The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago announces its recognition on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s assessment of LGBTIQIA+ workplace equality
CHICAGO (December 6, 2023) – The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago received a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index, a benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQIA+ workplace equality. The Chicago Fed joins the ranks of over 545 major U.S. businesses that also earned top marks this year.
“It is a great honor to work with the Spectrum Board and LGBTQIA+ community in our organization,” said Wendy Kallery, executive sponsor of Spectrum, the Chicago Fed’s internal network dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA+ employees and their allies. “The impact of the Chicago Fed’s commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community is demonstrated in many ways. The score of 100 on the HRC CEI for the seventh year is a very significant recognition of the Chicago Fed’s standard of embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
The CEI rates employers providing these protections to over 20 million U.S. workers and an additional 18 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.
“Every year the bar is raised for earning 100% on the Corporate Equality Index (CEI), and every year we rise to the challenge,” said Kathryn Medina, senior vice president of People & Culture at the Chicago Fed. “It’s great validation of the work we do every day to create an inclusive workplace.”
The CEI rates companies on detailed criteria falling under four central pillars:
- Non-discrimination policies across business entities;
- Equitable benefits for LGBTIQIA+ 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
At the Chicago Fed, we serve the public, fostering economic opportunity by advancing a healthy economy and promoting a trusted financial system. We contribute to the formulation and implementation of national monetary policy, supervise and regulate designated financial institutions, and provide financial services to depository institutions and the U.S. government. We serve the Seventh Federal Reserve District, which is comprised of Iowa and most of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. We are part of the Federal Reserve System, which is made up of 12 regional Reserve Banks and the Board of Governors in Washington, D.C.
Human Rights Campaign Foundation Background
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people. Through its programs, the HRC Foundation seeks to make transformational change in the everyday lives of LGBTQ+ people, shedding light on inequity and deepening the public’s understanding of LGBTQ+ issues, with a clear focus on advancing transgender and racial justice. Its work has transformed the landscape for more than 15 million workers, 11 million students, 1 million clients in the adoption and foster care system and so much more. The HRC Foundation provides direct consultation and technical assistance to institutions and communities, driving the advancement of inclusive policies and practices; it builds the capacity of future leaders and allies through fellowship and training programs; and, with the firm belief that we are stronger working together, it forges partnerships with advocates in the U.S. and around the globe to increase our impact and shape the future of our work.
