NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nissan earned a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Corporate Equality Index for the third year in a row for its LGBT-inclusive policies and commitment to the community. In 2013, the company was among the fastest risers in the history of the index.
“Nissan has the most diverse consumer base of any automotive manufacturer and our focus on inclusion – in both our consumer base and our workforce – is a point of pride for us, which helps us attract not only new customers to the Nissan brand but also potential employees,” said Jeffrey Webster, director of Diversity and Inclusion at Nissan. “With an engaged group of LGBT employees and allies, Nissan is well positioned to connect with the LGBT community.”
Nissan partnered with the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance (NAGAAA) to sponsor its 39th Annual Gay Softball World Series event in August, and leveraged that partnership in the company’s first LGBT-themed national ad campaign featuring the “4-Door Sports Car,” the all-new 2016 Maxima. This nine-day event in Columbus, Ohio, drew more than 185 teams from 43 cities across the United States and Canada, and showcased Nissan vehicles at the sports complex as well as the opening and closing ceremonies.
In September, Nissan sponsored the National Gay and Lesbian Journalists Association’s (NLGJA) 25th anniversary convention in San Francisco.
Nissan’s employee group, the Gay Straight Alliance at Nissan (GSAN), continues to be the driving force behind the company’s LGBT outreach efforts. Nissan continues to ensure it offers inclusive benefits and Championing Diversity workshops for employees, and a “Diversity and Inclusion” team works closely with advocacy groups such as the HRC to drive a culture of equality in the workplace.
This year, Nissan revised its charitable contribution policy and does not make donations to, “Organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, age, veteran status, physical challenge, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity.”
The HRC Corporate Equality Index is a national benchmarking survey and report that evaluates LGBT-related policies and practices including non-discrimination workplace protections, domestic partner benefits, transgender-inclusive health care benefits, competency programs and public engagement with the LGBT community. Nissan is proud to be one of the major U.S. businesses that earned a 100 percent ranking and the designation as a Best Place to Work for LGBT Equality.
