Pride Month 2024 Special: Top 10 Tech Companies Championing LGBTQ+ Equality

The tech sector has always been criticized for being a particularly discriminatory industry, and while a number of tech companies are trying to swerve the industry’s reputation, much remains to be done.

A 2018 Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC) report found that despite legal gains, over 46% of LGBTQ+ workers are closeted at work, with 50% of non-LGBTQ+ workers stating that there are no employees at their company who are open about being LGBTQ+.

Such startling statistics were calling for prominent change.

The most recent edition of the HRC’s Corporate Equity Index (CEI), published in November 2023, introduced a more rigorous survey to evaluate LGBTQ+ inclusivity in workplaces.

Based on their data, we compiled a list of the top 5 best places to work in tech for LGBTQ+ people.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. Top 5 Best Tech Workplaces for LGBTQ+ Equality
3. A Comment From Within: 'We Need More Than Just Corporate Pride'
4. The Bottom Line
5. FAQs
6. References

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. Top 5 Best Tech Workplaces for LGBTQ+ Equality
3. A Comment From Within: 'We Need More Than Just Corporate Pride'
Show Full Guide
4. The Bottom Line
5. FAQs
6. References

Top 5 Best Tech Workplaces for LGBTQ+ Equality

The HRC’s Corporate Equality Index launched in 2002 and, since then, has become a pivotal tool in ranking US businesses in the evolving field of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer equality in the workplace.

The 2023-2024 CEI report showed that in response to increasing legislative attacks on transgender and non-binary individuals, as well as opposition to LGBTQ+ equality, many corporations are starting to demonstrate their commitment to inclusivity.

According to the report:

“This year’s CEI survey saw 545 businesses meet the evolved criteria, earning all 100 points and HRCs 2023-2024 ‘Equality 100 Award’ as a Leader in LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion.”

In addition, the report had more companies scoring 90 or higher on the report than ever before, reaching a new milestone.

The CEI evaluates companies on four key pillars, including:

Here is our list of the top 5 best places to work in tech for LGBTQ+ equality based on the HRC’s 2023-2024 CEI report.

Amazon

The tech giant has been a prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ equality, consistently receiving high marks for its inclusive policies.

In fact, this is not the first time that Amazon has scored high on HRC’s CEI report; it has received 100 points for six consecutive years.

Amazon has 13 affinity groups, which are also known as employee resource groups, that aim to bring Amazon employees together across businesses and locations around the world.

One of the 13 affinity groups is Glamazon, which helps Amazon become a “great place to work” by educating and informing employees about the LGBTQ+ community.

Additionally, Amazon has been known to sponsor LGBTQ+-related events, including PRIDE, one of the biggest events in the LGBTQ+ community.

In a recent article, Amazon stated:

“We now have more than 80 Glamazon global chapters working together to build community, awareness, and resources for LGBTQIA+ employees and allies. One of the group’s most visible annual occasions is Pride Month, which Glamazonians are celebrating in 2023 under the theme ‘Proud to be Me.'”

Moreover, in 2017 Glamazon released a transgender toolkit for managers and employees to use when going through a gender transition at the workplace.

AT&T

Another tech company that prides itself on scoring a clean 100 in HRC’s CEI report is AT&T, a Texas-based telecommunication company.

AT&T is a pioneer in the equality fight, being one of the first major US companies to adopt a policy prohibiting discrimination against LGBTQ+ employees in 1975. In 1987, AT&T founded LEAGUE at AT&T, one of the oldest LGBTQ+ employee resource groups in corporate America.

LEAGUE at AT&T champions “diversity, networking, professional development, and community involvement, while also contributing to the success of the company by leveraging [its] identities to create a mutually beneficial relationship between AT&T and its customers.”

In 2018, the company announced The Trevor Project, an organization that provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to members of the LGBTQ+ community who are under the age of 25.

Oracle Corporation

Oracle Corporation is an American computer technology company that has managed to score 100 points in HCR’s CEI report for 16 consecutive years.

According to Traci Wade, Oracle Corporation’s group vice president, at Oracle, differences are not just respected but celebrated.

