Ongoing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts core to the company’s approach to meeting client needs for innovative infrastructure
Highlighting its work in advocating for diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) in the workplace, Black & Veatch earned another perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), sustaining its designation as a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality” for a fourth consecutive year.
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s CEI is the United States’ foremost road mapping and benchmarking tool for businesses seeking to evolve in the field of lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender and queer equality. Companies are ranked across four pillars: workforce protections, inclusive benefits, support of an inclusive culture and corporate responsibility, and responsible citizenship.
“Our continued 100-percent score on the Human Rights Campaign’s index stands as a positive affirmation of our company and cultural values,” said Steve Edwards, chairman and CEO of Black & Veatch. “At Black & Veatch, we wholeheartedly believe that welcoming and embracing a variety of diverse backgrounds, perspectives and identities not only helps improve the service we bring to clients, but supports our mission to be an incubator for innovative ideas. As an employee-owned company, we place the utmost importance on valuing everyone in our workplace community.”
This most recent recognition from the Human Rights Campaign bolsters Black & Veatch’s already strong track record of prioritizing DE&I. In 2019, Edwards signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion Pledge, the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace. In 2020, Forbes named Black & Veatch to its annual Best Employers for Diversity list, and in 2021, Black & Veatch joined the Human Rights Campaign’s Business Coalition for the Equality Act, which would establish non-discrimination protections for LGBTQIA+ people across various areas of life.
Black & Veatch’s score is due in part to the company’s Employee Resource Group (ERG) program, which gives professionals the opportunity to voluntarily join groups based around common characteristics or life experiences to engage in learning and community-building activities. The Black & Veatch Pride ERG, which fosters a safe and accepting work environment for all employees, clients, and contractors by providing support and resources to LGBTQIA+ and ally employees, leads celebratory, informative programming that includes virtual Pride celebrations as well as longstanding inclusivity engagement in conjunction with other ERGs.
“We are proud that the Corporate Equality Index paved the way to that reality for countless LGBTQ+ workers in America and abroad,” said Jay Brown, senior vice president of Programs, Research and Training with the Human Rights Campaign. “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.”
“Congratulations to Black & Veatch for achieving the title of ‘best places to work for LGBTQ+ equality’ and working to advance inclusion in the workplace.”
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Editor’s Notes:
- Learn more about Black & Veatch’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
About Black & Veatch
Black & Veatch is a 100-percent employee-owned global engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company with a more than 100-year track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people around the world by addressing the resilience and reliability of our most important infrastructure assets. Our revenues in 2020 exceeded US$3.0 billion. Follow us on www.bv.com and on social media.
About The Human Rights Campaign Foundation
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, 1 million 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.
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