The Human Rights Campaign recently recognized Eastern Bank Corp. as one of the "Best Places to Work for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Equality." Eastern Bank was the only Boston-based bank to land a spot on the list.

Eastern Bank Corp. received a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2014 Corporate Equality Index (CEI). The CEI provides an in-depth analysis and rating of large U.S. employers and their policies and practices pertinent to LGBT employees. The 2014 CEI rated 934 businesses, with 303 achieving the top rating of 100 percent and earning the designation of "Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality." 

"Eastern Bank is honored to be nationally recognized as a best place to work for LGBT equality," Nancy Stager, executive vice president of human resources and charitable giving, said in a statement. "We embrace diversity in our workplace because it makes us a better employer and a better provider of service to our customers.  Our diverse workforce helps us truly understand the challenges facing our communities and better positions us to be able to target resources to build and maintain the fabric of our communities."   

In 2010, Eastern Bank in 2010 was the first company in the country to sign GLAD’s amicus brief that asked the US Supreme Court to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).  In March 2013, a strong contingent of Eastern Bank employees joined MassEquality and GLAD and hundreds of supporters at Government Center in opposition to DOMA, as the US Supreme Court heard cases related to Same Sex Marriage.  Three months later, Eastern Bank testified for the second time on Beacon Hill in support of public access for transgender people.  In June, Eastern Bank joined a short but growing list of companies in Massachusetts by expanding its health insurance to include coverage for gender-related care, including transition-related surgery and supporting services.