Papa John’s Earns Top Marks in Human Rights Campaign’s 2021 Corporate Equality Index

Papa John’s earns 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s annual assessment of LGBTQ workplace equality; recognized as a Best Place to Work

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Papa John’s International, Inc. is proud to announce that it received a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2021 Corporate Equality Index, the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality. Papa John’s is the only pizza company to earn a score of 100, and one of only 42 companies in the food, beverage and grocery category to earn top marks this year.

“This outstanding Corporate Equality Index score is just another example of how we are truly making Papa John’s a welcoming and inclusive place to work, where our team members feel supported to be their authentic selves. One of our core corporate values is ‘everyone belongs’. We are proud to live that value daily and continue the transformation of our company culture,” Chief People & Diversity Officer Marvin Boakye said. “Again, this year, I want to thank our LGBTQ+ employee resource group for their dedication to ensuring our policies and practices are supporting everyone who works for Papa John’s.”

“From the previously unimaginable impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, to a long overdue reckoning with racial injustice, 2020 was an unprecedented year. Yet, many businesses across the nation stepped up and continued to prioritize and champion LGBTQ equality,” said Alphonso David, Human Rights Campaign President. “This year has shown us that tools like the CEI are crucial in the work to increase equity and inclusion in the workplace, but also that companies must breathe life into these policies and practices in real and tangible ways. Thank you to the companies that understand protecting their LGBTQ employees and consumers from discrimination is not just the right thing to do—but the best business decision.”

The CEI rates companies on detailed criteria falling under four central pillars:

• Non-discrimination policies across business entities;
• Equitable benefits for LGBTQ workers and their families;
• Supporting an inclusive culture; and,
• Corporate social responsibility.

Papa John’s efforts in satisfying all of the CEI’s criteria earned a 100 percent ranking and the designation as one of the Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality.

The CEI rates employers providing these crucial protections to over 18 million U.S. workers and an additional 17 million abroad.

The full report is available online at www.hrc.org/cei.

About The Human Rights Campaign Foundation

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

About Papa John’s

Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) opened its doors in 1984 with one goal in mind: BETTER INGREDIENTS. BETTER PIZZA. Papa John’s believes that using high quality ingredients leads to superior quality pizzas. Its original dough is made of only six ingredients and is fresh, never frozen. Papa John’s tops its pizzas with real cheese made from mozzarella, pizza sauce made with vine-ripened tomatoes that go from vine to can in the same day and meat free of fillers. It was the first national pizza delivery chain to announce the removal of artificial flavors and synthetic colors from its entire food menu. Papa John’s is headquartered in Louisville, KY. and is the world’s third largest pizza delivery company with more than 5,300 restaurants in 48 countries and territories as of June 28, 2020. For more information about the Company or to order pizza online, visit www.PapaJohns.com or download the Papa John’s mobile app for iOS or Android.