Corporate America becomes more Gay Friendly
Pastor Dale Morgan
Corporate America becomes more Gay Friendly*
Biggest names in U.S. business applauded for promoting alternative
sexual lifestyles
Posted: September 20, 2006
Another three dozen major American corporations have acceded to the
demands of homosexual activists in their corporate decision-making
process and have been given a top ranking in an activist group's annual
assessment of their accommodations.
The 2006 report from the Human Rights Campaign, which advocates for
homosexual issues, was released yesterday and notes that "an
unprecedented" 138 major U.S. corporations earned the top rating of 100
percent, up from 101 last year.
Among the majors listed was Ford Motor Corp., which has been the subject
of a boycott by conservatives over its advertising efforts within the
homosexual community and also last week announced plans for tens of
thousands of layoffs or buyouts and an expected operating loss for
another three years.
The report said the total companies reaching the top score was up by 10
times in just four years.
"I am incredibly encouraged and optimistic about the findings in this
report," said HRC President Joe Solmonese in a prepared statement.
"Companies are not only working to improve their scores, they are
actively competing to be ranked the most inclusive and fair-minded in
their industry."
He said companies that years ago instituted "basic equal employment
policies" now are accelerating the expansion of benefits.
"This competition sends a clear message that corporate America is
rapidly becoming a place of fairness for GLBT Americans," he said.
He noted last year Raytheon Co. was the only aerospace industry company
to get a perfect score, but this year three of its competitors joined
the list.
"CEOs are very much aware of their score and its impact on their
business," he said. "They know that a top score means a healthier work
environment, greater productivity and the ability to recruit top talent.
They also know that a bad score will hurt their bottom line."
Of the companies assessed, three – ExxonMobil, Meijer Inc. and Perot
Systems – obtained a zero score because they do not offer the same
benefits to employees choosing an alternative lifestyle as those with
traditional lifestyles.
Other companies given lower scores for their unwillingness to sign onto
the "gay" agenda include Reebok, Northwest Airlines, The Men's
Wearhouse, J.C. Penney, Abercrombie & Fitch, Nissan, Dun & Bradstreet,
Gallup, Ben & Jerry's, Kroger, Progressive, Ball Corp., Cooper Tire, Dow
Jones, Circuit City, Radio Shack and Toys 'R' Us.
A one-year boycott of Ford was announced last winter by the American
Family Association after the group said Ford reneged on a promise to
remain neutral on such social issues as homosexuality.
Just a few weeks later, Bill Ford, chairman and CEO at the time, said
the company had met with leaders of homosexual organizations and had
made "a historical commitment … that I intend to carry forward" by
promising to value all people, regardless of sexual orientation.
Several dozen conservative and Christian organizations joined in the AFA
effort. Then last week Ford announced buyouts were being offered to an
estimated 75,000 workers, some plants were being closed and that the
company did not expect to see a profit for several more years.
The company's corporate network includes Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Mazda,
Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston-Martin vehicles.
The HRC report said 75 percent more companies prohibited discrimination
against transgender workers this year than in 2005, 64 percent more
implemented at least one "wellness benefit" for transgender workers, and
14 percent more companies targeted the GLBT community in marketing or
philanthropic activities.
Of the companies rated, 436 or 98 percent, included sexual orientation
in their non-discrimination policies.
The assessment looked at companies on the Fortune 1000, Standard &
Poor's 500 and Forbes' lists.
Aerospace companies joining Raytheon were Boeing, Honeywell
International and Northrop Grumman, the group said.
Apparel companies were represented in the top echelon of "gay" advocates
by Gap, Levi Strauss, Liz Claiborne, Nike and Nordstrom while
DaimlerChrysler, GM and Volkswagen also were ranked at 100 percent in
the auto industry.
The financial industry was flooded with nearly 20 companies at the top
ranking, while the computer sector included Apple, Dell,
Hewlett-Packard, Lexmark, NCR, Sun Microsystems, Tech Data and Xerox at
the top level.
Beer companies Anheuser-Bush and Coors both reached the highest level,
and there were no companies in the mail and freight category at the top
mark.
The HRC, the largest national homosexual political organization, lobbies
Congress and works to ensure that "gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender" Americans can be "open, honest and safe at home, at work
and in the community."
The study rated companies on a scale of 0-100 on whether they have
written non-discrimination policies on sexual orientation, whether they
support transgender workers and offer "inclusive" health insurance and
other benefits, require diversity training and spend advertising money
with GLBT organizations.
The assessment also requires companies to refuse to participate in
anything that would "undermine the goal of equal rights for gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender people."