LOUISVILLE, KY – Brown‑Forman Corporation received a perfect score of 100 percent on the 2022 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+  workplace equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. Brown‑Forman joins the ranks of over 840 major U.S. businesses that also earned top marks this year. This is the twelfth consecutive year Brown‑Forman has received a perfect score.

"The CEI standards keep us focused on the most meaningful ways to support an inclusive workplace so that LGBTQ+ colleagues will continue to choose to build their careers here.  As a life-long ally, I am proud of this perfect score because it affirms Brown‑Forman's commitment to being a great place to work, for everyone," said Ralph de Chabert, SVP, Chief Diversity and Global Community Relations Officer.

“When the Human Rights Campaign Foundation created the Corporate Equality Index 20 years ago, we 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,” said Jay Brown, Human Rights Campaign Senior Vice President of Programs, Research and Training. “We are proud that the Corporate Equality Index paved the way to that reality for countless LGBTQ+ workers in America and abroad. 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.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. Brown‑Forman’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.

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

The 2022 CEI rates employers providing these crucial protections to over 20 million U.S. workers and an additional 18 million abroad. 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 Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people. Through its programs, the HRC Foundation seeks to make transformational change in the everyday lives of LGBTQ+ people, shedding light on inequity and deepening the public’s understanding of LGBTQ+ issues, with a clear focus on advancing transgender and racial justice. Its work has transformed the landscape for more than 15 million workers, 11 million students, 1 million clients in the adoption and foster care system and so much more.