General Mills advances inclusive culture

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota - For the 16th year, General Mills has earned a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index, the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality.

“At General Mills, our people are committed to making food the world loves, and each day we work to support them through fostering a culture of inclusion, where everyone can be their best,” said Jacqueline Williams-Roll, chief human resources officer, General Mills. “We’re proud these efforts have led to a long tenure on the Corporate Equality Index. There is more work to do and we are committed in our work to be a place where all employees can thrive.”

This designation was earned, in part, by the efforts of Betty’s Family, General Mills’ employee network for LGBTQ+ employees and allies. Betty’s Family works tirelessly to promote a work environment where everyone can be their authentic selves. As the company transitioned to Work with Heart, its flexible work model, the network advanced key programming and created space, support and connection opportunities for the General Mills community. Highlights from the year include:

• Supporting the company’s new offering of voluntary LGBTQ+ Self-ID and sharing pronouns in North America to advance our diverse talent community;
• Celebrating Pride month, National Coming Out Day and other key moments, with events engaging over 1,000 employees;
• Building by expanding the network to Europe and connecting internationally with events such as the Mumbai Virtual Pride and Movie Fest.

“When the Human Rights Campaign Foundation created the Corporate Equality Index 20 years ago, we dreamed that LGBTQ+ workers — from the factory floor to corporate headquarters, in big cities and small towns — could have access to the policies and benefits needed to thrive and live life authentically,” said Jay Brown, Human Rights Campaign Senior Vice President of Programs, Research and Training. “We are proud that the Corporate Equality Index paved the way to that reality for countless LGBTQ+ workers in America and abroad. But there is still more to do, which is why we are raising the bar yet again to create more equitable workplaces and a better tomorrow for LGBTQ+ workers everywhere. Congratulations to General Mills for achieving the title of ‘best places to work for LGBTQ+ equality’ and working to advance inclusion in the workplace.”

The CEI rates companies on detailed criteria across four central pillars:

• Non-discrimination policies across business entities;
• Equitable benefits for LGBTQ+ workers and their families;
• Supporting an inclusive culture; and
• Corporate social responsibility.

The full report is available online at www.hrc.org/cei.