The number of companies committed to LGBTQ+ inclusion is growing in the U.S.A.

As numerous U.S.A. companies reduce their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives due to right-wing pressure, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation reports that more businesses are increasingly committed to enhancing LGBTQ+ inclusion and equality in the workplace.

On Tuesday, January 7, the Human Rights Campaign’s educational branch released the 2025 Corporate Equality Index (CEI). This annual report, which first appeared in 2002, evaluates U.S.A. companies’ policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality and has significantly influenced the enhancement of LGBTQ+ employees’ experiences at work.

According to the Associated Press, this year’s CEI was released a day after McDonald’s announced it would put a hold on its participation in “external surveys,” as part of scaling back its DEI programs. The fast-food chain joins companies like Walmart, Ford, Harley-Davidson, John Deere, and Lowe’s, which have succumbed to conservative pressure to discontinue DEI efforts.

Despite this trend, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation notes that the 1,449 companies assessed in this year’s CEI reflect a 5 percent increase from last year’s number. According to ‘LGBTQ Nation’, of these, 72 firms participated for the first time. Furthermore, 765 businesses achieved a perfect score, marking a 28 percent rise from 2024.

The 2025 report reveals that 98 percent of CEI-rated companies explicitly incorporate “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” in their nondiscrimination policies, 82 percent offer equivalent spousal and partner medical benefits, and 87 percent provide equal health coverage for transgender individuals without exclusions for medically necessary care.

Also, the current CEI recorded a 25 percent increase in businesses providing LGBTQ+ health benefits guides and a 21 percent boost in those that have implemented gender transition guidelines to support transitioning employees.

As noted by the AP, some companies were rated in this year’s survey and received scores before deciding to withdraw from participation. McDonald’s was awarded a score of 100, while Walmart and Lowe's each received 90s. HRC has indicated it will continue to monitor and score these companies.

HRC President Kelley Robinson stated that the CEI’s mission “is about making businesses stronger.”

“Progress can encounter backlash, but companies remain dedicated to reinforcing workplace inclusion,” Robinson explained. “As a result, they become more competitive and innovative, attracting and retaining top talent and expanding their consumer base. We welcome companies seeking to learn more about supporting every employee so they can perform at their best.”

“For decades, businesses have used the CEI to promote transparency and ensure fairness for all workers, providing LGBTQ+ individuals and their families a fair, respectful, and supportive environment,” said RaShawn Hawkins, SHRM-CP, HRC Senior Director of Workplace Equality. “The ongoing growth in CEI participation underscores a business community that largely embraces the responsibility and value of maintaining equity and inclusion.”

David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at NYU School of Law, remarked on the 2025 CEI, suggesting that while some companies publicly pull back from certain DEI activities, the majority continue their efforts.

“The main change is in altering programs primarily for legal risk mitigation purposes or carrying them out more quietly to avoid attracting as much attention and scrutiny,” Glasgow said.