.AustinTX
LabCorpBurlingtonNC
LeidosRestonVA
Lowe’sMooresvilleNC
Mitchell Gold + Bob WilliamsTaylorsvilleNC
Morris, Manning & Martin LLPAtlantaGA
Nestlé USA Inc.ArlingtonVA
Northrop GrummanFalls churchVA
Office Depot, Inc.Boca RatonFL
Pariveda Solutions Inc.DallasTX
PGAPonte Vedra BeachFL
Red Hat Inc.RaleighNC
Replacements Ltd.McLeansvilleNC
Retail Business ServicesSalisburyNC
Reynolds AmericanWinston-SalemNC
Shell Oil CompanyHoustonTX
SiemensWashingtonDC
Southern Company GasAtlantaGA
Southwest AirlinesDallasTX
SunTrust BankAtlantaGA
SYSCO Corp.HoustonTX
Tech Data Corp.ClearwaterFL
TEGNA Inc.McLeanVA
Texas Instruments Inc.DallasTX
Toyota Financial ServicesPlanoTX
TPG Global LLCFortwothTX
TruistAtlantaGA
Turner Broadcasting System. Inc.AtlantaGA
UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group)WestonFL
Univision Communications Inc.MiamiFL
UnumChattanoogaTN
UPSAtlantaGA
USAASan AntonioTX
ViiV Healthcare CompanyResearch TriangleNC
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.DallasTX
Warner MediaDallasTX
Willis Towers WatsonArlingtonVA
Wyndham DestinationsOrlandoFL

 

West

Adobe Inc.San JoseCA
Advanced Micro Devices Inc.Santa ClaraCA
AEGLos AngelesCA
AirbnbSan FransiscoCA
Alaska AirlinesSeattleWA
Amazon.com Inc.SeattleWA
American Honda Motor Co.TorranceCA
AmgenThousand OaksCA
AMN Healthcare Services Inc.San DiegoCA
AppleCupertinoCA
Applied Materials Inc.Santa ClaraCA
Asana, Inc.San franciscoCA
Aspen Skiing Company LLCAspenCO
AtlassianSan FranciscoCA
AutodeskSan RafaelCA
Avnet Inc.PhoenixAZ
Ball CorporationWestminsterCO
BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.San RafaelCA
Bird Rides Inc.Santa MonicaCA
Box Inc.Redwood CityCA
Caesars Entertainment CorporationLas VegasNV
California Water Service GroupSan JoseCA
Capital Group Companies, Inc.Los AngelesCA
CBRE GroupLos AngelesCA
ChevronSan RamonCA
Cisco Systems Inc.San JoseCA
Converse Inc. (Nike)BeavertonOR
CSAA Insurance GroupWalnut CreekCA
Dropbox Inc.San FranciscoCA
eBay Inc.San JoseCA
Edison InternationalRosemeadCA
Empower RetirementGreenwood VilliageCO
Expedia GroupBellevueWA
FacebookMenlo ParkCA
Gap Inc.San FranciscoCA
GenentechSouth San FranciscoCA
Gilead Sciences Inc.Foster CityCA
Glassdoor Inc.San FranciscoCA
GODADDY Inc.ScottsdaleAZ
GoogleMountain ViewCA
Gusto (formerly ZenPayroll)San FraciscoCA
Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co.San JoseCA
HP Inc.Palo AltoCA
HSF Affiliates LLCIrvineCA
Insight Enterprises Inc.TempeAZ
Intel CorporationSanta ClaraCA
IntuitMoutain ViewCA
Jefferson HealthcarePort TownsendWA
Juniper Networks Inc.SunnyvaleCA
Kaiser PermanenteOaklandCA
Keep Truckin, Inc.San FranciscoCA
Levi Strauss & Co.San FranciscoCA
Linden Research Inc.San FranciscoCA
Lyft Inc.San FrancscoCA
McAfee LLCSan JoseCA
McKesson Corp.San FranciscoCA
McKinstry Co. LLCSeattleWA
MGM Resorts InternationalLas VegasNV
Microsoft CorporationRedmondWA
MillerCoorsDenverCO
Netflix Inc.Los GatosCA
New Belgium Brewing CompanyFort CollinsCO
NikeBeavertonOR
Nordstrom Inc.SeattleWA
NortonLifeLockMoutainviewCA
Oracle Corp.Redwood CityCA
Palo Alto NetworksSanta ClaraCA
Patreon Inc.San FranciscoCA
Paul Hastings LLPLos AngelesCA
PayPal Holdings Inc.San JoseCA
PetSmart Inc.PhoenixAZ
PG&E CorporationSan FranciscoCA
Pinterest Inc.San FranciscoCA
Pure Storage Inc.Mountain ViewCA
QUALCOMM Inc.San DiegoCA
Re/Max LLCDenverCO
Redfin Corp.SeattleWA
Robert HalfMenlo ParkCA
SalesForceSan FranciscoCA
Seagate Technology plcCupertinoCA
Sony Pictures EntertainmentCulver CityCA
Southern California EdisonRosemeadCA
Square Inc.San FranciscoCA
Standard InsurancePortlandOR
Starbucks Corp.SeattleWA
SurveyMonkey Inc.San MateoCA
Tesla Inc.Palo AltoCA
T-MobileBellevueWA
TwitterSan FranciscoCA
Uber Technologies Inc.San FranciscoCA
VisaSan FranciscoCA
Walt Disney Company (The)BurbankCA
WE CommunicationsBellevueWA
Wells FargoSan FranciscoCA
Western Digital Corp.San JoseCA
Williams-Sonoma Inc.San FranciscoCA
Workday Inc.PleasantonCA
Xperi Holdings CorporationSan JoseCA
Yelp Inc.San FranciscoCA
ZendeskSan FranciscoCA
Zillow GroupSeattleWA

