HRC's Corporate Equality Index

By Jeremy Bryant

The HRC's CEI report, released each fall, provides an in-depth analysis and rating of large U.S. employers and their policies and practices pertinent to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

To achieve a perfect score and the coveted distinction of “Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality,” companies must have fully-inclusive equal employment opportunity policies, provide equal employment benefits, demonstrate organizational LGBT competency, evidence their commitment to equality publicly and exercise responsible citizenship.

In the first year of the CEI, only 13 businesses achieved a top score. This year, 190 corporations, across industries, geographies and size, earned a 100 percent score on significantly more stringent criteria.

Even with the new scoring criteria, most of the nation's leading hotel and airline companies received high scores.

So where do the airline and hotel companies rank? The list is below.

Airlines:

Alaska Air Group Inc. (Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air): 90
AMR Corp. (American Airlines): 100
Delta Air Lines: 90
JetBlue Airways Group: 90
Southwest Airlines Co.: 90
United Continental Holdings Inc.: 100
US Airways Group: 85
Virgin America: 90

Hotels:

Caesars Entertainment Corp. (Caesars/Harrah's): 100
Carlson Companies Inc. (Radisson): 85
Choice Hotels International Inc.: 100
Hyatt Hotels Corp: 100
Kimpton Hotels and Restaurant Group Inc.: 100
Marriott International Inc.: 90
MGM Resorts International: 90
Starwood Hotel and Resorts Worldwide (W Hotels/Westin): 100
Wyndam Worldwide Corp: 90
Wynn Resorts Ltd.: 90

As a result of HRC's new scoring criteria Hilton Hotels Corp. and InterContinental Hotels Group Americas scores dropped significantly. With a score of 60, Hilton dropped 30 points from the previous year; and InterContinental received a 65, down from 85.

HRC's complete report including the scoring criteria is available online here: http://www.hrc.org/resources/entry/corporate-equality-index-2011