Nineteen New Jersey companies received perfect scores in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2019 Corporate Equality Index, used to judge how employers meet the needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community with policies and practices.
Forty businesses statewide were evaluated. The average score for companies and law firms in New Jersey was 83 percent, according to the HRCF, the educational arm of the LGBTQ civil rights-focused nonprofit.
Of the 40 companies ranked, 31 earned 80 points and above. Six earned 90 points and above.
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Inc. in Parsippany was one of the top-score earners.
“Our recognition as a Best Place to Work shows that we continue to do the right thing in ensuring the environment we’re cultivating is in the spirit of hospitality,” said Patricia Lee, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’ executive vice president of global learning and development and chief social responsibility officer, in a statement.
Other top-score earners include Subaru of America Inc. in Cherry Hill; Prudential Financial Inc. in Newark; BASF Corp. in Florham Park; ADP in Roseland; Dun & Bradstreet Corp. in Short Hills; Campbell Soup Co. in Camden; Quest Diagnostics Inc. in Lyndhurst; Becton, Dickinson and Co. in Franklin Lakes; Wyndham Destinations in Parsippany; Horizon Healthcare Services Inc. in Newark; Day Pitney LLP in Parsippany; Bayer U.S. LLC in Whippany; Celgene Corp. in Summit; Johnson & Johnson in New Brunswick; Merck in Kenilworth; Sanofi in Bridgewater; Unilever in Englewood Cliffs; and American Express Global Business Travel in Jersey City.
“Time and again, leading American businesses have shown that protecting their employees and customers from discrimination isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s also good for business,” said HRC President Chad Griffin in a prepared statement.
The CEI rates businesses on criteria in four categories: non-discrimination policies, employment benefits, supporting an inclusive culture and corporate social responsibility including public commitment to LGBTQ equality, and responsible citizenship.
According to the 2019 CEI, 16.8 million employees nationwide are protected from sexual orientation or gender identity discrimination by employer policies nationwide. In 2002, only 3 percent of Fortune 500 companies included gender identity in their non-discrimination policies. Now, 85 percent include it.
