Home Depot Amends Employment Policies to Prohibit Sexual Orientation Discrimination

18 May, 2001

For more information contact:
John Hurley, Unitarian Universalist Association (617- 948-6131)
Diane Bratcher, The Equality Project (212-870-2296)

Concluding an agreement with shareholders at the close of business on Friday, May 11, Home Depot amended its equal employment opportunity policy to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. The action came as a result of a proposed shareholder resolution initiated by the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), a religious organization based in Boston. The policy applies to all of Home Depot's approximately 226,000 employees globally. In response to the company's action, the Unitarian Universalist Association withdrew its shareholder resolution which called on the company to "amend its written equal employment opportunity policy to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and to substantially implement this policy."

Unusual in terms of its timing, Home Depot's policy change and related implementation plan came after it had already issued its 2001 proxy statement, including the UUA resolution and a Board of Directors' recommendation that shareholders vote against the resolution. Home Depot shareholders will meet on May 30, 2001 in Atlanta, Georgia.

"We appreciate the company's willingness to hear and to listen to the voice of shareholders and customers on this issue," declared Jerry Gabert, Vice-President of Finance and Treasurer of the Unitarian Universalist Association. "Our decision to sponsor this resolution arose from our affirmation of the inherent worth and dignity of every person. As one of the ten largest retailers in the U.S., Home Depot's decision is a great step toward guaranteeing equal opportunity for all people."

Home Depot (ticker symbol HD) reported $47.5 billion in sales, 1,134 stores in forty-five states, Canada, Puerto Rico and Chile. Friday evening, Home Depot CEO Robert Nardelli sent a note via the company's intranet informing all employees, called "associates," of the policy change. Mr. Nardelli said the policy change is based in one of Home Depot's core values -- "respect for all people."

"The timing of this decision shows courage on the part of Home Depot," explained Diane Bratcher, President of the Equality Project, a coalition of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered shareholders pressing companies to prohibit sexual orientation discrimination. "Revising a policy after publicly defending the old policy in the proxy statement shows real commitment to respecting all people -- customers and employees alike. Gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, transgendered and all people who believe in equal opportunity for all certainly will take note. We hope Home Depot's action will be a catalyst for other companies to update their EEO policies to prohibit sexual orientation discrimination."

This is the first year the UUA has sponsored resolutions calling for an end to discrimination based upon sexual orientation. The UUA represents more than one thousand Unitarian Universalist congregations across North America. The UUA grew out of the 1961 consolidation of two religious denominations: the Universalist Church of America (organized in 1793) and the American Unitarian Association (organized in 1825). The UUA's faith principles affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person; promote justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; and strive for the achievement of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all people. The UUA is also a co-sponsor of a current shareholder resolution calling on ExxonMobil to prohibit sexual orientation discrimination.

The Equality Project is a 10-year-old coalition of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered shareholders and their supporters who are pressing corporations to change their policies to prohibit sexual orientation discrimination.

This year the Equality Project is coordinating a shareholder resolution calling on ExxonMobil to amend its equal employment opportunity policy to prohibit sexual orientation discrimination. Since 1997 Equality Project members have been pressing Exxon to change its policies toward lesbians and gay men. Along with the UUA, this year's resolution to Exxon is sponsored by the New York City Employees Retirement System; New York State Common Retirement Fund; Trillium Asset Management; Human Right Campaign; Ellen Birenbaum, M.D.; Kenneth Jones, MD; Steven Strauss; and Marianne Weil.

The Unitarian Universalist Association is an active member of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), a 30-year-old coalition of 275 Protestant Roman Catholic and Jewish institutional investors. ICCR members, including denominations, religious communities, pension funds, health care corporations, foundations, dioceses and publishing companies, annually sponsor over 100 shareholder resolutions advocating corporate social and environmental responsibility.

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