NY-ETHISPHERE-INSTITUTE

Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, today announced the designation of 128 honorees representing 21 countries and 50 industries as the 2019 World’s Most Ethical Companies . The list includes 16 first-time honorees and eight organizations that have been named to the list every year since 2007.

The companies on the list have met rigorous criteria across five categories covering the quality of their ethics and compliance program, organizational culture, corporate citizenship and responsibility, governance, and leadership and reputation.

More than ever, the data from the process shows global companies stepping up to advance society and addressing issues like diversity and inclusion, supporting the rule of law, and advancing human rights.

“Today employees, consumers and stakeholders value companies that show both a commitment to business integrity, and also have the organizational humility to never stop seeking improvement. The World’s Most Ethical Companies honorees understand that this approach has a profound impact on communities and is the foundation for broader success and profitability,” said Ethisphere CEO, Timothy Erblich. “We congratulate all honorees for making our world a better place by blending profit and purpose in a meaningful way.”

The thirteenth class of honorees is among the most sophisticated in cultivating a culture of integrity: measuring whether employees are comfortable speaking up, view leadership as trustworthy and take personal ownership in making sure the company is an ethical place to work.

“Responsibility has been a hallmark of IBM’s culture for 107 years – from our labs to our boardroom – and we’re honored to be recognized as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies,” said IBM Chairman, President and CEO, Ginni Rometty. “We know our clients and the consumers they serve expect more than groundbreaking innovation and expertise. They want to work with a partner they trust, and one that works to make the world better, safer and smarter. We are deeply committed to these values.”

“Our T-Mobile team has created and cultivated an Un-carrier culture that is all about driving change, taking a stand for what’s right and setting a new bar for others to follow,” explained T-Mobile CEO, John Legere. “I’m so proud that their commitment to doing what’s right has earned us a spot on the World’s Most Ethical Companies list for the 11th straight year!”

Ethisphere’s long-standing belief that financial performance and ethics go hand-in-hand continues to be validated by the “Ethics Premium.” Ethisphere’s annual practice of tracking how the stock prices of publicly traded honorees compare to the Large Cap Index found that listed World’s Most Ethical Companies outperformed the large cap sector over five years by 14.4 percent and over three years by 10.5 percent.

“At the heart of Milliken is a set of strong beliefs about the way we conduct business. We know that ethical practices matter to our customers, our communities and our associates,” explained Milliken & Company President and CEO, Halsey M. Cook. “Being named to the World’s Most Ethical Companies list for 13 years is an honor as we strive to make a positive impact with every action we take.”

“At its core, Sony is committed to ethical and responsible business practices,” said Sony Corporation President and CEO, Kenichiro Yoshida. "Operating with integrity and sincerity is as central to the identity of Sony as is our groundbreaking spirit of innovation, which is why we are proud to be named as one of the 2019 World’s Most Ethical Companies.”

“We are honored to be recognized as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for the eighth time now,” said Tata Steel CEO & MD, Mr. T V Narendran. “The Tata name evokes a sense of trust, credibility and integrity to many millions of stakeholders in India and overseas. This equity of the Tata group has been earned through our conduct and operating principles. This recognition enables us to stay committed to operate with high ethical standards.”

At the celebratory Gala Dinner commentator and journalist, “New York Times” best-selling author, and a former White House Press Secretary, Dana Perino will deliver the keynote address. Nicknamed the ‘voice of reason’ on Fox’s “The Five,” Ms. Perino will share a perspective gleaned from her time in the Bush White House, appointment by President Obama to the Broadcasting Board of Governors, volunteer work in Africa, and mentorship of young girls. The 2019 Gala will take place March 12 at Cipriani 42nd Street^® . To learn more visit: https://www.worldsmostethicalcompanies.com/gala/ .

Methodology & Outcomes

The World’s Most Ethical Companies assessment is based upon the Ethisphere Institute’s Ethics Quotient ^® (EQ) framework, which offers a quantitative way to assess a company’s performance in an objective, consistent and standardized manner. All companies that participate in the assessment process receive an Analytical Scorecard providing them with a benchmark of how they stack up against leading organizations against a definitive criteria of core competencies.

Honorees

The full list of the 2019 World’s Most Ethical Companies can be found at https://worldsmostethicalcompanies.com/honorees .

Follow the conversation on Twitter under 2019 #WorldsMostEthicalCompanies.

Best practices and insights from the 2019 honorees will be released in a report and webcast in March and April of this year. Sign up to receive the report .

About the Ethisphere Institute

The Ethisphere® Institute is the global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices that fuel corporate character, marketplace trust and business success. Ethisphere has deep expertise in measuring and defining core ethics standards using data-driven insights that help companies enhance corporate character and measure and improve culture. Ethisphere honors superior achievement through its World’s Most Ethical Companies recognition program and provides a community of industry experts with the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA). More information about Ethisphere can be found at: https://ethisphere.com .

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190226005053/en/

Contact:

Media: Clea Nabozny +1 (480) 397-2658 clea.nabozny@ethisphere.com @Ethisphere