Nordstrom

Nordstrom received a score of 100 on the 2026 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group. The company recruits employees based on sexual identity issues. The company discriminates against vendors that do not promote divisive sex and gender policies, indicating it prioritizes sexual issues over merit (1)(2)(3). Nordstrom’s received a score of 100 on the 2025 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group. The company recruits employees based on sexual identity issues. The company discriminates against vendors that do not promote divisive sex and gender policies, indicating it prioritizes sexual issues over merit (4)(5). However, Nordstrom has not publicly canceled customers, suppliers, or vendors based on political views or religious beliefs (6).

Nordstrom’s HRC 2026 CEI rating indicates the company will not donate to non-religious charities unless they embrace controversial sexual identity policies (1)(2)(3). Nordstrom’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company will not donate to non-religious charities unless they embrace controversial sexual identity policies (4)(5). The company will not fund “Individuals or groups with religious or political affiliations” (6). Nordstrom likely uses Benevity as its charitable giving platform. Benevity vets charities according to the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Hate List, which includes mainstream libertarian, conservative, family, and religious advocacy organizations (7)(8)(9).

Nordstrom’s HRC 2026 CEI rating indicates the company forces employees to attend at least one, controversial training on gender identity, sexual orientation, transgender issues, and divisive racial ideology. The company provides gender transition guidelines for its employees and a specific benefits guide with a comprehensive explanation of transgender services funded by the company (1)(2)(3). Nordstrom’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company forces employees to attend multiple, controversial trainings on gender identity, sexual orientation, transgender issues, and divisive racial ideology. The company provides gender transition guidelines for its employees and a specific benefits guide with a comprehensive explanation of transgender services funded by the company (4)(5). In June 2023 America First Legal filed a letter with the EEOC requesting a civil rights investigation into Nordstrom over discriminatory practices in hiring (6)(7). Due to its diversity hiring practices, America First Legal filed a complaint with the EEOC about Nordstrom’s allegedly illegal hiring practices (8). Nordstrom protects its employees against viewpoint discrimination (9)(10).

Nordstrom’s HRC 2026 CEI rating indicates the company potentially agrees to allow a controversial stakeholder group focused on sexual identity issues to dictate marketing or advertising strategy. By doing so, the company risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (1)(2)(3). Nordstrom’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company agrees to allow a controversial stakeholder group focused on sexual identity issues to dictate marketing or advertising strategy. By doing so, the company risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (4)(5). The company’s CEO, signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge, which includes a commitment to promote DEI through bias education training in the workplace, strategize on DEI programs/initiatives with other signatories, and engage boards of directors when developing and evaluating DEI strategies (6)(7). Nordstrom signed an open letter endorsing the Equality Act, a contentious proposal to amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act by adding sexual orientation and so-called gender identity as protected categories. The legislation would, among other implications, grant biological men access to women-only spaces such as sports teams and public restrooms, and compel healthcare providers to deliver sex-denying healthcare and opposed a Georgia election security bill (8)(9). The company is a member of the “Don’t Ban Equality” business coalition, which advocates against any abortion restrictions because they are “bad for business” (10). Nordstrom’s CEO, Erik Nordstrom, denounced various states’ legislative efforts to protect election integrity and security (11). The company opposed various state and local legislation intended to protect parental rights, girls’ sports, bathroom facilities, and gendered spaces (12)(13). In 2021, Nordstrom created a Pride Month campaign in support of the Hetrick-Martin Institute (14). The company operates its BP “Be Proud” collection, which is a gender inclusive collection (15).

Nordstrom provides a benefits package for employees that covers travel/lodging costs for an abortion and transgender medical procedures for covered employees and dependents, including children (1)(2)(3)(4)(5). Nordstrom’s HRC 2026 CEI rating indicates the company covers transgender related costs for its employees and their children, including paid short-term leave, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, chest surgeries, genital surgeries, medical visits, lab monitoring, and mental health benefits. The company also covers at least five of the following services: reconstructive hair removal, cosmetic hair removal, tracheal shave or reduction, facial surgeries, voice modification surgery, voice modification therapy, lipoplasty or filling for body masculinization or feminization, and travel and lodging expenses. Additionally, the company has potentially pledged philanthropic support of at least one organization or event that promotes sex and gender ideology. By allowing a political stakeholder group to dictate operations, the company increases health care costs and risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (6)(7)(8)(9). The company’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company covers transgender related costs for its employees and their children, including paid short-term leave, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, chest surgeries, genital surgeries, medical visits and lab monitoring, travel and lodging. Additionally, the company has pledged philanthropic support of at least one organization or event that promotes sex and gender ideology. By allowing a political stakeholder group to dictate operations, the company increases health care costs and risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (10)(11). Nordstrom was a Gold Corporate Partner of the HRC (12)(13)(14). The company was a partner of the HRC’s Foundation (15). Nordstrom has pledged $5 million to the Black Lives Matter movement and related causes, including the Black Lives Matter Global Foundation and the National Urban League (16)(17)(18). The company has partnered with a Seattle-based Pride organization focused on programs for youths under the age 18 (19). Nordstrom is a coalition member of OneTen, appearing to prioritize diversity over merit in its hiring (20)(21)(22)(23). The company sponsored the following 2 events in 2025: Utah Pride, “Bigger Than” Texas Festival (24)(25). Nordstrom sponsored the following Pride events in 2026: Utah Pride, Motor City Pride, Anchorage Pride Parade & Festival, LA! Pride, Portland Pride, Twin Cities Pride, Denver Pride, Seattle Pride, and Capital Pride Alliance (26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34). The company provides annual grants and funding to LGBTQIA+ organizations like: Hetrick-Martin Institute, Pride Foundation God’s Love We Deliver, Human Rights Campaign (35). In 2021, Nordstrom announced they were providing a grant to the Trans Lifeline x FOLX Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Care Fund: “to support transgender, nonbinary and gender nonconforming individuals.” (36). The company operates its BP “Be Proud” brand, that donates 10% of net sales to its “peer support and crisis hotline, and microgrants providing financial resources directly to transgender people across the U.S. and Canada.” (37)(38). Nordstrom further stated, “Between these efforts, Nordstrom hopes to give $350,000 in support of the Transgender community.” (39). In 2026, 10% of sales from the company’s BP Collection were donated to True Colors United, an LGBTQ advocacy organization focused on addressing LGBTQ youth homelessness through LGBTQ-inclusive housing initiatives, public policy advocacy, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training and programming (40). Otherwise, there are no publicly known cases of Nordstrom using corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies (41).

Nordstrom‘s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company publicly advocated for controversial sex and gender ideology through local, state or federal legislation or initiatives. By allowing a political stakeholder group to dictate operations, the company risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (1)(2). Nordstrom does not operate a PAC or report on its lobbying at this time (3)(4)(5).