MILWAUKEE — Johnson Controls has been named for the third consecutive year as one of the World’s Most Ethical (WME) Companies by the Ethisphere Institute. The Institute said it was recognizing the company "for going beyond legal minimums, introducing innovative ideas to benefit the public, and forcing its competitors to follow suit by consistently raising the bar for what it takes to be an ethical leader." 
"Johnson Controls is honored to be named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies, recognizing our commitment to ethics throughout our corporation globally," said Jerry Okarma, vice president, secretary and general counsel. "Our leadership is dedicated to communicating the importance of ethics as a critical part of running the company, and our employees strive to maintain the high standards we have set for ourselves."
Ethisphere, dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability, published the WME rankings in Ethisphere magazine’s first quarter 2009 issue.
Through a rigorous, multi-step evaluation process, Ethisphere’s researchers and analysts reviewed more than 10,000 companies in order to determine the finalists.
"Johnson Controls has proven to be one of the world leaders in upholding high ethical standards, making it a true standout in its industry, especially as unethical business actions and decisions grab headlines each day," said Alex Brigham, executive director of the Ethisphere Institute. "The competition was very strong and we applaud Johnson Controls for rising to the top. Their leadership and their employees recognize that being ethical is not only the right thing to do, it is also good business practice and leads to more successful and profitable operations."
The methodology for the WME ranking includes reviewing codes of ethics, litigation and regulatory infraction histories; evaluating the investment in innovation and sustainable business practices; looking at activities designed to improve corporate citizenship; studying nominations from senior executives, industry peers, suppliers and customers; and working with consumer action groups for feedback. The 2009 World’s Most Ethical Companies methodology committee, comprised of leading attorneys, government officials, professors and organization leaders, was consulted early on in the 2009 WME process and had the opportunity to review and comment on the methodology used to rate this year’s nominees. Ethisphere researchers further analyze information provided by the companies through questionnaires.
To view the complete list of the 2009 World’s Most Ethical Companies, please visit http://www.ethisphere.org
