NEW YORK — A national advocacy organization announced on Tuesday that an increasing number of U.S. businesses are enhancing their benefits and protections for LGBTQ+ employees, even as conservative groups continue their efforts to persuade well-known brands to disengage from the organization’s annual workplace assessment.
The educational division of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) unveiled its latest Corporate Equality Index just after McDonald’s recently declared it would cease providing information for the annual review that evaluates corporate policies affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender employees.
During the previous year, notable companies such as Walmart, Ford, and Harley-Davidson faced pressure and subsequently announced that they would withdraw from voluntary participation in this evaluation. Despite this, the HRC still provided ratings for these companies, assigning Harley-Davidson a score of 10 out of 100 and Ford a score of 75, for instance.
The Corporate Equality Index has become a prominent target for conservative activists, fitting into a broader initiative aimed at pressuring businesses to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs designed to combat discrimination against women, racial and ethnic minorities, and LGBTQ+ individuals.
A Supreme Court ruling in 2023 that deemed race-based affirmative action in college admissions unconstitutional fortified opposition to DEI efforts, leading critics to intensify their reviews of universities, government entities, and corporations through public discourse, legal challenges, and legislative endeavors. Certain corporations, including McDonald’s, have referenced the Supreme Court’s decision as a justification for scaling back their diversity initiatives.
Despite these challenges, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation revealed that the 2025 equality index featured 72 first-time participants among the surveyed companies, with 765 of the 1,449 businesses evaluated achieving a perfect score—an increase of 28% compared to the previous year.
“At times, progress encounters resistance, yet companies persist in their commitment to fostering workplace inclusion,” stated HRC President Kelley Robinson. “Consequently, they become more competitive and innovative while attracting and retaining top talent and broadening their customer base.”
The list of companies receiving official ratings included those that had announced their intention to leave the evaluation process, as several had completed the survey months prior to their decisions. The HRC affirmed its commitment to monitor businesses that discontinue participation and continue assigning ratings.
Among those achieving the coveted score of 100 was McDonald’s, while both Walmart and Lowe’s obtained scores of 90.
The ratings are derived from points awarded based on various workplace criteria, including the existence of anti-discrimination policies that cover sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression and the provision of health benefits covering same-sex partners and the needs of transgender employees.
This index marked the second time that points were awarded for having gender transition guidelines available for managers, transitioning employees, and their coworkers. Over 1,000 of the companies evaluated for 2025 reported having established such guidelines, reflecting a 21% increase according to the HRC.
“Clearly, there are numerous organizations that have expressed intent to retreat from certain elements of their DEI efforts, such as their involvement in this survey,” stated David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at NYU School of Law. “Nevertheless, the vast majority of businesses that engaged in DEI initiatives continue to do so. The only change appears to be a modification of some programs, primarily for legal risk reduction or to conduct their practices more quietly to avoid scrutiny.”
The Corporate Equality Index, which began in 2002, initially aimed to ensure that LGBTQ+ individuals faced fair treatment in hiring and employment settings. Over time, the criteria necessary to achieve a perfect score have become increasingly stringent, and experts believe this index has played a significant role in enhancing workplace benefits for LGBTQ+ employees.