Highmark West Virginia earns top marks in Human Rights Campaign's 2021

Parkersburg, W.Va. (February 1, 2021) — Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia is proud to announce that it received a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2021 Corporate Equality Index, the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality. Highmark WV is pleased to earn the distinction for the second time and join 765 other U.S. businesses that also earned top marks this year.  

“We are extremely proud to be recognized by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation for our efforts to build an open, inclusive workplace that is respectful of the right to equality,” said Jim Fawcett, president, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia.  “Our team’s ongoing commitment to embracing diversity both in-person and virtually allows our workforce to thrive and flourish as we strive to create a remarkable health experience for all.”

Again this year, three Highmark Health companies have received perfect scores, with Highmark West Virginia and Highmark Delaware making the list for the second time, and Highmark Inc. for the fourth year in a row. 

“It’s an honor for Highmark Inc. to receive ongoing recognition as leaders in the LGBTQ+ communities we serve across Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Delaware,” said Robert James, Highmark Health Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer. “While this year served as an inflection point for many marginalized communities across the country, we proved our ability to rise to the occasion by maintaining employee engagement and ensuring a welcoming environment for all.” 

The results of the 2021 CEI showcase how 1,142 U.S.-based companies are not only promoting LGBTQ-friendly workplace policies in the U.S., but also for the 57% of CEI-rated companies with global operations who are helping advance the cause of LGBTQ inclusion in workplaces abroad. Highmark Delaware’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. 

“From the previously unimaginable impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, to a long overdue reckoning with racial injustice, 2020 was an unprecedented year. Yet, many businesses across the nation stepped up and continued to prioritize and champion LGBTQ equality,” said Alphonso David, Human Rights Campaign President. “This year has shown us that tools like the CEI are crucial in the work to increase equity and inclusion in the workplace, but also that companies must breathe life into these policies and practices in real and tangible ways. Thank you to the companies that understand protecting their LGBTQ employees and consumers from discrimination is not just the right thing to do — but the best business decision.”  

The CEI rates employers providing these crucial protections to over 18 million U.S. workers and an additional 17 million abroad. Companies rated in the CEI include Fortune magazine’s 500 largest publicly traded businesses, American Lawyer magazine’s top 200 revenue-grossing law firms (AmLaw 200), and hundreds of publicly and privately held mid- to large-sized businesses. 

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 full report is available online on the Corporate Equality Index website.  The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.