Giant Eagle, Inc. earns top marks in human rights campaign’s 2022 corporate equality index
Giant Eagle, Inc., parent company of GetGo and Market District, proudly announced that it received a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality.
“We are fiercely committed to creating an inclusive, equitable and diverse work environment where every one of our 34,000 Team Members feels welcome as a valued member of our community and we are extremely appreciative to receive this recognition by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation for a second consecutive year,” said Jeremy Shapira, Giant Eagle Chief Inclusion, Equity and Diversity Officer. “While our Corporate Equality Index score is evidence that we are progressing in the right direction, we invite and encourage our Team Members to share their unique perspectives and experiences to help us as we continue to grow and better serve our LGBTQ+ community.”
Shapira added that Giant Eagle will be donating $25,000 to LGBTQ+ organizations across its markets in celebration of the CEI recognition and as part of the company’s ongoing dedication to supporting the health of LGBTQ+ communities. A $10,000 contribution will be made to the Allies for Health + Wellbeing in Pennsylvania. LGBTQ+ Allies Lake County and B. Riley Sober House in Cleveland along with Kaleidoscope Youth Center and Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization in Columbus will receive $2,500 each. In Indiana, Gender Nexus will receive $5,000.
The CEI rates employers providing these crucial protections to over 18 million U.S. workers and an additional 20 million abroad. Companies rated in the CEI include Fortune magazine’s 500 largest publicly traded businesses, American Lawyer magazine’s top 200 revenue-grossing law firms (AmLaw 200), and hundreds of publicly and privately held mid- to large-sized businesses.
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; and,
Corporate social responsibility.
“When the Human Rights Campaign Foundation created the Corporate Equality Index 20 years ago, we dreamed that LGBTQ+ workers—from the factory floor to corporate headquarters, in big cities and small towns—could have access to the policies and benefits needed to thrive and live life authentically,” said Jay Brown, Human Rights Campaign Senior Vice President of Programs, Research and Training. “We are proud that the Corporate Equality Index paved the way to that reality for countless LGBTQ+ workers in America and abroad. But there is still more to do, which is why we are raising the bar yet again to create more equitable workplaces and a better tomorrow for LGBTQ+ workers everywhere.”
The results of the 2022 CEI showcase how 1,271 U.S.-based companies are not only promoting LGBTQ+-friendly workplace policies in the U.S., but also for the 56% of CEI-rated companies with global operations who are helping advance the cause of LGBTQ+ inclusion in workplaces abroad. [Business Name]’s efforts in satisfying all of the CEI’s criteria earned a 100 percent ranking and the designation as one of the Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality.
The full report is available online at www.hrc.org/cei.
About Giant Eagle
Giant Eagle, Inc., ranked among the top 40 on Forbes magazine’s largest private corporations list, is one of the nation’s largest food retailers and distributors. Founded in 1931, Giant Eagle, Inc. has grown to be a leading food, fuel and pharmacy retailer in the region with more than 470 stores throughout western Pennsylvania, Ohio, northern West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana.
About Human Rights Campaign Foundation The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people. Through its programs, the HRC Foundation seeks to make transformational change in the everyday lives of LGBTQ+ people, shedding light on inequity and deepening the public’s understanding of LGBTQ+ issues, with a clear focus on advancing transgender and racial justice. Its work has transformed the landscape for more than 15 million workers, 11 million students, 1 million clients in the adoption and foster care system and so much more. The HRC Foundation provides direct consultation and technical assistance to institutions and communities, driving the advancement of inclusive policies and practices; it builds the capacity of future leaders and allies through fellowship and training programs; and, with the firm belief that we are stronger working together, it forges partnerships with advocates in the U.S. and around the globe to increase our impact and shape the future of our work.