Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Earns Top Marks in 2022 Corporate Equality Index

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota received a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation's 2022 Corporate Equality Index (CEI). This marks the third consecutive year that Blue Cross has earned a perfect CEI score, according to a release by BCBS of Minnesota.

Launched in 2002, the CEI is the nation's foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. Blue Cross joins the ranks of over 840 major U.S. businesses that also earned top marks for 2022.

"At Blue Cross, we foster a culture where people feel empowered to bring their authentic selves to work every day," said Dana Erickson, president and CEO at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, in the release. "We are proud and excited to have received a perfect score on the Corporate Equality Index for a third straight year. Supporting our LGBTQ+ associates and members is an important part of our overall goal of helping to achieve true racial and health equity across all communities."

Jay Brown, Human Rights Campaign senior vice president of Programs, Research and Training recalled when the Human Rights Campaign Foundation created the Corporate Equality Index 20 years ago, they 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.

"We are proud that the Corporate Equality Index paved the way to that reality for countless LGBTQ+ workers in America and abroad," Brown said. "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. BCBS' 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 CEI rates employers providing these crucial protections to over 20 million U.S. workers and an additional 18 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.