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Over 400 corporations join HRC’s Business Coalition for the Equality Act

3rd May 2021 BWM Staff

According to Out Magazine, some of the largest corporations in the United States have banded together to demonstrate their LGBTQ+ allyship as part of the Human Rights Campaign’s Business Coalition for the Equality Act.

As part of the campaign, over 400 corporations and Fortune 500 companies, such as Apple, Marriott International, IBM and Amazon have joined together to call for the passage of the Equality Act. If the Equality Act is signed, the bill would support the LGBTQ+ community by amending laws and extending protections against housing and federal program discrimination to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

Marriot International said in a statement: “As a global hospitality leader, our principles of non-discrimination extend to all travelers, and include sexual orientation and gender identity. That is why we are proud to join with the Human Rights Campaign and support passage of the Equality Act, to help ensure equality under the law as well as under our own roof.”

Carla Grant Pickens, global chief diversity and inclusion officer at IBM, said in a statement: “A workforce that reflects the diversity of today’s society drives new ideas and innovation. At IBM, we seek to hire the most talented individuals regardless of their gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or other personal characteristics. We also believe that equal protections should extend beyond an employer’s four walls, which is why IBM stands with HRC in endorsing the Equality Act.”

Alphonso David, president of the Human Rights Campaign, stated, “We are seeing growing support from business leaders because they understand that the Equality Act is good for their employees, good for their businesses and good for our country.”

Passed on February 18 by the House by a vote of 224-206, The Equality Act of 2021 will look to amend existing law to specifically prohibit discrimination in many areas of society based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, education, employment, and other areas.

HRC’s Alphonso David thanked the companies for their support, while also emphasizing that more work needed to be done in the fight to get the Equality Act passed and signed into law.

“Thank you to every company that is speaking up and advocating for the passage of the Equality Act,” David states. “It’s time for the Senate to listen to the business community and the public and pass this long overdue legislation.”