To determine this list, we used different criteria than we used for our other human-capital lists because virtually no companies have an accurate record of the number of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) employees.

 

So to come up with this top 10, we first counted companies that filled out our Top 50 Companies for Diversity survey and said they actively recruited GLBT employees, had non-discrimination policies including sexual orientation, and offered domestic-partner benefits for same-sex couples.

 

We then used further corporate rankings developed by the Washington, D.C.-based Human Rights Campaign, with their permission. We then also studied the corporate Web sites of the companies still in contention to see if they made GLBT employees and customers welcome.

 

Here are the Top 10 Companies for GLBT employees:

 

No. 1, Xerox

No. 10 on Top 50 Companies for Diversity, also

No. 2 on Top 10 Companies for African Americans and

No. 3 on Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans

With a firm commitment to recruiting and retaining GLBT employees, Stamford, Conn.-based Xerox makes ample use of its GALAXE (Pride at Work - Gay and Lesbian Employees) caucus group. The company has advertised in gay publications, such as The Advocate, and also has been a sponsor at gay-themed business expos and organizational events.

 

No. 2, JPMorgan Chase

No. 21 on Top 50 Companies for Diversity, also

No. 3 on Top 10 Companies for African Americans,

No. 6 on Top 10 Companies for Latinos and

No. 1 on Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans

New York-based JPMorgan Chase continues its dominance among our diversity human-capital lists with its emphasis on GLBT issues, from hiring to retention to supplier diversity.

 

No. 3, IBM

No. 29 on Top 50 Companies for Diversity, also

No. 3 on Top 10 Companies for Supplier Diversity

The Armonk, N.Y.-based long-time diversity leader also is a long-time GLBT leader, as evidenced by its active GLBT recruitment program, its being the first corporation in the United States to establish a program to find GLBT-owned suppliers, and its inclusion of "gender identity" and "gender expression" in its statement of diversity principles.

 

No. 4, Prudential Financial

No. 27 on Top 50 Companies for Diversity and

No. 4 on Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans, also on Top 10 Companies for Executive Women

Newark, N.J.-based Prudential actively celebrates Gay Pride Month in June and has long been a major recruiter of GLBT individuals. In addition, the company has made a significant effort to respect and protect transgender employees.

 

No. 5, Hewlett-Packard

No. 17 on Top 50 Companies for Diversity

The Palo Alto, Calif.-based technology company has a strong employee network for GLBT workers, the Hewlett-Packard Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Employee Network, and was in the news earlier this year when a court upheld its decision to fire an employee who posted anti-gay scriptural passages in his office.

 

No. 6, Eastman Kodak

No. 35 on Top 50 Companies for Diversity

The Rochester, N.Y.-based company, a long-time work-force diversity leader, donates to groups such as the Gay/Lesbian/Straight Education Network, has offered domestic-partner benefits since 1997, and in 2002 made headlines when it fired a long-time employee who refused to get on board with the company's gay-supportive policies.

 

No 7, Bausch & Lomb

No. 47 on Top 50 Companies for Diversity

With a strong Gay & Lesbian Employee Network, the Rochester, N.Y.-based company has received a perfect score from the Human Rights Campaign and is known as a gay-friendly company.

 

No. 8, Citigroup

No. 2 on Top 50 Companies for Diversity,

No. 6 on Top Companies for Recruitment & Retention,

No. 3 on Top 10 Companies for Latinos,

also on Top 10 Companies for Executive Women

The New York-based financial-services giant, which offers diversity training that includes sexual orientation and gender identity, also provides support to GLBT organizations through its foundation.

 

No. 9, Verizon Communications

No. 4 on Top 50 Companies for Diversity, also

No. 9 on Top 10 Companies for Supplier Diversity,

No. 10 on Top 10 Companies for Recruitment & Retention,

No. 10 on Top 10 Companies for African Americans,

No. 10 on Top 10 Companies for Latinos and

No. 10 on Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans

As this list indicates, New York-based Verizon is an overall diversity work-force champion. The company, which offers health insurance for same-sex domestic partners, also actively recruits GLBT employees.

 

No. 10, Ford Motor Co.

No. 3 on Top 50 Companies for Diversity, also

No. 2 on Top 10 Companies for Supplier Diversity

Dearborn, Mich.-based Ford, a long-time national diversity leader, has had same-sex domestic-partner benefits since 2000, has an active GLB employee network (GLOBE, Ford Gay, Lesbian Or Bisexual Employees) and has marketed to GLB consumers.