Ethisphere Names General Motors One of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for Second Year in a Row (2024)

Recognition honors companies that understand the importance of leading, making hard but values-based decisions and committing to integrity

2021-02-26


DETROIT — General Motors has been recognized by Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, as one of the2021 World’s Most Ethical Companies.

GM was recognized for the second year in a row and is the only automotive OEM honoree on this year’s list. In 2021, 135 honorees were recognized spanning 22 countries and 47 industries.

“This extraordinary award is important because it signals to our customers, shareholders and business partners that GM is a company they can trust,” said Michael Ortwein, assistant general counsel and chief compliance officer.

“GM’s Code of Conduct sets forth our fundamental commitment to conduct business openly, ethically and honestly, even when it is difficult to do so. The World’s Most Ethical Company designation is external validation of GM’s core principles and yet another instance of GM leading by example on the path to transform the industry.”

Over the last year, GM has demonstrated its unwavering commitment to the safety of its employees, customers and communities – from producing millions of face masks and 30,000 critical-care ventilators to combat COVID-19, to explicitly condemning racism and designating $10 million to support organizations that promote inclusion and racial justice.

Today, the company is working to become the most inclusive company in the world while accelerating its all-electric future to mitigate the effects of climate change. GM will invest $27 billion in electric and autonomous vehicle development by 2025 and will offer 30 new EVs globally in the same year. And by 2040, GM plans to be carbon neutral in its global products and operations.

“While addressing the tough challenges of 2020, we saw companies lead – above all other institutions – on earning the trust of stakeholders through resilience and a commitment to ethics and integrity,” saidEthisphere CEO Timothy Erblich. “The World’s Most Ethical Companies honorees continue to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to the highest values and positively impacting the communities they serve. Congratulations to everyone at General Motors for earning the World’s Most Ethical Companies designation.”

Methodology and scoring
Grounded in Ethisphere’s proprietary Ethics Quotient®, the World’s Most Ethical Companies assessment process includes more than 200 questions on culture, environmental and social practices, ethics and compliance activities, governance, diversity and initiatives to support a strong value chain. The process serves as an operating framework to capture and codify the leading practices of organizations across industries and around the globe.

This year, the process was streamlined and question set expanded to gauge how applicants are adapting and responding to the global health pandemic, environmental, social, and governance factors, safety, equity, and inclusion and social justice.

Honorees

The full list of the 2021 World's Most Ethical Companies can be found athttps://worldsmostethicalcompanies.com/honorees.

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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.

General Motors(NYSE:GM) is a global company focused on advancing an all-electric future that is inclusive and accessible to all. At the heart of this strategy is the Ultium battery platform, which powers everything from mass-market to high-performance vehicles. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under theChevrolet,Buick,GMC,Cadillac,BaojunandWulingbrands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, includingOnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services, can be found athttps://www.gm.com.

Ethisphere Names General Motors One of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for Second Year in a Row (2024)

FAQs

What is the world's most ethical companies by Ethisphere for 10 consecutive years? ›

3M named as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Institute for 10th consecutive year.

What are the criteria for Ethisphere world's most ethical companies? ›

Are there specific criteria Ethisphere considers during the evaluation process? Yes. We evaluate an organization's (i) Ethics and Compliance Program, (ii) Culture of Ethics, (iii) Corporate Citizenship and Responsibility, (iv) Governance, and (v) Leadership and Reputation.

Which company name is listed in world most ethical company? ›

TOKYO, March 14, 2023—The Ethisphere Institute, a leading US think-tank, has named the Kao Corporation one of the World's Most Ethical Companies. Kao is a leading consumer goods company and the only Asian company to have made the list every year since Ethisphere began its ranking in 2007.

What are the results of Ethisphere 2023? ›

Ethisphere's 2023 Ethics Index, the collection of publicly traded companies recognized as recipients of this year's World's Most Ethical Companies designation, outperformed a comparable index of large-cap companies by 13.6 percentage points over a five-year period.

