The Ethisphere Institute, a consulting group, released their 2020 list of the most ethical companies on February 25. Notable manufacturing honorees included giants like GM, Honeywell, and Eaton, as well as smaller companies like Rockwell Automation, Lincoln Electric, Timken and Milliken & Company. The full list includes 132 companies across 21 countries.
Ethisphere CEO Timothy Erblich, in a statement, commended the winners for their commitment to continuous improvement and credited them for raising the bar for ethical business operations. “Leading CEOs and organizations continue to prove … that conducting ethical business is the key to maximizing profits,” said Erblich.
CEO of General Motors Mary Barra used the honor as a chance to share GM’s ambitions to “lead the automotive industry” in reducing crashes and emissions. She called the award “a testament to the men and women of General Motors who are committed to doing the right thing, even when it’s hard.” 2020 marks GM's debut on the list.
In a separate statement, Christopher L. Mapes, CEO of Lincoln Electric, said, “We are honored to receive this recognition, as it reinforces our organization’s purpose of operating by a higher standard to build a better world.” 2020 marks Lincoln Electric’s third consecutive year on the list of honorees.
Ethisphere uses public filings, background research, and a proprietary questionnaire to analyze applicant company’s ethical cultures, compliance programs, leadership and reputations. According to the Ethisphere website, the data collected on each company is quantified and evaluated relative to the company’s peers. Companies that achieve a high enough “EQ,” or “ethical quotient,” are selected as honorees. Ethisphere does not disclose individual company EQs or rank honorees.
The 2020 evaluations are based on information available up to December 31, 2019. As of 2020, Milliken & Company is one of seven companies to receive the award every year since 2007, when the annual list was founded. GM and HP Inc. were first-time honorees this year, along with 12 other companies.
