Arcadis earns perfect score in Human Rights Campaign's 2021 Corporate Equality Index

HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo., Jan. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Arcadis has received a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's 2021 Corporate Equality Index and been designated as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ equality in the U.S. This year's score reflects a five-point improvement over last year and marks the second year that Arcadis participated in the nation's premier benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality.

Arcadis is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture for all employees, and has historically provided LGBTQ employees with workforce protections and benefits that support this culture. In 2020, Arcadis strengthened that commitment by expanding medical benefits to align with World Professional Association for Transgender Health standards of care. The company also expanded its supplier diversity program to include LGBTQ-owned businesses and updated its gifts and contribution policy to explicitly prohibit donations to organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion and more. 

"Arcadis takes pride in putting people first and ensuring that everyone feels empowered to be their authentic selves at work," said Brian Kundert, Arcadis' director of human resources in North America. "This score reflects our deep commitment to LGBTQ inclusion and equality, and the hard work of our Pride Network in championing progress."

Arcadis' Pride Network is made up of more than 300 employees committed to supporting the wellbeing of LGBTQ employees through education, conversation and upholding the company's core values. The network is one of five employee affinity groups sponsored by Arcadis' diversity, equity and inclusion program, which strives to ensure an open, inclusive workplace that celebrates diverse thinking. Since its inception in 2018, the group has worked diligently to establish Arcadis as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ equality. 

"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."

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
• Corporate social responsibility

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

ABOUT ARCADIS
Arcadis is the leading global design and consultancy for natural and built assets. Applying our deep market sector insights and collective design, consultancy, engineering, project and management services we work in partnership with our clients to deliver exceptional and sustainable outcomes throughout the lifecycle of their natural and built assets. We are 27,000 people, active in over 70 countries that generate €3.3 billion in revenues. We support UN-Habitat with knowledge and expertise to improve the quality of life in rapidly growing cities around the world. www.arcadis.com

ABOUT THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN
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.

SOURCE Arcadis