The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago earns 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s annual assessment of LGBTQ workplace equality
CHICAGO (January 28, 2021) - The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago proudly announced that it received a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2021 Corporate Equality Index, the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality. The Chicago Fed joins the ranks of 767 major U.S. businesses that also earned top marks this year.
This marks the fifth consecutive year that the Chicago Fed has earned a top score of 100 percent on the CEI. This score reflects the hard work of people across the Bank to foster an environment where employees can bring their authentic selves to work.
“A perfect score five years in a row demonstrates the Bank’s ongoing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Earning this recognition is a privilege and an honor. I’d like to thank Spectrum (our LGBTQ+ employee support network) for their continued leadership, and all of our Bank allies who make the Bank a great place to work for LGBTQ equality,” said Kathryn Medina, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer.
“Achieving a rating of 100 for five years in a row required intentionality to make our organization one that is truly inclusive of our LGBTQ employees. Having served as Spectrum’s Executive Sponsor, I am proud to see the organizational commitment and progress we’ve made with our programming, outreach and support,” said Senior Vice President Joe Davidson, executive sponsor of Spectrum, the Bank’s LGBTQ employee resource group.
“From the previously unimaginable impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, to a long overdue reckoning with racial injustice, 2020 was an unprecedented year. Yet, many businesses across the nation stepped up and continued to prioritize and champion LGBTQ equality,” said Alphonso David, Human Rights Campaign President. “This year has shown us that tools like the CEI are crucial in the work to increase equity and inclusion in the workplace, but also that companies must breathe life into these policies and practices in real and tangible ways. Thank you to the companies that understand protecting their LGBTQ employees and consumers from discrimination is not just the right thing to do—but the best business decision.”
The results of the 2021 CEI showcase how 1,142 U.S.-based companies are not only promoting LGBTQ-friendly workplace policies in the U.S., but also for the 57% of CEI-rated companies with global operations who are helping advance the cause of LGBTQ inclusion in workplaces abroad. The Chicago Fed's efforts in satisfying all of the CEI’s criteria earned a 100 percent ranking and the designation as one of the Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality.
The CEI rates employers providing these crucial protections to over 18 million U.S. workers and an additional 17 million abroad. Companies rated in the CEI include Fortune magazine’s 500 largest publicly traded businesses, American Lawyer magazine’s top 200 revenue-grossing law firms (AmLaw 200), and hundreds of publicly and privately held mid- to large-sized businesses.
The CEI rates companies on detailed criteria falling under four central pillars:
- Non-discrimination policies across business entities;
- Equitable benefits for LGBTQ workers and their families;
- Supporting an inclusive culture; and,
- Corporate social responsibility.
The full report is available online at www.hrc.org/cei.
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Background
The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago is one of 12 regional Reserve Banks that, along with the Board of Governors in Washington, D.C., make up the nation’s central bank. The Chicago Reserve Bank serves the seventh Federal Reserve District, which encompasses the northern portions of Illinois and Indiana, southern Wisconsin, the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, and the state of Iowa. In addition to participation in the formulation of monetary policy, each Reserve Bank supervises member banks and bank holding companies, provides financial services to depository institutions and the U.S. government, and monitors economic conditions in its District.
Human Rights Campaign Foundation Background
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.
