Major companies form group to push for LGBT rights globally

NEW YORK - A group of major global companies, including Google Inc., AT&T and Coca-Cola, are joining a coalition to push for gay rights in the workplace beyond the U.S. and Western Europe.

The Human Rights Campaign-led group will push for protections in the workplace globally, including in countries where LGBT individuals face legal discrimination or harassment. HRC officials say the organization is partly a response to developments in countries such as Russia and Uganda, where gay rights have been rolled back.

Corporate America has been cited as a force in the push for gay rights in the U.S., with some companies offering LGBT protections and same-sex partner benefits going back decades. Dozens of companies signed statements advocating for same-sex marriage when the issue to the Supreme Court earlier this year.