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The Estée Lauder Companies Scores 100 on 2021 Corporate Equality Index
Company Feature, Jan 27, 2021
The Estée Lauder Companies has been recognized as a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality” with a 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) 2021 Corporate Equality Index (CEI). This is the twelfth year that the company has received a perfect score on this prestigious recognition.
The HRC Corporate Equality Index (CEI) is the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality. The CEI rates companies on detailed criteria falling under four central pillars, including: non-discrimination policies across business entities; equitable benefits for LGBTQ workers and their families; supporting an inclusive culture; and corporate social responsibility.
Doug Jensen, SVP Go-to-Market (GTM) Analytics & Activation and Learning Center of Excellence (COE), Enterprise Marketing, and the co-executive sponsor of wELCome, ELC’s LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group, stated: “We are proud of the continued efforts made by The Estée Lauder Companies in promoting equity for our LGBTQIA+ associates, especially in the past year with so much change. ELC’s commitment to our community is unwavering. We look to HRC’s leadership with the Corporate Equality Index as the barometer by which we continually measure our company’s commitment.”
Doug Jensen is an Executive Sponsor of wELCome, ELC's LGBTQIA Employee Resource Group
ELC is a longtime advocate of the LGBTQ+ community. Since 1994, ELC and M·A·C Cosmetics have raised over $500 million for the global fight against HIV/AIDS. In 2019 the company signed onto The Business Coalition for the Equality Act, a group of over 160 businesses that support the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) in its efforts to drive legislation in Congress. In 2020, as COVID-19 swept across the globe, the M·A·C Cosmetics VIVA Glam Fund allocated $10 million to 250 local organizations across the world that are providing essentials and services to high-risk individuals. Later in 2020, the company joined in celebrating the U.S. Supreme Court’s monumental decision to prohibit workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, having signed an amicus brief supporting the employees in these cases. Most recently, in early 2021, ELC and M·A·C Cosmetics joined the inaugural group of companies to sign the #WorkingPostivitely Pledge and committed to becoming a visible role model supporting HIV-positive employees. The #WorkingPositively Pledge asks companies to commit to creating safe, supportive and inclusive spaces for people living with HIV and other chronic illnesses.
In addition, ELC, M·A·C Cosmetics and wELCome have amplified employee voices and built safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ employees around the world. Though participation in Pride events around the world, volunteer opportunities, panels about gender-fluid beauty and various other internal events, wELCome has been instrumental in giving ELC employees a true sense of belonging.
This HRC Corporate Equality Index recognition joins a long list of other workplace related accolades, including Forbes’ List of America’s Best Employers for Women 2020, Working Mother Media’s Diversity Best Practices Inclusion Index 2020 and Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Responsible Companies 2021, amongst others.
The full report is available online at www.hrc.org/cei.
The Human Rights Campaign is the educational arm of America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.
