WestRock, a provider of differentiated paper and packaging solutions, announced that it has received a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s 2021 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), a national benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality. WestRock joins the ranks of 767 major U.S. businesses that also earned top marks this year.

“Our LGBTQIA teammates are an integral part of WestRock, and we are honored to be recognized by the HRC Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index as a workplace that values their contributions,” says Steve Voorhees, chief executive officer of WestRock. “At WestRock, we remain steadfast in our commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity and belonging. Together, we can help sustain and be part of an environment where everyone at WestRock feels welcome, heard, valued and safe, so that each of us bring our best selves to the work we do, generate the best ideas for customers and contribute our best to the community.”

“From the previously unimaginable impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, to a long overdue reckoning with racial injustice, 2020 was an unprecedented year. Yet, many businesses across the nation stepped up and continued to prioritize and champion LGBTQ equality,” says Alphonso David, Human Rights Campaign president. “This year has shown us that tools like the CEI are crucial in the work to increase equity and inclusion in the workplace, but also that companies must breathe life into these policies and practices in real and tangible ways. Thank you to the companies that understand protecting their LGBTQ employees and consumers from discrimination is not just the right thing to do — but the best business decision.”

The results of the 2021 CEI showcase how 1,142 U.S.-based companies are not only promoting LGBTQ-friendly workplace policies in the U.S., but also for the 57% of CEI-rated companies with global operations who are helping advance the cause of LGBTQ inclusion in workplaces abroad. WestRock’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 CEI rates employers providing these protections to over 18 million U.S. workers and an additional 17 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 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.

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