The HRC analysis covered 446 companies in all and included surveys from Fortune 1,000, Standard & Poor's 500, Forbes' list of the 200 largest firms that are privately held, the American Lawyer 100 plus any other company with 500 employees or more that requested a rating.

"I am incredibly encouraged and optimistic about the findings in the report," said HRC President Joe Solmonese. "Companies are not only working to improve their scores, they are actively competing to be the most inclusive and fair-minded in their industry."

But three companies received a score of zero in the rankings: oil giant ExxonMobil, grocery chain Meijer Inc. and the high-tech consulting firm Perot Systems. The HRC said none of these companies offers even the most minimal benefits or protections for the GLBT community.

"CEOs are very much aware of their score and its impact on their business," Solmonese said. "They know that a top score means a healthier work environment, greater productivity, and the ability to recruit top talent. They also know that a bad score will hurt their bottom line."

This is cache, read story here