Carlton Fields earned a perfect score of 100% on the 2022 Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index (CEI), designating the firm as a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality” for the 13th year in a row. The rating recognizes the firm’s LGBTQ+-friendly policies and practices and its devotion to workplace equality.
“Appreciation of diversity, equity, and inclusion is one of Carlton Fields’ core values and an integral part of the firm’s strategic plan,” said Chief Diversity Officer Nancy Faggianelli. “We believe that people with diverse backgrounds enrich our work environment, add value to the services we provide, and enhance the overall culture of the firm. We are truly honored to receive this recognition.”
The 2022 CEI evaluates LGBTQ+-related policies and practices, including non-discrimination policies; equitable benefits; support for an inclusive culture, including public commitment to LGBTQ+ equality; and corporate social responsibility. Carlton Fields is one of only 141 law firms in the country who earned a perfect score.
“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.”
Carlton Fields’ leadership has long championed LGBTQ+ protections. The firm has an extensive history of leading efforts to promote LGBTQ+ equality in the workplace, documented by the offering of domestic partner benefits since 1999; establishing the firm’s LGBTQ+ business resource group, currently led by Shareholder Gail Podolsky; and representing LGBTQ+ individuals and families pro bono in significant same-sex marriage, adoption, and name change cases in partnership with Equality Florida and Legal Services of Greater Miami.
Carlton Fields has received additional recognitions for its commitment to diversity and inclusion, including being a top-ranked firm for diversity in the inaugural Minority Corporate Counsel Association Diversity Scorecard and a top 15 firm for “Overall Diversity” in the Vault Guide to the Top 100 Law Firms. The firm is also in the top 25 firm for “Diversity for Women,” “Diversity for Racial Minorities,” “Diversity for LGBTQ Individuals,” and “Diversity for Individuals with Disabilities.”
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