Hormel Foods Corp., a Fortune 500 global branded food company, received a perfect score of 100 on the 2023–24 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. Hormel Foods joins the ranks of 545 major U.S. businesses that also earned top marks this year.
"We are honored to receive this recognition of the work we've done to ensure an inclusive culture that supports all of our valued team members," said Katie Larson, senior vice president of human resources at Hormel Foods. "We're committed to delivering benefits and programs that support our LGBTQ+ team members and their families."
The CEI rates companies on detailed criteria falling under four central pillars:
- Non-discrimination policies across business entities.
- Equitable benefits for LGBTQ+ workers and their families.
- Supporting an inclusive culture.
- Corporate social responsibility.
The results of the 2023–2024 CEI showcase how U.S.-based companies are promoting LGBTQ+ friendly workplace policies in the U.S. and abroad.
"Hormel Foods is committed to ensuring a safe and equitable work environment for all of our team members. That will always be the case," said Antoine Destin, director of diversity, equity and inclusion at Hormel Foods. "Our company is a great place to work, and we are honored to be recognized by the Human Rights Campaign in this manner."
The first year of the CEI included 319 participants, and the 2023–2024 CEI now includes 1,384 participants, further demonstrating the trajectory of the CEI. A record-breaking 1,340 businesses have non-discrimination protections specific to gender identity, up from just 17 in 2002. These nondiscrimination protections cover 21 million employees in the U.S. and around the globe. The efforts of Hormel Foods in satisfying all CEI criteria earned a score of 100, making the company a recipient of the Equality 100 Award: Leader in LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion.
The full report is available online.
Source: Hormel Foods Corp.
