BOSTON — Learning technology company Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) today announced that it has received a score of 95 out of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2021 Corporate Equality Index, the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. HMH joins the ranks of 1,142 major U.S. businesses that were also ranked in the 2021 CEI.
“As a learning technology company, we aim to create and cultivate an employee community, company culture and business strategy that reflects the diverse demographics and perspectives of our customers,” said Carlie Dos Santos, Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at HMH. “HMH is committed to the growth, retention, and respect of our LGBTQ+ employees and fostering a workplace that is safe, harassment-free, and allows individuals to bring their authentic selves to work. We are proud to be recognized by the HRC’s Corporate Equality Index and will strive for a perfect score as we continue to build a more inclusive community.”
As a leading provider of K-12 learning solutions, HMH reaches hundreds of thousands of students, teachers and readers and is committed to producing culturally responsive curriculum that fosters a holistic understanding of the world and reflects, respects and resonates with diverse communities it serves. HMH’s diversity, equity and inclusion workplace efforts focus around four key pillars including leadership, talent, culture and business. This includes direct actions to attract, hire and retain more diverse talent, nurture an equitable workplace, and create opportunities for meaningful conversations about what it means to be inclusive. HMH currently sponsors six employee resource groups, including a group for LGBTQ+ individuals and allies, that provide support, enhance career development, contribute to personal development, and promote inclusion in the work environment.
“From the previously unimaginable impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, to a long overdue reckoning with racial injustice, 2020 was an unprecedented year. Yet, many businesses across the nation stepped up and continued to prioritize and champion LGBTQ equality,” said Alphonso David, Human Rights Campaign President. “This year has shown us that tools like the CEI are crucial in the work to increase equity and inclusion in the workplace, but also that companies must breathe life into these policies and practices in real and tangible ways. Thank you to the companies that understand protecting their LGBTQ employees and consumers from discrimination is not just the right thing to do—but the best business decision.”
The results of the 2021 CEI showcase how 1,142 U.S.-based companies are not only promoting LGBTQ+-friendly workplace policies in the U.S., but also for the 57% of CEI-rated companies with global operations who are helping advance the cause of LGBTQ+ inclusion in workplaces abroad.
The CEI rates employers providing these crucial protections to over 18 million U.S. workers and an additional 17 million outside of the U.S. companies rated in the CEI include 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.
About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (NASDAQ: HMHC) is a learning technology company committed to delivering connected solutions that engage learners, empower educators and improve student outcomes. As a leading provider of K–12 core curriculum, supplemental and intervention solutions and professional learning services, HMH partners with educators and school districts to uncover solutions that unlock students' potential and extend teachers' capabilities. HMH serves more than 50 million students and 3 million educators in 150 countries, while its award-winning children's books, novels, non-fiction, and reference titles are enjoyed by readers throughout the world. For more information, visit www.hmhco.com.
Follow HMH on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
About the Human Rights Campaign Foundation
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.
Contact
Leah Riviere
Director, Communications
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
617-351-5020