Walmart gets a lot of criticism, rightly or wrongly, for how they treat their workers. But a new report on how companies and law firms treat lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) workers gives Walmart a 100% score for their policies when it comes to inclusiveness and discrimination.

That rating comes from the 2019 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) released today by the HRC Foundation , the educational arm of the nation's largest LGBTQ civil rights organization. This year, 571 businesses earned the CEI's top score of 100, meeting new and higher benchmarks, including a record number offering transgender-inclusive health care policies.

Companies scoring 100% were named Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality

Walmart was among 13 of the top 20 Fortune-rated companies to get a perfect score and the designation of "Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality." That list includes other well-known companies like Amazon, Apple, Costco, CVS, General Motors and Verizon.

"The top-scoring companies on this year's CEI are not only establishing policies that affirm and include employees here in the United States, they are applying these policies to their global operations and impacting millions of people beyond our shores," said HRC President Chad Griffin.

The CEI rates companies and top law firms on detailed criteria in four broad categories:

• Non-discrimination policies
• Employment benefits
• Supporting an inclusive culture and corporate social responsibility including public commitment to LGBTQ equality
• Responsible citizenship

"Protecting employees and customers from discrimination isn't just the right thing to do -- it's also good for business." Chad Griffin, HRC President

Pittsburgh-area companies that participated in the survey and received 100% ratings are:

Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC

K&L Gates LLP

PNC Financial Services

Reed Smith LLP

UPMC Health Plan

Click here To read the full report, including details on the criteria used, and here a full list of companies who got top ratings.

(Featured image: HRC Corporate Equality Index Logo)