Ninth HRC Equality Index Out

The Human Rights Campaign on Monday released the ninth edition of its Equality Index, a compilation of LGBT-inclusive policies at some of America's biggest corporations.

This year 337 companies received a 100% rating on the 2011 index, compared to 305 in 2010 and 260 in 2009. Major corporations like Ford, Bank of America, AT&T, and Procter & Gamble received perfect scores. The index, conducted by 477 businesses, includes some of the following as criteria for positive ratings: nondiscrimination policies, diversity training, partner benefits, LGBT resource groups, health coverage for transgender employees, and responsible advertising.

Within the index, the HRC also acknowledged Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, a Supreme Court decision that allowed unlimited corporate donations to political campaigns. The ruling had almost immediate ramifications, with companies like Target and Best Buy, previously viewed as fair-minded, donating tens of thousands to an antigay gubernatorial candidate in Minnesota. The index will not factor corporate political donations in their rankings.

"There has been and will continue to be thoughtful discussion about how to harmonize our social justice mission with the practices of corporate America," HRC president Joe Solmonese wrote of the index. "Deciding not to transform the CEI into a tool for influencing companies' political activities does not mean giving them a complete pass on campaign spending that negatively impacts the LGBT community. In the coming weeks and months HRC will pursue other strategies to mitigate the negative effects of Citizens United."

Click here to view the index.