Eastman Chemical Co. recently announced that the company has received a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s (HRCF) 2025 Corporate Equality Index, the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. Eastman joins the 765 U.S. businesses that will be honored with HRCF’s Equality 100 Award as Leaders in LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion. Eastman reports that this year’s CEI includes 1,449 businesses – the highest number of rated companies since the start of the CEI in 2002.

“Eastman is honored to receive this recognition, which underscores our dedication to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for our LGBTQ+ team members and allies,” said Julie McAlindon, senior vice president, regions, and chief supply chain officer, and executive champion of Eastman’s Equality resource group. “This award highlights the collective efforts of our global team and of Eastman’s continued commitment to improving quality of life for all our employees and the communities we serve.”

“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 results of the 2025 CEI showcase how U.S.-based companies are promoting LGBTQ+ friendly workplace policies in the United States 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% 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.

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. Additional information about The Human Rights Campaign is available at www.hrc.org. 

Learn more about Eastman at www.eastman.com.