FOR THE 9TH consecutive year, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. has proudly garnered a 100-mark score on the Human Rights Campaign's annual Corporate Equality Index (CEI) report – the 13th edition in the American LGBT advocacy group's history since its index's inception.
The HRC (official site) is the largest, reputable, and most influential of organizations of its kind in the United States. For the 2015 edition of the CEI, a record of 366 major companies (out of the 781 officially rated) earned the perfect 100 score and reflects on the ongoing and ever-growing national progression of LGBT rights, but this one also made a distinguishing focus on how rights are treated for transgender individuals as well (something that is coming into more light apart from the more general national focus on rights for individuals on basis of sexual orientation): "Since the CEI’s inception in 2002, America’s largest employers embrace LGBT-inclusion as a best business practice, and protections for employees on the basis of gender identity as a non-negotiable. In this year’s national benchmarking report, an all-time record of 366 major businesses — spanning nearly every industry and geography — earned a top score of 100 percent and the coveted distinction of 'Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality.' This designation reflects true inclusion of the transgender workforce, from non-discrimination protections to inclusive benefits and diversity practices to respectful gender transition guidelines, allowing employees to self-identity based on gender identity, and engaging the broader transgender community. Wherever these 366 companies are doing business, transgender-inclusion is a priority,"
"A&F's efforts," furthered the A&F press release, "in satisfying all of the CEI's criteria results in a 100 percent ranking and the designation as a Best Place to Work for LGBT Equality."
"We are a proud supporter of the LGBT community and are honored to earn another perfect score on the 2015 Corporate Equality Index. We are committed to embracing diversity in the workplace and are excited to receive this recognition for the ninth consecutive year." – Amy Zehrer, A&F Executive Vice President and new head of Diversity & Inclusion
View the Abercrombie & Fitch general business profile at the HRC (here). To read, and download for free, the 2015 Corporate Equality Index in its entirety, (see here).
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