Northwestern Mutual Receives Sixth Consecutive Perfect Score on Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index

MILWAUKEE, Jan. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Northwestern Mutual announced today the company earned a perfect score of 100 for the sixth consecutive year in the 2020 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) survey?a national benchmarking survey administered by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation?which reports on corporate policies and practices related to LGBT workplace equality. Northwestern Mutual is among a record-breaking 686 major U.S. companies that participated in this year's survey that earned top scores this year.

"Achieving a perfect score on the CEI for the sixth consecutive year is a great honor that validates our ongoing efforts to create a diverse and inclusive culture," said Amy Hanneman, vice president of diversity and inclusion, Northwestern Mutual. "We're strongest when we support each other and are dedicated to bringing out the best in our people as we strive for even greater inclusion for our colleagues, clients, and communities."

Northwestern Mutual's perfect score earns the company the designation of a Best Place to Work for LGBT Equality. This year's report rated over 1,000 businesses, evaluating LGBTQ-related policies and practices including workplace protections, spousal and partner benefits, transgender-inclusive health care benefits, competency training, resources and accountability measures and public engagement with the LGBT community.

Key findings in the 2020 CEI include:

• Companies earning a perfect CEI score include 214 of the Fortune 500.
• The 686 companies who earned a perfect score represent 12.4 million employees nationally, 11.9 million globally and earn a combined estimate of $12.9 trillion in revenue.
• Of all Fortune 500 companies, 93% have sexual orientation in their U.S. non-discrimination policy, and 91% have gender identity.
• The average CEI score for all Fortune 500 companies increased from 67 to 71 in the past year -- with actively participating Fortune 500 companies having an average score of 90, up from 88 last year.
• Eighty-nine percent of companies participating in the CEI offer at least one health care policy that is inclusive of their transgender workers, and 85% percent met stringent criteria that requires all blanket exclusions of medically-necessary care for transgender workers be removed from all health policies the company offers -- up from 73% last year.

For more information, visit www.hrc.org/cei. 

About Human Rights Campaign Foundation
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

About Northwestern Mutual
Northwestern Mutual has been helping families and businesses achieve financial security for more than 160 years. Through a distinctive, personalized planning approach, Northwestern Mutual combines the expertise of its financial advisors with a digital experience to help its clients navigate their financial lives every day. With $272.2 billion in assets, $28.5 billion in revenues, and $1.8 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial security to more than 4.5 million people with life, disability income and long-term care insurance, annuities, and brokerage and advisory services. The company manages $128 billion of investments owned by its clients and held or managed through its wealth management and investment services businesses. Northwestern Mutual ranks 111 on the 2019 FORTUNE 500 and is recognized by FORTUNE^® as one of the "World's Most Admired" life insurance companies in 2019.

Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM), Milwaukee, WI (life and disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance with long-term care benefits) and its subsidiaries. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS) (securities), broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company® (NMWMC) (fiduciary and fee-based financial planning services), federal savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company (NLTC) (long-term care insurance).

SOURCE Northwestern Mutual