Still Rolling Back Progress

Wal-Mart has once again received the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) lowest possible rating in its recently released ”Buying for Equality 2009” guide. HRC’s guide rates retailers and other corporations on their respective company policies that support lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals including anti-discrimination protections, domestic partner benefits, diversity training, and transgender wellness benefits.  Companies are scored from 0 to 100, with passing retailers receiving HRC’s “green” rating. 

This year, Wal-Mart remains in HRC’s do-not-buy zone with a “red” rating.  Wal-Mart’s overall score, 40 out of 100, remains stagnant from the HRC’s 2008 guide.

Other retailers such as Best Buy, Sears (Kmart), Target, and Walgreens all received HRC’s highest possible rating with scores of 100 out of 100.  Costco, CVS, and Home Depot also received HRC’s green rating with scores of 93, 90, and 85, respectively. 

Since 2007, Wal-Mart’s policies that support LGBT employees have been stalled after Wal-Mart bowed to the pressure of conservative critics and withdrew its support from the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.  In doing so, Wal-Mart cited its policy to “avoid highly controversial issues”.

Yet, the real controversy continues to lie within Wal-Mart’s non-inclusive policies which perpetuate the treatment of LGBT individuals as second class citizens with second class rights.  Until Wal-Mart makes the necessary changes to guarantee all its employees equal and fair rights, as HRC suggests, consumers should make the choice to shop elsewhere.

To download the complete Buying for Equality 2009 guide, visit the Human Rights Campaign.