The Human Rights Campaign released the results of their 2017 Corporate Equality Index on December 5. Of the six companies ranked in San Antonio, one company, the United Services Automobile Association (USAA) received a score of 100.
USAA’s score this year is up from the 85 it received last year.
Two other San Antonio companies completed the CEI survey. H.E. Butt Grocery Company (H-E-B) got a score of 30 and iHeart Media got a score of 95.
Three San Antonio corporations which did not respond to invitations to take the CEI survey received “unofficial” ratings based on public information and information supplied to HRC by LGBT employee groups or individual employees. Those companies are Tesoro Corp. with a score of 40, CST Brands with a score of 10 and Valero Energy Corp. with a score of 20.
According to HRC, 887 companies were rated in this year’s index. Of those, a record-breaking number of 517 received perfect scores.
The CEI scores are based on five criteria which “align the most critical components of LGBT workplace inclusion.” Those criteria are: 1) Non-discrimination policies; 2) Employment benefits; 3) Demonstrated organizational competency and accountability around LGBT diversity and inclusion; 4) Public commitment to LGBT equality; 5) Responsible citizenship.
While all three of the San Antonio companies which took the survey have good reputations for how they treat LGBT employees, two came up short on some of HRC’s criteria.
iHeart Media, which scored 95, up from their score of 55 last year, got a 5 point deduction because company does not” positively engage the external LGBT community.”
H-E-B, which like last year scored 30, received several deductions:
- 10 point deduction because company does not prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation for all operations.
- 15 point deduction because company does not prohibit discrimination based on gender identity or expression for all operations.
- 5 point deduction because company does not have contractor/vendor non-discrimination standards that include sexual orientation and gender identity.
- 10 point deduction because the company does not have parity across other “soft” benefits for partners.
- 10 point deduction because company does not offer transgender-inclusive health insurance.
- 10 point deduction because company does not offer firm-wide organizational competency programs.
- 10 point deduction because company does not positively engage the external LGBT community.
“Even in the face of relentless attempts to undermine equality, America’s leading companies and law firms remain steadfast and committed to supporting and defending the rights and dignity of LGBTQ people,” HRC President Chad Griffin said in a statement.
“The unprecedented expansion of inclusive workplaces across the country and around the globe not only reflects our progress, it helps drive it. As we enter a new chapter in our fight for equality, support from the business community will be more critical than ever to protect our historic advancements over the last decade and to continue to push equality forward for workers, customers, and families around the world,” Griffin said.
