Living Our Values: Braze Earns the Human Rights Campaign’s Highest-Possible Score for the Second Consecutive Year

I’m proud to share that Braze has once again received the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Equality 100 Award and is featured on the organization’s 2025 Corporate Equality Index (CEI). This marks the second consecutive year Braze has earned this distinction, highlighting our unwavering commitment to fostering workplace equality for LGBTQ+ individuals.

The HRC’s Corporate Equality Index is the national benchmark for LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion in the United States. Companies are rigorously evaluated on non-discrimination policies, equitable benefits, and efforts to promote a culture of belonging. Achieving a perfect score means that Braze continues to meet and exceed these high standards, reinforcing our ongoing work to create an environment where all employees can show up as their authentic selves and thrive. Established in 2002, the 2025 Corporate Equality Index is the 22nd iteration of the nation’s leading benchmarking tool for evaluating a company's LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion policies, serving employees, consumers, and investors.

“The CEI is so much more than a score on paper. For decades, businesses have relied on the CEI as a tool for transparency and leveling the playing field for all workers, making sure LGBTQ+ people and their families can share in fair, respectful and supportive workplaces and benefits,” said RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, SHRM-CP, HRCF Senior Director of Workplace Equality. “As conversations evolve on corporate America’s approach to diversity, equity and inclusion, year-over-year growth in CEI participation is evidence of a business community that largely recognizes the responsibility and value in upholding equity and inclusion. Our goal at the Human Rights Campaign Foundation is to work in a spirit of partnership with companies, providing educational resources and leading benchmarking. The work of the CEI is to help businesses to expand their consumer base and attract top, innovative talent by supporting the LGBTQ+ community.”

One of our fundamental values is to “Be a Human,” highlighting our commitment to recognizing each individual’s complete humanity and fostering deeper connections among people. This acknowledgment from the HRC exemplifies how we embody that value in our daily lives.

However, promoting inclusion transcends the establishment of correct policies—it’s about cultivating a work environment where everyone feels respected and appreciated for their true selves. It involves empowering individuals to express their entirety at work, confident they will be met with compassion and understanding.

For me, as a queer individual, the HRC’s CEI is more than just a checklist; it serves as a journey towards workplaces that embrace and nurture authenticity. Early in my career, it guided me away from environments that lacked the inclusivity and support I sought. Contributing to the submission process for the second consecutive year was not merely a career achievement—it was both personal and meaningful.

This recognition further highlights our ongoing commitment to surpass the mere act of checking boxes in our support of LGBTQ+ employees. It affirms our conviction that workplace equality is a continuous journey rather than a fixed endpoint, ensuring that every employee feels acknowledged, valued, and empowered to thrive.

Achieving this milestone for the second year required commitment, teamwork, and diligence. The Pride @ Braze employee resource group (ERG) for LGBTQ+ employees and allies spearheaded this year’s submission, collaborating closely with various teams throughout the organization. We evaluated current practices, honed our policies, and introduced initiatives to not only meet but exceed the CEI’s criteria.

At Braze, we consider diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) essential to our success as an organization and a business. Being awarded this honor for two consecutive years reinforces that we are heading in the right direction, while also reminding us of the work yet to come. Inclusion isn’t a fixed state; it evolves, necessitating ongoing attention and effort.

Today, we’re not merely celebrating a score—we’re honoring the individuals who made this achievement attainable. Members of Pride @ Braze, along with numerous allies and advocates within the organization. While the HRC’s Corporate Equality Index is a US-based recognition, as Braze expands globally, ensuring that our support for LGBTQ+ employees extends to all the regions where we have a footprint is a core priority. As we continue to grow, Braze is actively exploring opportunities to participate in similar equality programs in regions where we operate. These initiatives will further align our values with local standards and ensure that our commitment to inclusion resonates worldwide.

Thank you to everyone at Braze who made this accomplishment possible. Together, we’re proving that inclusivity isn’t just good for people—it’s good for business.

Forward Looking Statements

This blog post contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to, statements regarding the performance of and expected benefits from Braze, its products, programs and partnerships. These forward-looking statements are based on the current assumptions, expectations and beliefs of Braze, and are subject to substantial risks, uncertainties and changes in circumstances that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Further information on potential factors that could affect Braze results are included in Braze’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2024, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on December 10, 2024, and the other public filings of Braze with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included in this blog post represent the views of Braze only as of the date of this blog post, and Braze assumes no obligation, and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.