RSM Joins Companies to Support Legal Protections for Transgender People

CHICAGO – (February 28, 2019) – RSM US LLP (“RSM”) – the nation’s leading provider of audit, tax and consulting services focused on the middle market – recently signed the Business Statement for Transgender Equality, bringing the total number of companies that have joined since the statement was published in November 2018 to 178.   

Responding to a rising tide of attempts to marginalize transgender, gender non-conforming and intersex people – detailed in a recent report by the New York Times, the statement, which asserts that diversity and inclusion are good for business, observes that discrimination significantly harms transgender people and imposes enormous productivity costs. It also calls for full equality for transgender, gender nonconforming and intersex people under the law.

“At RSM, we understand the importance of all of our people, and we treat one another with respect,” said Joe Adams, managing partner and chief executive officer with RSM US LLP. “In fact, it’s our differences and our unique individual experiences and diverse perspectives that enable us to provide world-class services to middle market businesses worldwide. We are proud of our people and proud to support the Business Statement for Transgender Equality.”

The companies that have signed the statement represent more than 7 million employees, have a collective annual revenue of more than $3.2 trillion, and are drawn from a broad range of industries including financial services, consumer products and technology, among others.

Sixteen LGBTQ+ community organizations, led by Out Leadership and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), have organized the effort to secure corporate signatories. The coalition also includes: Athlete Ally, Freedom for All Americans, GLAAD, GLSEN, Lambda Legal, The Matthew Shepard Foundation, The National Center for Transgender Equality, The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, The National LGBTQ Task Force, Out & Equal, PFLAG National, The Trevor Project, The Transgender Law Center, and the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF).

“We’re deeply inspired to see so many of the world’s leading companies speaking with a united voice in support and defense of transgender, gender non-conforming and intersex people,” said Todd Sears, founder and principal, Out Leadership. “And we’re grateful to every company that’s signed on, including the Out Leadership members who stood up immediately to call for this statement. As we continue to see in our work around the world, the business community is serving as a crucial backstop for hard-earned progress on LGBT+ equality – because inclusive cultures are more innovative, more productive, and more efficient, and because it’s the right thing to do.”

To learn more about Business Statement for Transgender Equality, you can join businesses standing up for transgender equality here.