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For the 10th consecutive year, Womble Bond Dickinson has achieved a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2025 Corporate Equality Index, the leading benchmarking tool for evaluating corporate policies and practices supporting LGBTQ+ workplace equality.

This year’s CEI includes 1,449 businesses—the highest number of rated companies since the start of the CEI in 2002.

Christine Xiao, co-chair of the firm’s LGBTQ+ affinity group, WBDPride, stated that “as we celebrate this milestone, we remain dedicated to continuous improvement, within our own Womble community and in the community at large.”

“As we celebrate this milestone, we remain dedicated to continuous improvement, within our own Womble community and in the community at large.”

Christine Xiao, Co-Chair of WBDPride, Womble Bond Dickinson

“The Corporate Equality Index is an important tool for measuring progress towards our equality goals,” said Katrina Pride, Womble’s Director of Development & Diversity. “As an Equality 100 company, we at Womble Bond Dickinson are honored to have our efforts recognized and will continue striving towards greater inclusivity and equality for all members of the LGBTQ+ community. This includes creating a safe and welcoming workplace environment, advocating for LGBTQ+ rights in our communities, and supporting organizations that promote diversity and inclusion.”

“The Corporate Equality Index is an important tool for measuring progress towards our equality goals. As an Equality 100 company, we at Womble Bond Dickinson are honored to have our efforts recognized and will continue striving towards greater inclusivity and equality for all members of the LGBTQ+ community. This includes creating a safe and welcoming workplace environment, advocating for LGBTQ+ rights in our communities, and supporting organizations that promote diversity and inclusion.”

Katrina Pride, Director of Development & Diversity, Womble Bond Dickinson

“The CEI is so much more than a score on paper. For decades businesses have relied on the CEI as a tool for transparency and leveling the playing field for all workers, making sure LGBTQ+ people and their families can share in fair, respectful and supportive workplaces and benefits,” said RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, SHRM-CP, HRCF Senior Director of Workplace Equality. “As conversations evolve on corporate America’s approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion, year-over-year growth in CEI participation is evidence of a business community that largely recognizes the responsibility and value in upholding equity and inclusion. Our goal at the Human Rights Campaign Foundation is to work in a spirit of partnership with companies, providing educational resources and leading benchmarking. The work of the CEI is to help businesses to expand their consumer base and attract top, innovative talent by supporting the LGBTQ+ community.”

“The CEI is so much more than a score on paper. For decades businesses have relied on the CEI as a tool for transparency and leveling the playing field for all workers, making sure LGBTQ+ people and their families can share in fair, respectful and supportive workplaces and benefits. As conversations evolve on corporate America’s approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion, year-over-year growth in CEI participation is evidence of a business community that largely recognizes the responsibility and value in upholding equity and inclusion. Our goal at the Human Rights Campaign Foundation is to work in a spirit of partnership with companies, providing educational resources and leading benchmarking. The work of the CEI is to help businesses to expand their consumer base and attract top, innovative talent by supporting the LGBTQ+ community.”

RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, SHRM-CP, Senior Director of Workplace Equality, Human Rights Campaign Foundation

Daniel Attaway, co-chair of the firm’s LGBTQ+ affinity group, WBDPride, noted that “it is encouraging to see almost 1,450 businesses rated this year and committed to the idea that everyone should be treated with dignity and respect. It is also a testament to Womble and the Womble culture that the firm has achieved a perfect score for a decade."

"It is encouraging to see almost 1,450 businesses rated this year and committed to the idea that everyone should be treated with dignity and respect. It is also a testament to Womble and the Womble culture that the firm has achieved a perfect score for a decade."

Daniel Attaway, Co-Chair of WBDPride, Womble Bond Dickinson

The results of the 2025 CEI highlight how U.S.-based companies are promoting LGBTQ+ friendly workplace policies in the U.S. and abroad. The first year of the CEI included 319 participants, and the 2025 CEI now surveys 1,449 participants, further demonstrating the tremendous growth of the CEI. A record-breaking 98 percent of CEI businesses have non-discrimination protections specific to gender identity.

The CEI rates employers providing these crucial protections to more than 22 million U.S. workers and includes 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.

The full report is available online at www.hrc.org/cei. 

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