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Eastern Bank Earns 100 Percent For 7th Consecutive Year in Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2020 Corporate Equality Index

Is Also Named A Best Place To Work For LGBTQ Equality

BOSTON, MA, February 6, 2020 – Eastern Bank, America’s oldest and largest mutual bank, is pleased to announce that for the seventh consecutive year, it received a score of 100 percent on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2020 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), the nation’s premier benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality. Eastern joins over 680 major U.S. businesses that also earned top marks this year, including 40 Massachusetts-based companies.

“We are long-standing advocates of diversity, equity and inclusion, and are fully engaged, across our workplace, philanthropy and advocacy, with making equal rights and opportunity for all people a reality,” said Bob Rivers, Chair and CEO of Eastern Bank. “Thank you to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation for its recognition of LGBTQ equality in our workplace, and for raising awareness around the efforts being led by Eastern and other businesses to help ensure Massachusetts and New England are welcoming places for all.”

The 2020 CEI rates organizations on criteria in several areas, including non-discrimination policies and workforce protections, employment benefits, organizational competency and accountability around LGBTQ diversity and inclusion, public commitment to LGBTQ equality, and responsible citizenship.

Advocating for and defending LBGTQ rights has long been important to Eastern. Specifically in 2019, Eastern contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to community partners serving the LGBTQ community. Eastern also helped the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce to organize the first job fair as part of the Trans Club of New England’s long running First Event conference. Eastern’s “Equality Under the Blue” employee network was highly visible at community events across New England, including an observance of the Stonewall Uprising and during Pride Month, organizing the participation of more than 70 employees at six Pride events spanning Boston, Cape Cod, Nashua, North Shore, Peabody and Quincy. Eastern also advocated its support through public comment of the proposed regulation, Nondiscrimination in Health and Health Education Programs or Activities. For its longstanding commitment to Greater Boston’s LGBT community and stalwart support of the LGBT community, Eastern was honored with the Boston Business Journal’s LGBT Ally Award, and Eastern Chair and CEO Bob Rivers received Greater Boston PFLAG’s Inspired Ally Award. 

“We believe everyone’s best contributions happen when we all feel welcome and can bring our whole selves to our work, and we are honored to join the hundreds of other businesses being recognized for their practices around LGBTQ equality,” added Nancy Huntington Stager, Chief Human Resources Officer of Eastern Bank and President and CEO of the Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation. “We are encouraged by the progress that has been made but ever so mindful that in many respects our work has just begun.”

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC) is the educational arm of America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

About Eastern Bank
Founded in 1818, Boston-based Eastern Bank is America’s oldest and largest mutual bank, with over $11 billion in assets and more than 110 locations serving communities in eastern Massachusetts, southern and coastal New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Eastern provides exceptional access to fairly priced banking, investment and insurance products and services for consumers and businesses of all sizes. Eastern Bank, which includes Eastern Wealth Management and Eastern Insurance, is known for its outspoken advocacy and community support that has exceeded more than $140 million in charitable giving since 1999. An inclusive company, Eastern employs 1,900+ deeply committed professionals who value relationships with their customers, colleagues, and communities. Join us for good at www.easternbank.com and follow Eastern on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. 

Media contact:
Andrea Goodman
Eastern Bank
[email protected] / 781-598-7847

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