I’ve had a hectic couple of weeks. Therefore, I didn’t post much last week, and I’m a bit late today. One of my brothers caught the corona-virus bug. One thing led to another, and I traveled back to Ohio last week for a funeral. We were four. Now we are two.

On the plus side of things, we visited Indianapolis over the weekend before to watch our granddaughter swim in a regional, invitation meet. As a 12-year-old, her times would put her in the top half of the high school league we left behind. On the other hand, she’ll have to improve those times to even make the team in the high school she’ll attend. They are much more serious about swimming up here in the west Chicago suburbs.

ARC Forum was to be next week, but it has been postponed to June. We were going to vacation for a week visiting my wife’s two sisters. However, she slipped on ice while hiking at a state park yesterday and broke her wrist. Now, we wait for the surgeon’s diagnosis and treatment later this week.

Like I say, crazy.

Meanwhile, I’ve had a communication link with a Rockwell Automation communications strategist. I told her that no company has changed as much the past five years as Rockwell. The software strategy seems more solid. The executive team has diversified bringing in women, minorities, and (gasp) outsiders. I’m also pleased that corporations are stepping in where governments fear to tread to improve things for society at large.

Here is news (with more to come) from Rockwell regarding its efforts in the area of human rights and equality. Oh, yes, I should mention before the news, that earnings and stock price seem to be doing well, too.

Rockwell Automation has earned a top score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index, the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey and report that measures corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. This is the 10th consecutive year Rockwell has earned a perfect score.

“Earning the top rating on this index is important to us because it’s one of the ways we can show potential employees that we offer a safe and equitable work environment,” said Rockwell’s Becky House, senior vice president, Chief People and Legal Officer. House also serves as executive sponsor of ROKout, the company’s LGBTQ+ employee resource group.

“We work to create an environment where all people can bring their full selves to work,” said House. “We listen to what our employees want and need, and we try to follow through with new benefits and other initiatives.”

For example, in 2021, Rockwell expanded its medical benefits package with enhanced coverage for transgender employees.

“Updating and aligning our healthcare benefits with our values demonstrates how we continually strengthen our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said Rockwell’s Samantha Murphy, a system engineer and ROKout’s transgender liaison. “It’s one thing for a company to talk about inclusion; it’s another to carry it through.”

Established in 2013, ROKout provides a networking and support resource for LGBTQ+ employees and allies, helping to foster an inclusive workplace where all employees are empowered to be their authentic selves. The ERG is a valued voice for LGBTQ+ issues related to recruitment, retention, culture, and benefits.

“Congratulations to Rockwell Automation for working to advance inclusion in the workplace and achieving the title of ‘best places to work for LGBTQ+ equality,’” said Jay Brown, Human Rights Campaign senior vice president of Programs, Research and Training.

“When the Human Rights Campaign Foundation created the Corporate Equality Index 20 years ago, we dreamed that LGBTQ+ workers—from the factory floor to corporate headquarters, in big cities and small towns—could have access to the policies and benefits needed to thrive and live life authentically,” Brown continued. “But there is still more to do to create more equitable workplaces and a better tomorrow for LGBTQ+ workers everywhere.”

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