Maine-based supermarket only grocery retailer in its five-state region designated a ‘Best Place to Work for LGBTQ equality’
Scarborough, ME – Hannaford Supermarkets, the only grocery retailer1 in its five-state region, received a perfect score by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), Corporate Equality Index (CEI) for its inclusive, equitable, and non-discriminatory work environment for the LGBTQ community. Additionally, Hannaford is the only business of all industries to receive a perfect score in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
“At Hannaford, care is at the core of everything we do. We are proud to be recognized by HRC for the ways in which we create and promote safe and welcoming environments that support and celebrate our LGBTQ associates and customers,” said Jim Hamilton, Hannaford’s Vice President of Eastern Operations and Executive Sponsor of Hannaford’s Diversity and Inclusion Council. “We believe in reflecting the communities we serve, and we’re enriched by each other’s differences. Most important, we all feel comfortable when we can bring our whole selves to work each day.”
According to the 2020 Corporate Equality Index report, in order for Hannaford to be designated a ‘Best Place to Work for LGBTQ equality,’ Hannaford demonstrated that it took “concrete steps to ensure greater equity for LGBTQ workers and their families in the form of comprehensive policies, benefits, and practices”—focusing on three pillars:
- Non-discrimination policies across business entities;
- Equitable benefits for LGBTQ workers and their families;
- Supporting an inclusive culture and corporate social responsibility.
Nationally, 571 businesses received the 100 percent rating. To determine scoring, CEI used four criteria including measures on:
- Workforce protections
- Inclusive benefits such as offering parity between different- and same-sex spouses and available coverage for domestic partners of enrollees, removal of transgender exclusions from all benefits plans
- Supporting an inclusive culture and corporate social responsibility, including things like Hannaford’s Business Resource Group: Diversity and Inclusion Council
- Responsible citizenship
New to this year’s rating system, included expanded criteria for earning 100 percent, such as:
- Ensuring full spousal and partner health care coverage parity
- Affirming coverage for transition-related care and eliminating all so-called “transgender exclusions” from plans
- Ensuring full LGBTQ inclusion in diverse supply chain programs.
HRC’s 2019 Corporate Equality Index is the national benchmarking tool on corporate policies and practices pertinent to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer employees.
This is the eleventh consecutive year that Hannaford received a 100 percent rating on the HRC’s Corporate Equality Index2.
About Hannaford Supermarkets
Hannaford Supermarkets, based in Scarborough, Maine, operates 182 stores in the Northeast. Stores are located in Maine, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Hannaford employs more than 26,000 associates. Additional information can be found at www.hannaford.com.
1Ratings by Industry, p. 100. Five states include: ME, NH, VT, MA, NY. Hannaford is the only grocery retailer named in all of ME, NH, VT, and in its market in MA and NY.
2Hannaford and its then-sister company, Food Lion, received a 100 percent score as companies of the Delhaize America portfolio. The portfolio, including all shared services, met the criteria of the perfect score and both companies were designated a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ people.