When it comes to equality in the workplace for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, the corporate sector has reason to celebrate. Our progress is encouraging, but there is much still to do.
In 2002, when the Human Rights Campaign compiled its first Corporate Equality Index tracking company policies of concern to the LGBT community, only 13 large U.S. employers earned a perfect score. That figure has now climbed to a record 366 out of the 781 surveyed.
That’s significant improvement. But the push for equality in the workplace includes plenty of unfinished business. For example, just one-third of the Fortune 500 earned a perfect 100-point rating.
From our vantage point in California, it’s easy to forget that there are still places in the U.S. where someone can be fired for being “out” at work. As business leaders, we have a responsibility to publicly support efforts to eliminate this kind of discrimination.
Even where there are legal protections, many people still don’t feel safe to be who they are at work. In addition to being wrong, this is bad for business. When employees feel they need to cover who they are at work, it undermines their engagement and satisfaction.
At Pacific Gas and Electric Co., diversity and inclusion have long been top priorities. We were the first large corporation to publicly support the “No on 8” campaign and voice our opposition to restrictions on marriage equality. And as part of our supplier diversity program, we are proud to purchase more than $2 billion in goods and services annually from a range of businesses that include LGBT-owned enterprises.
We do these things because we believe creating a culture of inclusion makes us a better company and builds relationships that produce economic and social value in our communities. We also believe companies like PG&E have the responsibility to lead by example.
The results of the 2015 Corporate Equality Index show that our peers in the Fortune 500 increasingly share this perspective. Indeed, given the dramatic shift in public acceptance of equal rights for our LGBT friends, family, neighbors and co-workers, it would be easy to assume the fight is won. It isn’t. We cannot afford to let the progress of the last few years lull us into complacency.
Many in corporate America are recognizing the importance of fostering an environment in which everyone feels safe being their whole self at work. I am hopeful that this trend will continue and bring us ever closer to that goal.
Kent Harvey, senior vice president and chief financial officer of PG&E Corp., was named Outstanding Corporate Leader of the Year by the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce in 2015. He wrote this for this newspaper.
