Apple Earns Top Score in 2025 Corporate Equality Index, Reinforcing Commitment to Queer Inclusion

Apple, one of the world’s most influential technology companies, has once again achieved a perfect score in the 2025 Corporate Equality Index released by the Human Rights Campaign this week . The CEI is widely regarded as the definitive benchmark for measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workplace. This accolade places Apple among 765 businesses nationwide recognized for their comprehensive commitment to LGBTQ+ equality.

The HRC’s Corporate Equality Index was first introduced in 2002 to provide an annual assessment of how America’s largest businesses—those employing at least 500 full-time workers—support LGBTQ+ employees. The Index evaluates companies on several key criteria: non-discrimination policies, equitable benefits for LGBTQ+ workers and their families, support for an inclusive culture, and corporate social responsibility .

A score of 100 represents the highest standard for LGBTQ+ inclusion. For 2025, Apple joins other prominent companies including Citigroup, General Motors, LinkedIn, and Macy’s in demonstrating best-in-class support for their LGBTQ+ workforce .

Apple’s perfect score signifies more than just corporate compliance; it is the result of sustained, proactive measures to foster a welcoming and equitable workplace. According to the HRC report, Apple’s policies include:

- Comprehensive non-discrimination protections that explicitly encompass sexual orientation and gender identity in all employment decisions.
- Equitable health and family benefits for LGBTQ+ employees and their partners, including coverage for same-sex spouses and partners, as well as trans-inclusive healthcare options .
- Gender transition guidelines that provide clear procedures and support for employees undergoing gender transition, including training for managers and co-workers to ensure a respectful and informed environment.
- Employee resource groups and diversity councils that create opportunities for LGBTQ+ staff and allies to connect, access resources, and drive company-wide initiatives related to inclusion.
- Public advocacy and corporate social responsibility efforts, including marketing to LGBTQ+ consumers, philanthropic support of LGBTQ+ organizations, and participation in events such as Pride celebrations .

Apple’s achievement comes at a time when visible support for LGBTQ+ rights by major corporations is increasingly scrutinized. The 2025 Corporate Equality Index notes a mixed landscape: while the number of companies earning top marks has grown by nearly 28% since last year, some major businesses have recently withdrawn from participation or rolled back diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Companies such as Lowe’s and Brown-Forman have publicly announced their departure from the Index, citing changing internal priorities .

Despite these setbacks, the HRC’s data shows that 98% of the 1,386 companies surveyed now include both “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” in their non-discrimination policies, and 87% offer trans-inclusive healthcare benefits. There has also been a notable increase in firms providing gender transition guidelines and equal “family formation” benefits, demonstrating progress in critical areas of LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion .

For many LGBTQ+ employees, Apple’s consistent high ranking in the CEI reflects more than policy—it represents a commitment to making the workplace a space where all identities are respected and celebrated. Apple’s employee resource groups, such as “Apple Pride,” provide networking, mentoring, and advocacy opportunities, while also serving as advisory bodies to leadership on matters affecting LGBTQ+ staff .

In past public statements, Apple CEO Tim Cook—himself an openly gay executive—has emphasized the importance of diversity and inclusion not just as a moral imperative, but as a driver of creativity and innovation. “We believe that inclusion inspires innovation, and that the best way to serve our customers is to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve,” said Cook in Apple’s most recent Diversity Report .