Gallagher Earns Top Mark in Human Rights Campaign's 2021 Corporate Equality Index

Gallagher Earns 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's annual assessment of LGBTQ workplace equality

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Jan 29, 2021, 09:00 ET

ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., Jan. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Gallagher, a global insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services firm, proudly announces that it received a perfect 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. Gallagher joins the ranks of more than 767 major U.S. businesses that also earned top marks this year. This is the third consecutive year Gallagher received this recognition.

"We are honored to once again be recognized by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Corporate Equality Index as one of the Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality," said Susan Pietrucha, Global Chief Human Resources Officer. "Gallagher knows the value of diversity, and we work to encourage it in a welcoming and supportive environment. This important honor recognizes Gallagher's long-standing commitment to a culture of inclusion that is our heritage."

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. Gallagher'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.

"Gallagher's commitment to supporting the growth of diversity within our company and in the communities we serve is incredibly important," said Chris Mead, Global Chief Marketing Officer. "We partner with organizations that share our values, including sponsoring the It Gets Better Project Digital Pride Experience to support LGBTQ+ youth, as well as Stonewall U.K.'s Rainbow Laces program in partnership with Gallagher Premiership Rugby to promote equality in sports. It is gratifying and humbling to receive this HRC recognition, acknowledging our dedication to inclusivity."

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.

"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."

For more information on the 2021 Corporate Equality Index, or to download a copy of the report, visit www.hrc.org/cei.

ABOUT GALLAGHER
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE: AJG), a global insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services firm, is headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. The company has operations in 49 countries and offers client service capabilities in more than 150 countries around the world through a network of correspondent brokers and consultants.

ABOUT THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FOUNDATION
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.