17 Atlanta companies earn perfect HRC score

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation has released its 22^nd annual Corporate Equality Index (CEI), the leading benchmarking tool for U.S. businesses in the field of LGBTQ+ equality in the workplace.

In 2024, a record 1,449 companies were scored based on their performance in four areas: non-discrimination policies across business entities, equitable benefits for LGBTQ+ workers and their families, inclusive internal workplace culture, and corporate social responsibility.  

According to the report, 765 businesses earned a perfect 100 points and were recognized as leaders in workplace inclusion – a 28% increase from last year. Of those 765, 224 were Fortune 500 companies, and 17 were headquartered in Atlanta.

CEI-Rated Companies Headquartered in Atlanta

*Denotes a Fortune 500 company that did not respond to repeated invitations to take the CEI survey. Rating is based on publicly available information and information submitted by unofficial employees or employee groups.

Genuine Parts Co.* 5

Graphic Packaging International* 5

Intercontinental Exchange* 5

Delta 25

Impellam North America 25

Travelport Ltd. 25

Home Depot 45

Veritiv 50

PulteGroup 60

NextGen Healthcare 65

Norfolk Southern Corp. 65

Sparq 65

Corpay 70

North Highland 75

Equifax 85

United Parcel Service 85

Kilpatrick Townsend and Stockton 90

Newell Brands 95

Alston & Bird 100

Assurant 100

Coca-Cola 100

Cox Enterprises 100

Eversheds Sutherland 100

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta 100

Fisher and Phillips 100

Global Payments Inc. 100

IHG Hotels and Resorts 100

Invesco 100

King and Spalding 100

Morris, Manning, and Martin 100

NCR Voyix 100

Papa John’s International 100

Randstad 100

Smurfit WestRock 100

Southern Co. 100

Troutman Pepper Locke 100

According to the report, 93 percent of LGBTQ+ consumers – whose spending surpassed $1.4 trillion in 2021 – view high CEI scores as an indicator of genuine support by the company of the LGBTQ+ community, suggesting a financial incentive toward equitable workplace practices, further supported by data from a 2024 report by the Boston Consulting Group that found that companies with diverse leadership teams generate 19% more revenue than their less diverse peers.

Of the 1,448 CEI-rated companies:

• 98% include “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” in their non-discrimination policies;
• 76% provide inclusive benefits for same- and different-sex spouses and partners
• 91% offer trans-inclusive health insurance coverage;
• 84% have managers and supervisors undergo training that includes gender identity and sexual orientation;
• 98% have an employee resource group or diversity council that includes LGBTQ+ and allied employees and programming;
• 74% demonstrated at least five efforts of public commitment to the LGBTQ+ community; and
• 80% provided philanthropic support via cash or in-kind donation to at least one LGBTQ+-specific organization.

“Looking ahead, we remain committed to evolving the CEI to meet emerging needs while maintaining its core focus on tangible impact,” Kelley Robinson, the President of HRC, said in a statement. “The HRC Foundation’s workplace team will also continue its work as a trusted partner with companies across industries. Because ultimately, this isn’t about scorecards or rankings—it’s about creating workplaces where every person can succeed, contribute, and thrive. That’s not just good values; it’s good business.”

Read the full 2024 Corporate Equality Index here.