The majority of United States businesses have already started addressing workplace fairness for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) employees. Currently, employees in Virginia do not have a statewide standard that protects against discrimination based on sexual orientation (SO) and gender identity (GI).
Virginia Fairness is a group of employers who respect and value the diversity of their customers and employees. Because we believe in full equality for all citizens, we have non-discrimination policies in place that include protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Virginia Fairness is a project of Equality Virginia (EV) and has two arms: the Virginia Competes program and the Equality Means Business program.
Through the Virginia Competes Program, EV works with top Virginia-based companies who maintain a corporate belief that for Virginia businesses to compete for top talent, workplaces and communities must be welcoming of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and know that diversity and inclusion matter. The companies have policies in place that welcome and protect LGBT employees.
Equality Means Business is a coordinated, multi-state campaign designed to showcase businesses that know how vital LGBT employees and customers are to their success in a modern economy. These businesses not only improves each state’s reputation as a welcoming place to live, work, and visit but also, improves the lives of the more than 500,000 LGBT people who call these states home. Plus, Equality Means Business is also a tool for consumers to use if they want to ensure their patronage is supporting a business – or any place of public accommodation – that is welcoming to LGBT people.