This is also the sixth time the company has been recognized in the CEI report, which is the US' premier benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality.

In its 17th year, the CEI evaluates LGBTQ-related policies and practices including non-discrimination workplace protections, domestic partner benefits, transgender-inclusive health care benefits, competency programs, and public engagement with the LGBTQ community.

Carnival owes several of the world's most popular cruise lines, including Carnival Cruise Line, Cunard, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Seabourn. This recognition aligns with the company's 2020 sustainability goals, including a commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workforce and providing all employees with a positive work environment and opportunities to build a rewarding career to further drive employee engagement.

We are dedicated to promoting a positive work environment for our more than 120,000 employees from over 150 countries that work with great passion to provide extraordinary vacation experiences for our guests. For us, diversity of thinking is a business imperative that provides a competitive advantage. We know that having people from different backgrounds and cultural experiences organized around a common objective is far more likely to create breakthrough innovation than a homogenous group,

...said Roger Frizzell, chief communications officer for Carnival Corporation.

In this context, the organization has also partnered with OUTBermuda and other LGBTQ community organizations to support the legal recognition of same-sex marriages in Bermuda. It has also participated in Florida Competes, a top coalition to end LGBTQ discrimination in the state's businesses.

Additionally, it has sponsored annual Pride events to raise awareness and funds for LGBTQ organizations, while it has  partnered with equal opportunity champions such as the Human Rights Campaign, Executive Leadership Council, Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility, Catalyst, Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics and CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion.

HRC Foundation is the educational arm of America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender and queer people.

The report

Notably this year, 572 businesses earned 100%  under the new criteria of:

  • Ensuring full spousal and partner health care coverage parity;
  • Affirming coverage for transition-related care and eliminating all so-called “transgender exclusions” from plans; and,
  • Ensuring full LGBTQ inclusion in diverse supply chain programs.

2019 Corporate Equality Index Rating System and Methodology

The HRC Foundation’s CEI rating system is designed for mid to large businesses (500 full time employees and above) and divided into three key criteria categories:

  • Non-discrimination policies across business entities;
  • Equitable benefits for LGBTQ workers and their families;
  • Supporting an inclusive culture and corporate social responsibility.

Key findings

  • 99% of CEI-rated employers provide employment protections on the basis of sexual orientation in the US and globally.
  • 72% of this year’s rated businesses provide equal spousal and partner health care benefits.
  • 73% of this year’s rated businesses provide affirmative transgender-inclusive health care benefits and have removed all broad exclusions to coverage across plan offerings
  • 90% of CEI-rated employers have an employee resource group or diversity council that includes LGBTQ and allied employees and programming.
  • 84% of CEI-rated businesses met the standard of demonstrating a least three efforts of public commitment to the LGBTQ community
  • 78% of CEI-rated employers met the criteria of having LGBTQ inclusive contractor/supplier nondiscrimination standards and philanthropic giving guidelines in place.

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