"The report recorded a significant drop in the number of companies willing to report their work on non-discrimination policies, equitable benefits, an inclusive workplace culture, and corporate social responsibility - the four pillars of the CEI - as the current administration publicly disparaged DEI programs and rooted out initiatives across the federal government. The CEI saw a dramatic 65% drop in participation this year, falling from 377 Fortune 500 companies in 2025 to just 131 such companies in 2026."
"But a year‑over‑year analysis of 2025 and 2026 submissions shows that implementation of policies and practices measured by the CEI was sustained or increased, with no declines across any criterion, the group reported. Several of the biggest Fortune 500 companies - Tractor Supply, Ford, Lowe's, and Walmart among them - made a public show during the 2024 presidential campaign and in the early months of the president's second term of walking back DEI efforts, including not participating in HRC's annual report."
""Our research shows the strength and the strain of this moment on LGBTQ+ workers, consumers, and the companies that count on us," HRC President Kelley Robinson said in a statement. 1,450 companies overall participated in the 2026 survey. Of those, 534 earned a score of 100, representing nearly 6 million U.S. employees enjoying the benefits of the most equitable workplace culture, according to HRC."
The Human Rights Campaign's 2026 Corporate Equality Index saw overall participation drop sharply, with Fortune 500 participation falling from 377 companies in 2025 to 131 in 2026, a 65% decline. Many companies that withdrew hold federal contracts. Despite the participation drop, year‑over‑year analysis of submissions showed sustained or increased implementation across all CEI criteria: non-discrimination policies, equitable benefits, inclusive workplace culture, and corporate social responsibility. Several large companies publicly pared back DEI efforts during the 2024 presidential campaign and early presidential term, even as those efforts often continued. Overall, 1,450 companies participated and 534 scored 100.
Read at LGBTQ Nation
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]