With Pride Month upon us, we’re taking a look at recent results of the Corporate Equality Index and how the survey is measured. Over 1,142 companies participated in the Corporate Equality Index in 2021, and 11 companies that appeared on the Index were based in Arizona. This survey is a way to measure LGBTQ equality in the workplace, and University of Phoenix was proud to make the list for the fourth consecutive year.
The Four Core Criteria
The Corporate Equality Index is made possible by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC), an organization that promotes inclusion and respect of all people. The Foundation defines equality with the help of the following criteria:
- Fair distribution of benefits to LGBTQ workers and their families
- Social responsibility at a corporate level
- Equal treatment to all LGBTQ employees across all business divisions
- Support and inclusion for all workers regardless of orientation
This is a national benchmarking tool that measures everything from policies to practices. The data collected from the Index tells a key story about how companies have changed over the past two decades and which organizations are showing their commitment to equality with more than just words.
The HRC is based in Washington, D.C., and founded to fight for the rights of LGBTQ people. The Index includes all companies in the Fortune 500 as well as the top 200 revenue-growing law firms according to American Lawyer magazine.
Arizona Companies with a Perfect Score
Three Arizona organizations achieved a perfect score of 100 points on the Index this year: University of Phoenix, GoDaddy and Snell & Wilmer. Other notable companies include Insight with a score of 95 and Avnet/PetSmart with a score of 90. It should be noted that two companies in the state chose not to participate in the survey.
The scores were largely aligned with the results of the previous year, as these Arizona organizations are well known for championing diversity throughout their ranks. In fact, all three companies with perfect marks had achieved a score of 100 the year prior. ON Semiconductor was the most-improved company representing Arizona, rising from an Index score of 20 to 65 in just one year.
The HRC on LGBTQ Equality
HRC President Alphonso B. David said, “From the previously unimaginable impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to a long overdue reckoning with racial injustice, 2020 was an unprecedented year. Yet many businesses across the nation stepped up and continued to prioritize and champion LGBTQ equality.”
This dominating topic has been heard loud and clear by many people across the country, and the advantage is going to organizations, companies and institutions that give the cause the respect and attention it deserves. Those businesses with a perfect Index score have proven their commitment to equality and demonstrated that they understand what it takes to prioritize diversity and inclusion in a real-world setting.
What the Index Means to University of Phoenix
While no stranger to this recognition, University of Phoenix is by no means taking the Index score and achievement for granted. The University was founded on the idea of inclusion and that initial seed has continued to flower.
Today, the University promotes diversity whenever possible and is known for encouraging students and faculty to discuss some of the more difficult problems facing society. There are five Employee Resource Groups at the University including Allies of Pride, a group that discusses relevant topics to the LGBTQ community.
While these groups are voluntary to join, they represent how University of Phoenix is doing what it can to get people talking about what matters most to them. This is also how The Inclusion Cafe got its start during the pandemic in June 2020. This is a virtual gathering place where participants discuss inclusion and connect with people who they might otherwise never meet to help everyone come to a mutual understanding.
University of Phoenix faculty and staff understand that enforcing human rights through policies and practices is not a simple matter. Members of the LGBTQ community can be discriminated against in subtle and powerful ways. At University of Phoenix, both formal protocols and informal discussions are designed to keep human rights on people’s radar.
About University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix is known for flexible, interactive courses that give non-traditional students the chance to succeed in the classroom and broaden their career opportunities. Interactive online classes provide a memorable educational experience, one that instructs students how to use their skills in the real world. To learn more about the University’s curriculum and programs, visit www.phoenix.edu.
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