I am proud to share that Braze has received the Equality 100 Award from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and has landed on its 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index. This award is given to companies that show a strong commitment to promoting equality for LGBTQ+ individuals in the workplace. The Human Rights Campaign is a group that works to make sure everyone is treated fairly, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity. Their Corporate Equality Index looks at things like how the company ensures everyone is treated equally, what benefits they offer their LGBTQ+ employees, and how committed they are to treating everyone fairly.

As a queer person, the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index (HRC CEI) has always been an essential resource for me in finding a workplace that is accepting and supportive of LGBTQ+ individuals. In the past, it has helped me avoid some potentially tricky situations. When I learned about the submission cycle for the 2023 HRC CEI, I was excited by the opportunity to work on our submission. I knew Braze had a strong culture of support, but working on this solidified it for me.

“For well over two decades, businesses have played an important role in furthering LGBTQ+ equality by centering employee needs and voices when it comes to workplace inclusion. While there is much more work to be done, year-over-year growth in CEI participation is evidence of a business community that recognizes the responsibility and value in upholding equity and inclusion,” said RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, Human Rights Campaign Sr Director of Workplace Equality. “Our goal at the Human Rights Campaign Foundation is to work in a spirit of partnership with companies, providing educational resources and leading benchmarking, and collaborating on ways for businesses to support the LGBTQ+ community at a time when we face unprecedented legislative attacks, heightened anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and physical violence. The CEI is an ever-evolving tool—a blueprint that companies can use to show up more effectively in supporting their LGBTQ+ employees and their families.”

Putting together a successful submission involved a lot of documentation and meeting strict standards, and a small team led by Pride @ Braze, the Braze employee resource group (ERG) for LGBTQ+ employees and their allies, helped us achieve our goal. We worked with teams from across the company to make sure we had the right systems, policies, and programs in place to support the project. This meant looking at what we were already doing and making changes where necessary to meet the high standards required. It was a challenging process, but all our hard work paid off, and we are proud of what we accomplished.

At Braze, we believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are key to our success. I am proud to have a hand in building a culture that celebrates differences and encourages people to bring their whole selves to work. We've implemented policies and programs that support our LGBTQ+ employees, such as gender transition guidelines, comprehensive healthcare coverage (including an LGBTQ+ benefits guide), and more.

Receiving this recognition from HRC is a significant accomplishment. I couldn't be more proud of the team for their hard work and dedication to making Braze an inclusive and accepting workplace. We look forward to continuing to create a safe and welcoming environment where our employees can thrive.

This achievement would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication shown by the members of Pride @ Braze, who have played a vital role in shaping our policies, fostering a culture of acceptance, and ensuring that every voice is heard. We are grateful to all our employees who have helped make Braze a great place to work for all of us.

We are committed to continuing our efforts to make Braze an even better workplace where diversity is celebrated and our employees are embraced for who they are. We are confident that by working together and supporting each other, we can create a brighter and more inclusive future.