Dow Chemical among the most LGBT-inclusive employers, foundation says

Dow Chemical.JPG.jpeg

The Dow Chemical Co. has its headquarters in Midland.

(Courtesy | The Dow Chemical Co.)

MIDLAND, MI — The Human Rights Campaign Foundation has listed The Dow Chemical Co. among the most LGBT-inclusive employers.

The foundation's 2015 Corporate Equality Index ranks Midland's Dow among nine Michigan companies that received ratings of 100 percent, designating them the "Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality."

The index is a national bench-marking tool on corporate policies and practices related to LGBT employees, a Dow news release states.

Dow officials say this is the 10th consecutive year the company has received recognition for its "continued leadership of and commitment to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights in the workplace."

Dow has participated in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's index since its inception in 2002. In 2005, Dow became the first in the chemical industry to receive a perfect score, according to the release.

Related: Would sexual orientation, gender identity protection make Michigan business more competitive?

"For more than a decade, Dow has offered best-in-class practices of LGBT inclusion in the workplace including equal benefits to same-sex partners for everything from health, dental and life insurance to bereavement leave, relocation and dual career assistance," the release states.

"Dow also recognizes survivor benefits for its pension plan for LGBT and provides transgender benefits."

Howard Ungerleider, Dow's chief financial officer and executive sponsor of Gays, Lesbians and Allies at Dow, or GLAD, issued the following statement in response to the company's recognition:

"In a highly competitive world where innovation is critical to solving the world's most important challenges, it is the diversity of our teams, and therefore our ability to reflect the diversity of our customers and of society, that is the ultimate key to success.

"This recognition is a testament to our firmly held conviction in that ideal, and to our commitment to provide a working environment of full inclusion and equality, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression."

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In addition, last month, the Amsterdam-based Workplace Pride Foundation ranked Dow as one of the world's most LGBT-inclusive employers, earning Dow a Global Benchmark endorsement as one of the top five scoring organizations, the release states.

Earlier this year, Dow joined select invitees to attend the White House Forum on Global LGBT Human Rights to engage senior Obama Administration officials on ongoing efforts to protect and promote the human rights of LGBT individuals, internationally.

Weeks later, Dow officials were present when U.S. President Barrack Obama signed an executive order prohibiting discrimination in federal contracting on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Related: Dow Corning Corp. joins the call for gender identity, sexual orientation protections under Michigan law

Dow also co-hosted a Congressional Pride Month reception at Union Station on Capitol Hill. Sponsored by HRC and Google, the event brought together companies, including GE, General Mills and Alcoa, to actively champion for LGBT inclusion in the workplace to attending congressional leaders.

While many states in the U.S. and abroad have yet to pass laws protecting LGBT people from discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, Dow continues to actively support passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would enact such federal legislation, the release states.

Dow officials have spoken multiple times in recent years on Capitol Hill regarding LGBT rights in the workplace, and they continue working with non-government organizations including Out & Equal, Freedom to Work, the International Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce; Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays; and Lambda Legal.

Related: Gays, Lesbians and Allies at Dow, PFLAG offer STEM scholarships

"Full inclusion of our LGBT colleagues is matter of fairness, equality and fundamental human right. It is also a business imperative," Ungerleider's statement continued.

"We will continue to shape the culture at Dow and in society by collaborating with like-minded organizations to foster inclusion, celebrate differences and strive for the realization of an equal and full inclusive work environment."

Dow also is a member of the Michigan Competitive Workforce Coalition, which calls for the addition of sexual orientation and gender identity protections under Michigan law.

Under Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, it is illegal to subject people to differential treatment based on religion, race, color, national origin, sex, height, weight, familial status or marital status. And employers are prohibited from discriminating in hiring, compensation or the terms, conditions or privileges of employment.

Sexual orientation and gender identity are not included under the law.

Learn more about the coalition at www.michcwc.org.

The Human Rights Campaign is the largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for LGBT Americans, representing more than 1.5 million members and supporters nationwide, according to the release.

Read the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's 2015 Corporate Equality Index here.

— Heather Jordan covers business, Saginaw Valley State University, health and hospitals for MLive/The Saginaw News/The Bay City Times. She can be reached at 989-450-2652 or hjordan@mlive.com. For more news, follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

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