“We believe that innovation starts with inclusion and to create the future we need people with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and abilities. That’s why we’re committed to creating a workplace where all kinds of people can do their best work.”

In addition to priding itself on hiring diverse talent, Oracle also has the Oracle Pride Employee Network (OPEN) which aims to unite and empower LGBTQ+ personnel around the world.

Moreover, on their website Oracle features inspiring stories told by LGBTQ+ employees.

Google

Another prominent tech company taking strides in LGBTQ+ equality is Google.

After facing a challenging patch in 2019, the HCR suspended Google from its 2019 CEI report after finding that Google failed to remove a controversial conversion therapy app from the Play Store.

Following massive scrutiny, the tech giant pulled down the app and was even congratulated by the HRC via a Tweet:

BREAKING: @Axios' @inafried reports Google has pulled down the dangerous so-called "conversion therapy app."

We applaud @Google for making the right decision to pull this from their online store, an important step to protect LGBTQ youth. (tip @Techmeme) https://t.co/rN2J0dubaT

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) March 29, 2019

Google has a long history of establishing an LGBTQ+ friendly environment through various organizations such as PRIDE at Google, or through its participation in a number of LGBTQ+ marches throughout the years.

In 2010, the company extended health insurance and family or medical leave benefits to same-sex parents and, in 2011, pioneered transgender-inclusive healthcare benefits to cover transitioning procedures and other treatments.

Intuit

The final candidate on our list of the top 5 best tech companies for LGBTQ+ equality is the software company Intuit.

Intuit has been a long-time advocate for LGBTQ+ equality, launching the Intuit Ally Program in 2018. This employee-run and founded institution focuses on making the workspace a Safe Space.

Cherise Slover, Intuit’s Tucson’s Pride Network co-chair and founder of Intuit’s Ally Program, said:

“Top companies from around the world, such as Bank of America and Disney, all have Ally programs for their employees. Being LGBTQ+ myself, this really hit home, because before joining Intuit, I would hide who I was at work out of fear of discrimination – something I have encountered many times due to my appearance… It was clear to me why we needed an Ally program at Intuit: employees need a way to openly showcase their acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community so all current and future employees feel welcome and like they belong.”

Intuit is also providing its LGBTQ+ employees with certain medical benefits such as gender-affirmation surgery and health care coverage.

A Comment From Within: ‘We Need More Than Just Corporate Pride’

Jo Hunt, senior director of public relations at Serotonin, a PR company specializing in the promotion of Web3 and cryptocurrency companies, told Techopedia that in the 15 years that he has been working in tech, a lot has changed.

“Early on when I was in the renewable energy sector back in 2014, this was before gay marriage in the USA, it was not the most accepting of sectors. There was often homophobia and misogyny, but most of the younger coworkers I had were great allies.”

Now, Hunt works in the blockchain space, which he says is a much freer environment.

“Web3 has a liberating culture for the most part. Sometimes Twitter can be tough to navigate as a queer person, but that’s most of Twitter these days.”

Hunt, who also takes part in Serotonin’s hiring process, added that hiring more openly queer people can make the tech space much better and more inclusive.

“Every industry has a way to go, especially when it comes to gender equality. Many times, homophobia or transphobia is wrapped in misogyny. I believe that equality and equity in the tech industry are improving for LGBTQ+ people, but we need more than just corporate pride every June. That starts with employment and increased visibility.”

The Bottom Line

While the tech sector has faced criticism for discrimination, significant strides are being made to improve LGBTQ+ equality within the industry. The 2023-2024 Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index (CEI) highlights the progress, with a record number of companies scoring high marks for their inclusive practices.

Leading tech companies like Amazon, AT&T, Oracle, Google, and Intuit have demonstrated a strong commitment to fostering LGBTQ+ inclusive environments through comprehensive policies, benefits, and support networks.

However, room for improvement remains, particularly in increasing visibility and combating underlying biases. Continued efforts and genuine engagement beyond corporate pride celebrations are essential for achieving lasting equality in the tech industry.

FAQs