What does worlds most ethical companies mean? ›

The World's Most Ethical Companies historically outperforms their peers and competitors financially, demonstrating a tangible ROI for doing the right thing. The connection between good ethical practices and financial performance, called the Ethics Premium, has been tracked for 17 years.

What is the most ethical company? ›

Kaiser Permanente has been named one of the world's most ethical companies by the Ethisphere Institute for the fifth year in a row. The Ethisphere Institute is an independent group that monitors business ethics. Other honorees include Apple, Best Buy, FedEx, General Motors, Kohl's, L'oreal, Starbucks, and many more.

What is an example of an ethical company? ›

Starbucks strives to always buy coffee at fair prices and ensure each step of the coffee planting, harvesting, processing and purchasing is always done ethically.

What are the 5 general accepted ethical principles select the best answer? ›

The five principles, autonomy, justice, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and fidelity are each absolute truths in and of themselves.

Which company has been on the list of the most ethical companies for nine years? ›

Achieving Gold Class distinction in the 2023 Sustainability Yearbook from S&P Global. Gold Class is the organization's highest honor for excellence in sustainability performance, a distinction Owens Corning has earned for nine consecutive years.

Who owns Ethisphere? ›

The Executive Chairman of Ethisphere, Alex Brigham, created the institute in 2007, as part of Corpedia, a compliance training company.

What is the least ethical company in the world? ›

1. Nestle. Nestle is the world's largest food and drink corporation. Nestle was sued by the Federal Trade Commission for making false claims about their infant formula.

How is Apple an ethical company? ›

APPLE'S ETHICS

They base their success on “creating innovative, high-quality products and services and on demonstrating integrity in every business interaction.” According to Apple, four main principles contribute to integrity: honesty, respect, confidentiality, and compliance.

What is the world's most ethical company 2023? ›

Infosys Recognized as one of the 2023 World's Most Ethical Companies® for the Third Consecutive Year by Ethisphere.

How many employees does Ethisphere have? ›

The Ethisphere Institute has 34 employees. View the comprehensive list of The Ethisphere Institute employees, their locations, business contact details and key personnel.

Who are Ethisphere competitors? ›

Ethisphere Institute Competitors & Alternatives
Competitor NameRevenueNumber of Employees
#1 WestGroup Resea...$5.4M55
#2 The Sustainabil...$2.7M31
#3 NOAO$7.8M70
#4 UArizona BIO5 I...$8.1M73
6 more rows

Is Costco an ethical company? ›

Fair treatment of employees

One of the ways Costco is recognized as a socially responsible company is in the way it treats employees. According to Ethics Unwrapped, the retailer puts a high value on its employees and works to encourage them to do what's right and to maintain their health and positive self-esteem.

Why is Starbucks an ethical company? ›

In 2021, 95% of Starbucks coffee was ethically sourced and verified through the Coffee Farmer and Equity (CAFE) practices. CAFE verifies farming practices to adhere to economic, social, and environmental criteria to promote sustainable coffee. In 2021, Starbucks gave the Global Farmer Fund $100 million.

What is the most ethical thing a company should do? ›

A workplace should be inclusive, diverse, and fair for all employees regardless of race, religion, beliefs, age, or identity. A fair work environment is where everyone can grow, be promoted, and become successful in their own way.

Is Walmart an ethical business? ›

As an ethical and responsible corporate citizen, Walmart is dedicated to minimizing our environmental impact and preserving the health and safety of our associates and customers. It is Walmart's intent to operate in compliance with all Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) laws and regulations.

Which big tech company is the most ethical? ›

Ethisphere has released its annual edition of the most ethical companies from a variety of industries. The 2022 edition of most ethical companies list saw some heavy hitters in the tech industry named as honorees as selected by the Ethisphere Institute.

Is Tesla an ethical company? ›

In addition, due to their emphasis on developing environmentally friendly products, Tesla achieved the highest grade possible in the Carbon Management and Reporting category from Ethical Consumer.

