Nissan North America earned a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation Corporate Equality Index for the fourth year in a row for its LGBTQ-inclusive policies and its commitment to the LGBTQ community. The ranking earns Nissan designation as a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality.”
Annually, the HRC Foundation administers its national benchmarking survey assessing corporations on a set of comprehensive criteria. Among them is whether a corporation maintains equal employment opportunity policies that include sexual orientation and gender identity. Demonstration of organizational LGBTQ competency through training across levels within the organization is another criterion upon which companies are assessed. A final criterion is an organization’s public commitment to LGBTQ-specific efforts including supplier diversity and marketing.
“We’re committed to diversity within our workplace, and Nissan has reason to be proud of its inclusive policies and public practices with its perfect score on the HRC Foundation Corporate Equality Index,” says Rebecca Vest, vice president, Corporate Development and Social Responsibility, Nissan North America, Inc. “The Human Rights Campaign is doing important work to support our LGBTQ colleagues, friends and family members in their efforts to live and work in safe, inclusive environments where they can thrive. Nissan remains committed to fostering a culture of inclusion for all LGBTQ individuals.”
Nissan updated several of its corporate policies, including our charitable contribution policy, this year to include ‘gender expression/identity’ as part of our protected characteristics (“…age, disability, race, ethnicity, national origin, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression/identity, marital or veteran status or additional characteristics protected by applicable state, provincial or federal law.”)
Nissan has the most diverse consumer base of any automotive manufacturer and is an ardent supporter of the LGBTQ community. Since 2013, Nissan’s employee affinity group, known as the Gay Straight Alliance at Nissan (GSAN), has been an internal resource for all LGBTQ employees and a catalyst for continued support of and outreach to the LGBTQ community both within and outside the company. GSAN’s efforts have resulted in Nissan connecting with the larger LGBTQ community at a range of Pride festivals across the country and involvement with Nashville’s LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce. This year, Nissan furthered its commitment to the LGBTQ community by partnering with Out & Equal Workplace Advocates and several GSAN members participated at the Out & Equal Workplace Summit.
On the marketing front, Nissan once again sponsored the Gay Softball World Series in Austin in August, an outgrowth of its partnership with the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance (NAGAAA). Nissan’s 2016 involvement with local NAGAAA softball leagues has included sponsorship of more Pride events in cities across the country, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Orlando and New York. Nissan is also a sponsor of the National Gay and Lesbian Journalists Association’s annual convention and other regional LGBTQ events and groups.
Detailed information on the HRC Foundation’s 2017 Corporate Equality Index can be found on the HRC website at www.hrc.org/cei.
