Bank of the West Earns Perfect Score on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Annual Assessment of LGBTQ+ Workplace Equality

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of the West, a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, today announced it has been named one of the Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality for the fourth year in a row, receiving a perfect score of 100 percent on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's 2022 Corporate Equality Index (CEI). The annual benchmarking survey and report measures corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality across the United States.

"At Bank of the West, we believe being different is a strength, so every employee is encouraged to bring their authentic self to work. It's one of the reasons we're a fundamentally different Bank and a great place to work," said Nandita Bakhshi, President and CEO at Bank of the West. "We are helping to build a more equitable society by advancing sustainability and promoting diversity and inclusion across every level of the industry. I'm inspired by our team who take this responsibility seriously and have and shown up for our customers and each other through the challenging pandemic environment."

From its CEO to investments in minority and women-owned businesses, Bank of the West embraces and celebrates different cultures, lifestyles and experiences. The Bank offers competitive benefits for same-sex partners, regardless of marital status, as well as transgender benefits in all health plans offered. All employees are welcome to join any one of the company's nine resource groups, which honor and celebrate cultural, gender and LGBTQ+ diversity at the Bank. The groups actively work in the community by volunteering, participating in employee recruitment fairs and supporting personal and professional development.

Learn more about Bank of the West's commitment to diversity and inclusion here.

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.

"When the Human Rights Campaign Foundation created the Corporate Equality Index 20 years ago, we dreamed that LGBTQ+ workers—from the factory floor to corporate headquarters, in big cities and small towns—could have access to the policies and benefits needed to thrive and live life authentically," said Jay Brown, Human Rights Campaign Senior Vice President of Programs, Research and Training. "We are proud that the Corporate Equality Index paved the way to that reality for countless LGBTQ+ workers in America and abroad. But there is still more to do, which is why we are raising the bar yet again to create more equitable workplaces and a better tomorrow for LGBTQ+ workers everywhere."

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

About The Human Rights Campaign Foundation 
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. Through its programs, the HRC Foundation seeks to make transformational change in the everyday lives of LGBTQ+ people, shedding light on inequity and deepening the public's understanding of LGBTQ+ issues, with a clear focus on advancing transgender and racial justice. Its work has transformed the landscape for more than 15 million workers, 11 million students, 1 million clients in the adoption and foster care system and so much more. The HRC Foundation provides direct consultation and technical assistance to institutions and communities, driving the advancement of inclusive policies and practices; it builds the capacity of future leaders and allies through fellowship and training programs; and, with the firm belief that we are stronger working together, it forges partnerships with advocates in the U.S. and around the globe to increase our impact and shape the future of our work.

About Bank of the West 
At Bank of the West, we know money deposited in a bank has the power to finance positive change. So we are taking action to ensure our activities help protect the planet, improve people's lives, and strengthen communities. We are redefining banking for a better future by focusing on areas where we believe we can have a real impact: supporting energy transition, helping enable women entrepreneurs, and financing innovative start-ups. As the bank for a changing world, Bank of the West is committed to sustainable finance along with our parent company BNP Paribas. Through Digital Channels and offices across the U.S., Bank of the West provides financial tools and resources to more than 2 million individuals, families and businesses.

© 2022 Bank of the West. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. Doing business in South Dakota as Bank of the West California.

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