What are 3 examples of ethical? ›

Here are ethical behaviour examples you can use as a reference to improve the workplace:
  • Punctuality. ...
  • Following rules of conduct. ...
  • Respecting other people. ...
  • Helping teammates accomplish organisation goals. ...
  • Maintaining a professional demeanour. ...
  • Exercising accountability. ...
  • Delivering high-quality work. ...
  • Serving the customer.
Dec 20, 2022

How is Google an ethical company? ›

We are committed to a safe, healthy, and violence-free work environment. Behavior that poses risk to the safety, health, or security of Googlers, our extended workforce, or visitors is prohibited.

What are five example of ethical? ›

Honesty, courage, compassion, generosity, tolerance, love, fidelity, integrity, fairness, self-control, and prudence are all examples of virtues. Virtue ethics asks of any action, "What kind of person will I become if I do this?" or "Is this action consistent with my acting at my best?"

What are the 4 main ethical principles? ›

An overview of ethics and clinical ethics is presented in this review. The 4 main ethical principles, that is beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, and justice, are defined and explained.

What are the four 4 ethical principles? ›

Beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, and justice constitute the 4 principles of ethics. The first 2 can be traced back to the time of Hippocrates “to help and do no harm,” while the latter 2 evolved later.

What are 4 ethical standards? ›

The Fundamental Principles of Ethics. Beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, and justice constitute the 4 principles of ethics.

What is 1 company that has practiced unethical behavior? ›

The most unethical clothing companies are mainly popular multinational and e-commerce brands like Victoria's Secret, GAP, Fashion Nova, Uniqlo, Forever 21, Nike, Adidas, Disney, H&M that have been exposed to multiple unethical practices – including labor exploitation and/ or forced labor.

What is one company that got caught being unethical in business? ›

Enron Scandal (2001)

Enron Corporation was a US energy, commodities, and services company based out of Houston, Texas.

Which company was responsible for one of the largest business ethics violations in the United States? ›

The company hid massive trading losses, ultimately leading to one of the largest accounting scandals and bankruptcy in recent history. Enron executives used fraudulent accounting practices to inflate the company's revenues and hide debt in its subsidiaries.

How much does Ethisphere cost? ›

The fee ranges from $500 for nonprofits to $1,500 for companies with at least $500 million in revenue. Smallwood said the potential for a conflict of interest is negated by the fact that Ethisphere prohibits any of the World's Most Ethical Companies from providing more than 1.5% of its annual revenue.

What is the mission of the Ethisphere? ›

Improving corporate behavior in a way that positively impacts the world. Our corporate ethics standards, vetted by leading experts and used for 10 years, provide an independent, objective measurement tool critical to drive business decisions and stakeholder interaction.

Where is Ethisphere? ›

Ethisphere Institute is located in Scottsdale, Arizona, United States .

What big businesses are ethical? ›

24 Most Ethical Companies of 2022
  • Aflac Incorporated - 16 Times Honoree. Based In: Columbus, Georgia. ...
  • Ecolab - 16 Times Honoree. ...
  • International Paper - 16 Times Honoree. ...
  • Kao Corporation - 16 Times Honoree. ...
  • Milliken & Company - 16 Times Honoree. ...
  • PepsiCo - 16 Times Honoree. ...
  • Accenture - 15 Times Honoree. ...
  • Cummins - 15 Times Honoree.

What is the least famous company? ›

In Pictures: America's 10 Least Popular Companies
  • No. 8 Bank of America. ...
  • No. 7 ExxonMobil. ...
  • No. 6 Goldman Sachs. ...
  • No. 5 Citigroup. ...
  • No. 4 Fannie Mae. ...
  • No. 3 Freddie Mac. Industry: Financial Credit Services. ...
  • No. 2 Halliburton. Industry: Gas & Oil Equipment. ...
  • No. 1 AIG. Industry: Insurance and Financial Services.
Apr 20, 2010

What is the most ethical country in the world? ›

State of Moral Freedom Around the World. Only one country, the Netherlands, is classified as having the "highest" level of moral freedom by scoring slightly over the 90 points required for that label.

What is the Walmart Code of Ethics? ›

Associates who work at Walmart are expected to operate based on our high standards and values — respect, service, excellence and integrity. Acting consistently with these values demands that a culture of integrity guides all our decisions.

