Health minister warns of crisis as emergency departments face overwhelming pressure

In a notable development in the United States, a national rights group, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), announced that its latest Corporate Equality Index for 2025 revealed progress in workplace policies that support LGBTQ+ employees. Despite significant pressure from conservative activist groups, which aim to reduce the participation of major brands in LGBTQ+ initiatives, many corporations are still committing to strong benefits and protections for their LGBTQ+ workforce. The Corporate Equality Index, first launched in 2002, assigns scores to companies based on their anti-discrimination policies and benefits. However, some high-profile companies, including McDonald's, decided to withdraw from participation, citing legal risks associated with diversity policies following a Supreme Court ruling that deemed race-based affirmative action unconstitutional. This withdrawal prompted concerns regarding the future of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across various sector fields. On a brighter note, the index's report indicated a significant increase in participation, with 72 employers participating for the first time and 765 companies achieving a perfect score, marking a 28% rise from the previous year, reflecting an ongoing commitment to workplace inclusion. The HRC emphasized the importance of DEI policies in enhancing corporate competitiveness, creativity, and talent attraction amidst a backdrop of increasing scrutiny from a politically charged environment. Although the scores have remained a target for conservative groups, many companies that were previously engaged in DEI efforts are still pursuing these policies but may be operating under a different strategy to safeguard against scrutiny and potential backlash.