As a growing number of U.S. companies roll back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts in the wake of right-wing pressure, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation says that, in fact, more companies are committed to improving LGBTQ+ inclusion and equality in the workplace.

On Tuesday, January 7, the educational arm of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) released its 2025 Corporate Equality Index (CEI). The annual report, which debuted in 2002, measures U.S. companies’ policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality and has been a leading force in improving LGBTQ+ employees’ workplace experience.

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As the Associated Press notes, this year’s CEI came a day after McDonald’s announced it would pause its participation in “external surveys” as part of its own rollback of DEI programs. The fast food giant joins companies like Walmart, Ford, Harley-Davidson, John Deere, and Lowe’s that have all bowed to conservative pressure to end DEI initiatives.

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At the same time, however, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation reports that the 1,449 companies rated in this year’s CEI represent a 5 percent increase from last year’s total. Of those 1,449 businesses, 72 participated in the survey for the first time. Additionally, 765 companies earned a perfect score, a 28 percent increase from 2024.

According to the 2025 report, 98 percent of CEI-rated companies explicitly include “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” in their nondiscrimination policies, 82 percent provide equivalency spousal and partner medical benefits, and 87 percent provide equal health coverage for transgender individuals without exclusion for medically necessary care.

Additionally, this year’s CEI saw a 25 percent increase in the number of companies that provide LGBTQ+ health benefits guides and a 21 percent increase in those that have instituted gender transition guidelines with policies to support transitioning employees.

As the AP notes, some companies completed this year’s survey and were given scores prior to announcing that they would no longer participate in the process. McDonald’s for instance, received a 100, while Walmart and Lowes received 90s. HRC has said it will continue to monitor and score these companies.

In a statement, HRC President Kelley Robinson said that the CEI’s work “is about making businesses stronger.”

“At times, progress meets backlash, but companies continue to dedicate the time and resources to reinforcing workplace inclusion,” Robinson said. “As a result, they are more competitive and more creative while attracting and retaining top talent and widening their consumer base. Our door is open for companies looking to learn more about supporting every single employee so they can bring their best to work.”

“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,” HRC Senior Director of Workplace Equality RaShawn Hawkins, SHRM-CP, said in a statement. “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.”

Responding to the 2025 CEI, David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at NYU School of Law, suggested that while some companies have made big public statements about “retreating from some aspects of how they were doing DEI” the vast majority “are still doing it.”

“The only difference is that they’re changing some programs mostly for legal risk mitigation purposes and or doing it more quietly so that they don’t attract as much attention and scrutiny,” Glasgow said.

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