Is Amazon ethically responsible? ›

While it is the duty of governments to protect human rights, Amazon recognizes our responsibility to respect and uphold internationally recognized human rights through the ethical treatment of our workforce and those within our value chain.

Is Samsung an ethical company? ›

Samsung's Management Philosophy is to "devote our human resources and technology to create superior products and services, thereby contributing to a better global society." Samsung's code of conduct is the foundation that allows us to create a fair, clean, and transparent corporate culture.

What is the top US ethical issue? ›

1. Harassment and Discrimination in the Workplace. Harassment and discrimination are arguably the largest ethical issues that impact business owners today.

What companies are expanding in 2023? ›

From tech to ecommerce, this is our list of the fastest growing startups in 2023.
  1. Zerotier. 5-year search growth: 733% ...
  2. Cradlewise. 5-year search growth: 1328% ...
  3. OnlyFans. 5-year search growth: 9800% ...
  4. StackBlitz. 5-year search growth: 822% ...
  5. Linktree. 5-year search growth: 2150% ...
  6. Fandom. 5-year search growth: 295% ...
  7. Preply. ...
  8. Labster.
Apr 21, 2023

What are 4 global ethical issues? ›

War, Terror and Justice. Religion, Gender and Sexuality. Religions and Global Development.

How does Ethisphere rank companies? ›

While evaluation of any particular issue is necessarily objective, Ethisphere considers the following factors in its evaluation: (i) how long-ago the conduct at issue occurred and when it was resolved, (ii) the seriousness of the conduct or issue, (iii) actions taken by the applicant to address the issue, and (iv) how ...

How many consecutive years has Ecolab been named as one of the world's most ethical companies? ›

Ecolab Named One of the World's Most Ethical Companies For 16th Consecutive Year.

Which Canadian company on the list of the world's most ethical companies released by Ethisphere? ›

TORONTO and CHICAGO, March 13, 2023 /CNW/ - BMO has been recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the sixth consecutive year by Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices.

What is an example of a successful ethical company? ›

Patagonia

On the flip side, popular outerwear brand Patagonia has built their brand around the idea that their consumers should be encouraged to “buy less”. Their unconventional approach to marketing has helped establish their reputation as a notably ethical and environmentally conscious company.

How much stock does Bill Gates own in Ecolab? ›

Bill Gates Ecolab, Inc.

Bill Gates's position in Ecolab is currently worth $801 Million. That's 2.01% of their equity portfolio (7th largest holding). The investor owns 1.71% of the outstanding Ecolab stock. The stake costed the investor $290 Million, netting the investor a gain of 176% so far.

What is the Ecolab controversy? ›

EPA found EcoLab violated the hazardous waste management requirements of RCRA by failing to obtain an EPA transporter ID number; receiving dangerous waste from offsite generators without a permit; and storing and/or treating dangerous waste without a permit.

Who owns majority stock in Ecolab? ›

Ecolab Inc (NYSE:ECL)

Institutional investors hold a majority ownership of ECL through the 77.20% of the outstanding shares that they control. This interest is also higher than at almost any other company in the Chemicals: Specialty industry.

What makes Nestle ethical? ›

Business ethics and compliance are the foundations of how we do business at Nestlé and the conditions for Creating Shared Value. This includes our zero tolerance of fraud, bribery and corruption, our efforts to ensure data privacy and our open disclosure of tax payments.

Who are the top 5 in the tech industry? ›

Big Tech, also known as the Tech Giants, refers to the most dominant companies in the information technology industry, notably the five largest American tech companies: Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Apple, Meta (Facebook), and Microsoft. These companies are referred to as the Big Five.

What are the big 5 high tech companies? ›

The term 'big tech' refers to the five technology giants—Apple, Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Facebook (Meta), and Microsoft—that are among the most coveted companies to work for.

Who is the most sustainable tech company? ›

Tech companies are responding with environmentally friendly products and processes that prove popular among consumers and talent alike. Apple, Dell and Microsoft are among the Big Tech companies working toward carbon neutrality. Samsung is reducing its energy consumption and recycling 95% of its manufacturing waste.

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