MILWAUKEE — Johnson Controls has ranked 22nd among the 100 Best Corporate Citizens in the U.S., according to Corporate Responsibility Officer (CRO) magazine. Companies are qualified based on their performance in seven key areas — environment, climate change, human rights, philanthropy, employee relations, financial and governance.

The annual corporate responsibility ranking is the most recognized ranking of Russell 1000 companies, CRO said. It was first published in 2000. In the 2008 rankings, which were aggregated by sector, Johnson Controls, a global multi-industrial leader in energy efficiency and sustainability, was among the 10 Best in the Automotive sector.

"This is a powerful validation of our commitment to outstanding performance as measured by the triple bottom line indicators – economic prosperity, social responsibility and environmental stewardship," said Charles Harvey, vice president of Diversity and Public Affairs at Johnson Controls. "It confirms our top-tier results in the critical corporate citizenship and sustainability areas important to the company and our stakeholders."

In the four key areas weighted most heavily by CRO – climate change, human rights, the environment and employee relations – Johnson Controls was ranked first, first, second and 27th, respectively, among the 100 companies.

CRO notes that in the nine years the list has been produced, the 100 Best Corporate Citizens have outpaced the remainder of Russell 1000 companies by an average 26 percent in three-year total financial return.

"In tough times, strong reputations and transparency pack as much punch as a strong balance sheet," CRO publisher Jay Whitehead said. "In today’s deep recession, human capital and financial capital seek safety, and companies on the 100 Best list are today’s safest harbors."

The list’s methodology is based solely on publicly available data, "putting a premium on companies with high levels of public disclosure and transparency," CRO said.