The Human Rights Campaign Foundation Recognizes 57 Chilean Companies Dedicated to LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion

135 Chilean Employers Participated in the Forth 'HRC Equidad CL' Report with 57 Earning Top Marks

WASHINGTON - June 14, 2022 - Today, The Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC), the educational arm of the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, in partnership with Fundación Iguales, is releasing its fourth annual 'HRC Equidad CL: Global Workplace Equality Program' report. This program is the leading South American benchmarking survey and report recognizing employers in Chile (CL) who have demonstrated a commitment to LGBTQ+ equality by adopting crucial LGBTQ+-inclusive policies and practices for their employees. In 2022, the total number of workplace participants rose to 135, an increase of more than 40% compared to 2021.

"In its fourth year, Equidad Chile has collaborated with and challenged Chilean employers to create better and more inclusive workplaces for LGBTQ+ employees. The remarkable growth of this program from 31 participants in 2019 to 135 in 2022 emphasizes the importance of and dedication to LGBTQ+ equality in Chilean workplaces," said Keisha Williams, Human Rights Campaign Workplace Equality Director. "In Chile and beyond, employers understand that building an LGBTQ+ inclusive workplace is not only great for retention and recruitment but is the right thing to do for their employees. Taking a stand for equity and inclusion makes a substantial difference in the lives of employees, consumers and a society that demands equality for all LGBTQ+ people."

The Chilean-based survey, inspired by the Human Rights Campaign's annual Corporate Equality Index (CEI), is HRC's first in-country program in South America and the second in Latin America, following the success of HRC Equidad MX in Mexico. In 2022, a landmark 135 companies participated in the survey, which more than tripled the amount of corporate engagement since its inaugural edition, and recognized 57 businesses for earning top scores on the survey and illustrating their commitment to LGBTQ+ workplace equality and inclusion.

"HRC Equidad CL's growth has been amazing. From a few businesses in 2019 to over 130 organizations in this year's edition, this growth demonstrates the impact of this program on Chilean workplaces in only four years," said Emilio Maldonado, HRC Equidad CL Implementing Partner and Representative of Fundacion Iguales. "HRC Equidad CL not only seeks to certify the best workplaces, but also promotes the constant improvement of corporate practices in Chile."

Altogether the top-scoring businesses employ 181,806 workers nationwide and the total of participating companies employ 328,594 workers. Of all participating companies, 63% percent have a policy protecting sexual orientation and 16% percent indicated they are in the process of creating one, and 66% percent have a specific LGBTQ+ employee resource group (ERG). In its inaugural year, 31 companies undertook the survey and 15 of them earned the HRC's Foundation designation-this year, that number jumped to 57 top scorers and 135 participating companies.

Through its CEI and partnerships with local organizations, the HRC Foundation is leading the advancement of LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion and equality across the U.S., Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and Chile impacting more than 39 million workers worldwide.

The 2022 HRC Equidad CL report evaluated Chilean businesses and corporations based on three core pillars of LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion:

• Adoption of nondiscrimination policies;
• Creation of employee resource groups or diversity and inclusion councils;
• Engagement in public activities to support LGBTQ+ inclusion.

Since the program's inception, and in collaboration with Pride Connection, HRC Equidad CL has become the leading tool among major employers to assess and promote best LGBTQ+-inclusive workplaces across Chile. In 2018, the HRC Foundation kicked off its groundbreaking partnership with Fundación Iguales, Chile's largest LGBTQ+ advocacy group, to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion among major business and U.S. multinationals in Chile through HRC Equidad CL: Global Workplace Equality Program.

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, 600,000 clients in the adoption and foster care system and so much more. The HRC Foundation provides direct consultation and technical assistance to institutions and communities, driving the advancement of inclusive policies and practices; it builds the capacity of future leaders and allies through fellowship and training programs; and, with the firm belief that we are stronger working together, it forges partnerships with advocates in the U.S. and around the globe to increase our impact and shape the future of our work.