Edward Jones Earns Perfect Score in Human Rights Campaign's 2022 Corporate Equality Index

Financial services firm joins the ranks of 840 major U.S. businesses that received top marks in the Foundation's 20th annual scorecard on LGBTQ+ workplace equality

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Edward Jones

Jan 27, 2022, 10:14 ET

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Financial-services firm Edward Jones scored 100 percent on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's 2022 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) the nation's foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. The ranking designates Edward Jones as one of the Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality.

"Our workplace environment is one way we demonstrate how we live our purpose: to partner for positive impact to improve the lives of our clients and colleagues, and together, better our communities and society," said Jennifer Kingston, Edward Jones Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. "We firmly believe that all of our 50,000+ associates across North America should feel free to bring their whole selves to work. When we celebrate all dimensions of diversity, we become that much better at serving the needs of both our clients and our associates."

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

Edward Jones' efforts in satisfying all of the CEI's criteria earned a 100 percent ranking and the designation as one of the Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality. This marks the sixth consecutive year the firm has received a perfect score.

Edward Jones offers domestic partner benefits, transgender-inclusive benefits and associate volunteer self-identification. The firm's 800-plus strong LGBT+ and Allies Business Resource Group regularly meets to cultivate relationships, generate ideas and develop strategies to build and retain an inclusive workforce. The group also champions Edward Jones' participation in, and sponsorship of, the St. Louis and Tempe Pride parades, as well as several local Pride events across the country. In the summer of 2020, Edward Jones announced its Five-Point Commitment to inclusion, equity and diversity.

"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 CEI rates employers providing these crucial protections to over 20 million U.S. workers and an additional 18 million abroad. 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.

About Edward Jones
Edward Jones, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in St. Louis, provides financial services in the U.S. and, through its affiliate, in Canada. Every aspect of the firm's business, from the investments its financial advisors offer to the location of branch offices, caters to individual investors and businesses. The firm's nearly 19,000 financial advisors serve more than 7 million clients with a total of $1.7 trillion in assets under care. Visit www.edwardjones.com or the recruiting website is https://careers.edwardjones.com. Member SIPC.

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.

SOURCE Edward Jones