New York Life has announced that it has been named a best place to work by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, a civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. The insurer received a perfect score of 100 percent on the 2015 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), a national benchmarking survey and report administered by the foundation on corporate policies and practices related to LGBT workplace equality.
Launched in 2002, the index criteria serve as a road map for major U.S. businesses’ adoption of inclusive policies, practices and benefits for LGBT employees. There four main objectives of the criteria in the CEI that look at whether companies provide equal benefits for same-sex partners and spouses, end benefits discrimination for transgender employees and dependents, demonstrate firm-wide organizational competency on LGBT issues, and demonstrate firm-wide public commitment to the LGBT community. The ratings are determined from an online survey as well as examinations of Securities and Exchange Commission filings, Internal Revenue Service 990 tax filings for business foundations’ gifts to anti-LGBT groups; case law and news accounts for allegations of discrimination, and more.
New York Life says the achievement demonstrates its ongoing dedication to ensuring that it fosters n environment where individual differences are valued and celebrated and different points of view are brought to the table. “We are proud to receive a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index. This recognition underscores our serious commitment to making sure people can be themselves at New York Life, because that’s when they’re more engaged, productive and at their best,” New York Life’s VP and chief diversity officer Joanne Rodgers said in a prepared statement.
According to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, a company has to show a deep and serious commitment to treating their LGBT employees fairly and equally on the job in order to achieve a perfect score as well as speak out to advocate for LGBT equality here in this country and around the world. New York Life not only meets these standards, it goes above and beyond the call of duty, making commitment to equality a fundamental aspect of its corporate values, the foundation says.
The 2015 CEI rated 971 businesses in the report. New York Life’s efforts in satisfying all of the CEI’s criteria resulted in a 100 percent ranking and the designation as a Best Place to Work for LGBT Equality. Of the 971 businesses rated, New York Life joins the ranks of 366 major U.S. businesses which also earned top marks this year.