 

Midwest

3M Co.St. PaulMN
Abercrombie & Fitch Co.New AlbanyOH
AJ GallagherRolling MeadowsIL
Alliance Data Systems Corp.ColumbusOH
Ally Financial Inc.DetroitMI
Ameren CorporationSt. LouisMO
American Family InsuranceMadisonWI
Ameriprise Financial Inc.MinneapolisMN
Anthem, Inc.IndianapolisIN
BarillaNorthbrookIL
Baxter InternationalDeerfieldIL
BestBuyRichfieldMN
BMO Financial Harris BankChicagoIL
CapgeminiChicagoIL
Cardinal Health Inc.DublinOH
CargillWayzataMN
CDW CorporationLincolnshireIL
CME Group Inc.ChicagoIL
CNA Financial CorporationChicagoIL
Cummins, Inc.ColumbusIN
Domino’s Pizza Inc.Ann ArborMI
Dow Chemical Company (The)MidlandMI
EatonClevelandOH
Ecolab, Inc.St.PaulMN
Eli Lilly and CompanyIndianapolisIN
ExelonChicagoIL
FiservBrookfieldWI
General MillsMinneapolisMN
General MotorsDetroitMI
HallmarkKansas CityMO
Health Care Service CorporationChicagoIL
HERE North America LLCChicagoIL
Herman MillerZeelandMI
HyattChicagoIL
IDEX Corp.Lake ForestIL
Information Resources Inc.ChicagoIL
Jenner & Block LLPChicagoIL
Jones Lang LaSalleChicagoIL
KearneyChicagoIL
Kellogg Company (The)Battle CreekMI
KeyCorpClevelandOH
Kohl’sMenomonee FallsWI
Kroger Company (The)CinncinnatiOH
L BrandsColumbusOH
Macy’sCincinnatiOH
ManpowerGroup, Inc.MilwakeeWI
Marathon PetroleumFindlayOH
MedtronicMinneapolisMN
Meredith Corp.Des MoinesIA
MicronBoiseID
Mondelēz InternationalChicagoIL
Morningstar Inc.ChicagoIL
NationwidecolumbusOH
Owens CorningToledoOH
Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLPColumbusOH
Principal Financial GroupDes MoinesIA
Procter & Gamble (P&G)CincinnatiOH
RBC Wealth ManagementMinneapolisMN
Rockwell Automation, Inc.MilwaukeeWI
SC. Johnson WaxRacineWI
Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLPKansas CityMO
State FarmBloomingtonIL
Steel CaseGrand RapidsMI
Takeda (formerly Shire)DeerfieldIL
Target CorporationMinneapolisMN
TD Ameritrade, Inc.OmahaNE
TransUnionChicagoIL
U.S. BankMinneapolisMN
Union Pacific Corp.OmahaNE
United AirlinesChicagoIL
Univar Solutions Inc.Downers GroveIL
WalgreensDeerfieldIL
Wellmark Inc.Des MoinesIA
Whirlpool Corp.Benton HarborMI
William BlairChicagoIL
Xcel Energy, Inc.MinneapolisMN
Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc.WarsawIN

Business Equality Pride (BEQPride) is the first publication from the BEQ family of national print and digital magazines exclusively addressing the needs of LGBTQ small-to-medium sized businesses, entrepreneurs and professionals.