More than 500 major corporations have joined with the Human Rights Campaign — the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer civil rights organization — in calling for the U.S. Senate to pass the Equality Act, which would include explicit protections for LGBTQ+ people as well as improve protections for women, people of color and people of all faiths.
The milestone for the Business Coalition for the Equality Act, launched in 2016, was announced Tuesday.
According to a recent poll from the Public Religion Research Institute, 82% of Americans favor laws that protect LGBTQ people from discrimination in jobs, public accommodations and housing; a March 2021 Hart Research Associates poll indicates that 70% of Americans support the Equality Act.
Coalition members collectively have operations in all 50 states, headquarters spanning 33 states and a combined $7.2 trillion in revenue, and they employ more than 15.3 million people across the country.
One member is Edward Jones.
“Edward Jones is a place of belonging, and our longtime support for the LGBTQ+ community is inherent in our purpose-driven culture. We’re very proud of the fact that we’ve earned a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index six years in a row, and we nurture a workplace where all of our associates can be their authentic selves as they pursue their personal growth and possibilities,” said Jennifer Kingston, head of diversity, equity and inclusion at the financial services firm.
Additional companies belonging to the coalition include BlackRock, CVS Health Corp., Capital Group, Capital One Financial Corp., the Carlyle Group, Ecolab, McKesson, Relias, Sodexo and Stanley Black & Decker. A full list of members of the coalition is posted online.
