Mesirow Financial Holdings Inc. scored a 90 out of 100 on the 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group. By complying with the HRC’s controversial demands, the company increases the risk of dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders. The company provides a benefits package for employees which covers transgender medical procedures for covered employees and dependents, including children. It also uses sex and gender ideology criteria in employee recruitment, vendor selection, marketing, and philanthropic support. Mesirow uses its reputation, corporate funds, and political influence to support controversial sex and gender ideologies, organizations, and legislation. Mesirow is a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment, incorporating ESG issues into investment analysis, decision-making, and other business practices. The company requires all of its employees to take unconscious bias and microaggression training. Mesirow supports DEI within its business practices, hosting a DEI council. The company is a signatory of the Institutional Limited Partners Association’s Diversity in Action Initiative, committing itself to specific actions that advance DEI within the governance and policies of the organization and the private equity industry more broadly. Mesirow’s CEO, Natalie Brown, signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge, which includes a commitment to promote DEI through bias education training in the workplace. For these reasons, Mesirow Financial Holdings Inc. receives a High Risk rating.