Kelley Drye Earns Top Score in Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index

Firm earns 100 percent on Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s annual assessment of LGBTQ+ workplace equality

Kelley Drye & Warren LLP has announced that it received a perfect 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. This marks the sixth consecutive year that Kelley Drye has achieved a perfect mark on the survey.

“We are proud to have Kelley Drye included in the Corporate Equality Index and especially to be included with a perfect score,” said Denise Smith, Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Kelley Drye. ​“This recognition is a reflection of our efforts to create a workplace where all members are safe, respected and valued, one that allows our legal teams to benefit from the diversity of experiences and perspectives.”

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 percent of CEI-rated companies with global operations who are helping advance the cause of LGBTQ+ inclusion in workplaces abroad. Kelley Drye’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.

In 2002, the first year of the CEI, only 13 companies achieved a top-score, demonstrating the incredible impact the CEI has had on the business world over its 20-year life. This year’s CEI reflects growth across every measurement category, from the adoption of inclusive non-discrimination policies, to equitable healthcare benefits for transgender employees.

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.

Kelley Drye has a longstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.  In 2015, the firm established the ​“Kelley Drye LGBTQ Network,” an affinity group of members of the LGBTQ community as well as friends and allies of the community.  Open to everyone, the group reflects the firm’s commitment to increasing understanding of, and involvement in, the unique issues facing the LGBTQ community.  Kelley Drye is a member of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce  (NGLCC) and supports a number of LGBTQ organizations including SMYAL, the National LGBT Bar Association, and LGBT Bar Association of NY (LeGaL).

The full report is available online at www​.hrc​.org/cei.