Eastern Bank Earns Top Score for 10th Consecutive Year in Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index

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Eastern Bankshares, Inc. (EBC) Receives Perfect Score on Corporate Equality Index for LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion

Positive

• Eastern Bankshares, Inc. (EBC) has received a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) for the tenth consecutive year.
• The company is recognized as a leader in LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion and equality, joining 545 U.S. businesses that also earned top marks this year.
• Eastern Bankshares, Inc. (EBC) has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to supporting the LGBTQ+ community through workplace initiatives, advocacy, resources for business owners, philanthropy, and employee volunteerism.

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Eastern Is Recognized As A Leader In LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion And Equality

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Eastern Bank is pleased to announce that for the tenth consecutive year, it received a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. Eastern joins 545 U.S. businesses that also earned top marks this year.

“Eastern has a long-standing commitment to supporting the LGBTQ+ community, through our workplace, advocacy, resources for business owners, philanthropy and employee volunteerism,” said Bob Rivers, CEO and Chair of the Board of Eastern Bankshares, Inc. and Eastern Bank. “We thank the Human Rights Campaign Foundation for ensuring LGBTQ+ equality and workplace inclusion remain in the forefront and for recognizing our efforts to establish and implement comprehensive policies, benefits and practices that create greater equity for both our LGBTQ+ colleagues and the broader LGBTQ+ community.”

Eastern has been a corporate leader in supporting equality initiatives through progressive corporate practices and community collaborations. This includes providing healthcare insurance inclusive of transgender-related care and gender-affirming services, and launching in 2023 the Equity Alliance for Business to advance growth opportunities for underserved business owners, including in the LGBTQ+ community. Eastern’s “Equality Under the Blue” Resource Group meets regularly with senior leadership on issues of importance to the LGBTQ+ community, and helps to organize workplace practices as well as various community events including Pride events each June across the communities Eastern serves.

The results of the 2023-2024 CEI showcase how U.S.-based companies are promoting LGBTQ+ friendly workplace policies. The CEI rates employers providing crucial protections to over 20 million U.S. workers and an additional 18 million outside the U.S. Companies rated in the CEI include Fortune magazine’s 500 largest publicly traded businesses, American Lawyer magazine’s top 200 revenue-grossing law firms, and hundreds of publicly and privately held mid- to large-sized businesses. 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.

Eastern’s efforts in satisfying all the CEI’s criteria earned a score of 100 and the designation as recipient of the Equality 100 Award: Leader in LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion. The full report is available online at www.hrc.org/cei.

About Eastern Bank
Founded in 1818, Boston-based Eastern Bank has more than 120 locations serving communities in eastern Massachusetts, southern and coastal New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. As of September 30, 2023, Eastern Bank had approximately $21 billion in total assets. Eastern provides a full range of banking and wealth management solutions for consumers and businesses of all sizes, and takes pride in its outspoken advocacy and community support that includes $240 million in charitable giving since 1994. An inclusive company, Eastern is comprised of deeply committed professionals who value relationships with their customers, colleagues, and communities. Join us for good at www.easternbank.com and follow Eastern on Facebook, LinkedIn, X and Instagram. Eastern Bankshares, Inc. (Nasdaq Global Select Market: EBC) is the stock holding company for Eastern Bank. For investor information, visit investor.easternbank.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231205789834/en/

Media contact:

Andrea Goodman

Eastern Bank

a.goodman@easternbank.com

781-598-7847



Investor contact:

Jill Belliveau

Eastern Bankshares, Inc.

InvestorRelations@easternbank.com

781-598-7920

Source: Eastern Bank

FAQ

What is Eastern Bankshares, Inc.'s (EBC) score on the Corporate Equality Index?

Eastern Bankshares, Inc. (EBC) received a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) for the tenth consecutive year.

How many U.S. businesses received top marks on the Corporate Equality Index this year?

Eastern Bankshares, Inc. (EBC) joined 545 U.S. businesses that also earned top marks on the Corporate Equality Index this year.

What initiatives has Eastern Bankshares, Inc. (EBC) taken to support LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion?

Eastern Bankshares, Inc. (EBC) has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to supporting the LGBTQ+ community through workplace initiatives, advocacy, resources for business owners, philanthropy, and employee volunteerism.

What is the full report available online?

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