HRC | Corporate Equality Index 2026
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Corporate Equality Index 2026
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Produced by the
HRC Foundation
In a complex and evolving inclusion landscape, clarity matters more than ever. The
HRC Foundation’s State of the Workplace for LGBTQ+ Americans and Corporate Equality Index 2026
Report was created to bring greater transparency to how companies are navigating a shifting workplace environment by capturing current conditions, elevating LGBTQ+ worker experiences and documenting the policies and practices that continue to shape inclusion across industries. By pairing worker insights with a trusted workplace inclusion benchmark, this report offers visibility into how companies are approaching LGBTQ+ inclusion and what that means for today’s workplace landscape.
39.1%
U.S. Workers
New research shows 39.1% of U.S. Workers say their employers rolled back DEI practices.
54.2%
U.S. Workers
Over 50% of U.S. Workers report experiencing stigma or bias at work at employers that have scaled-back or ended DEI initiatives.
86%
U.S. Workers
More than eight in ten U.S. workers who described their workplace as hostile also reported being at risk of leaving their job.
8×
Higher
High scoring companies in the CEI have an 8× higher net income compared to their lower-scoring peers.
534
Equality 100 Award
In the 2025 CEI, 765 employers achieved a top score of 100 earning the coveted “Equality 100 Award."
93.5%
LGBTQ+ Adults
Over 90% of LGBTQ+ adults state that a company scoring 100% on the HRC Foundation’s CEI indicates some level of support for the LGBTQ+ community.
Equality At The Fortune-Ranked Companies
108
Fortune 500-ranked businesses achieved a verified score of 100 in the 2026 CEI and earned recognition as “Equality 100 Award: Leader in LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion” awardees.
All Fortune 500
Officially Rated Companies
Fortune 500 Companies
outside of the CEI survey process
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in U.S. Nondiscrimination Policy
93%
95%
75%
Spousal and Domestic Partner Benefits
59%
77%
0%
Comprehensive Health Benefits
69%
87%
0%
Inclusion Best Practices
59%
74%
0%
Outreach and Engagement to the LGBTQ+ Community
63%
77%
0%
External Partnerships & Business Practices
69%
83%
0%
Average 2026 CEI Score
68
86
Inclusive Policies and Benefits
98%
of CEI-rated employers explicitly include “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” as a part of their nondiscrimination policy.
77%
of CEI-rated employers documented that they provide inclusive benefits for same- and different-sex spouses and partners.
91%
of CEI-rated businesses (a record 1,321 of 1,450 respondents) offer at least one comprehensive healthcare plan option with current market standard coverage.
Supporting an Inclusive Workplace Culture
Equitable policies and benefits are critical to LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workforce, but alone are not sufficient to support a truly inclusive culture within a workplace. Employers recognize that, beyond the letter of a policy, additional programming and educational efforts are necessary.
79%
of CEI-rated employers (1,143 of 1,450 respondents) offer a a robust set of practices to support organizational LGBTQ+ diversity competency.
97%
of CEI-rated employers (1,412 of 1,450 respondents) have an employee resource group or diversity council that includes LGBTQ+ and allied employees and programming.
1135
CEI-rated businesses have adopted gender transition guidelines to establish best practices in workplace inclusion for managers and teams.
Engaging With The LGBTQ+ Community through Outreach and Engagement
CEI-rated businesses have extensive programs to engage with key markets and the communities in which they operate. Public commitment in the CEI is measured through a number of engagements with the LGBTQ+ community.
The CEI’s external partnerships and business practices criterion also ensures that sexual orientation and gender identity protections apply to businesses’ suppliers in their non-discrimination standards, as well as recipients of the businesses’ philanthropic funds.
77%
of CEI-rated businesses (1121 of 1,450 respondents) demonstrate efforts of public commitment to the LGBTQ+ community through outreach or engagement initiatives.
83%
of CEI-rated businesses (1,210 of 1,450 respondents) have written giving guidelines that prohibit philanthropic support of non-religious organizations with an explicit policy of discrimination towards LGBTQ+ people.
View Our 2026 Criteria Here
Workplace Equality Program Resources
LGBTQ+ Inclusion & Business Performance
Drawing on 15 years of Corporate Equality Index (CEI) data, this study measures the relationship between LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion and revenue growth, net income, gross profit, and market stability.
Key Findings
Full Report
About the Workplace Equality Program
HRC’s Workplace Equality Program is the nationally recognized voice for advocacy, information, and guidance on LGBTQ+ workplace issues.
The Human Rights Campaign reports on news, events and resources of the
Human Rights Campaign Foundation
that are of interest to the general public and further our common mission to support the LGBTQ+ community.
Related Resources
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Related Resources
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Corporate Equality Index FAQ
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The LGBTQ+ Corporate Citizen – A Framework for Emerging Best Practices in Allyship
Workplace, Champion
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