Safeway, Delhaize, Costco Earn Top Marks for LGBT Workplace Equality

Safeway Inc. and Delhaize America, along with Costco Wholesale Corp., have received perfect scores on the 2015 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices regarding LGBT equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation. Safeway and Delhaize America achieved a 100 percent ranking in 2014 as well, while Costco garnered a 90 percent score.

"We pride ourselves on embracing and celebrating the rich diversity of our employees, customers and suppliers," said Safeway EVP Larree Renda. "It is part of our culture to make every individual feel equally valued and respected. These core principles are the fabric of who we are and make us one of the best places to work."

Noted Millette Granville, director of diversity and inclusion for Delhaize America: "This top recognition showcases our strong commitment to establishing a diverse and inclusive environment for all of our associates."

Safeway's LGBT-friendly programs and initiatives include an inclusive benefits package; an employee resource group, GALA, Safeway LGBT and Allies, which began in 2006; a supplier diversity program that supports the inclusion of LGBT vendors and suppliers; and financial sponsorship and participation in annual LGBT-related events and causes across the regions in which the company operates.

The 2015 CEI rated almost 1,000 businesses for the report, which evaluates LGBT-related policies and practices, among them nondiscrimination workplace protections, domestic partner benefits, transgender-inclusive health care benefits, competency programs, and public engagement with the LGBT community. As a result of satisfying all of the index's criteria, Safeway, Delhaize America and Costco each received a 100 percent ranking and the designation as a Best Place to Work for LGBT Equality.

Other grocery retailers on the list include Ahold USA (with a score of 55), BJ's Wholesale Club (35), Costco Wholesale Corp. (100), Giant Eagle (75), The Kroger Co. (85), Meijer (70), Nash Finch (30), Supervalu (90), Trader Joe's Co. (30), Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (90) and Whole Foods Market (75).

Rated CPG companies include Anheuser-Busch (100), Barilla America (100), Bayer Corp. (80), Campbell Soup Co. (100), The Coca-Cola Co. (100), Colgate-Palmolive Co. (90), ConAgra Foods (100), Dean Foods Co. (40), Del Monte Foods (30), Diageo North America (100), E&J Gallo Winery (100), General Mills (100), Hain Celestial Group (90), The Hershey Co. (100), Hormel Foods Corp. (70), J.M. Smucker (60), The Kellogg Co. (100), Keurig Green Mountain (85), Kimberly-Clark Corp. (90), Kraft Foods Group (100), L'Oreal USA (85), Land O'Lakes (100), Mars Inc. (60), MillerCoors (100), Mondelez International (100), Nestle Purina PetCare Co. (95), Outerwall Inc. (90), PepsiCo (100), Procter & Gamble (100), Tyson Foods (30) and Unilever (100).

The Washington, D.C.-based HRC is the United States' largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality.