NEW YORK - Jan. 28, 2010 - The Ethisphere Institute today announced it is working with Corporate Board Member magazine in a effort to promote the importance of business ethics in the corporate and boardroom communities. As an organization dedicated to the research and promotion of best practices in business ethics and compliance, the Ethisphere Institute provides Ethics Inside™ Certification, the only independent verification of a company's ethics and compliance efforts. The certification is granted exclusively to organizations that can prove the existence of a superior business standards and culture that promote ethical business practices.
"The board of directors for any company meeting the requirements for this high-level certification can be satisfied that management is on the right track with its compliance and ethical culture," said TK Kerstetter, president and CEO of Board Member Inc., which publishes Corporate Board Member magazine, the leading thought leadership publication for corporate governance and boardroom trends. "Regardless of certification status, as a company executive, I would want to know where our weaknesses were so I could push for correction, which Ethisphere provides in a comprehensive report to all companies that apply for Ethics Inside Certification."
In the course of the certification process, the Ethisphere Institute's researchers, analysts and attorneys conduct a thorough evaluation of an organization's corporate compliance and ethics program and initiatives, organizational health and culture, as well as an overview of its corporate governance, corporate social responsibility and citizenship. The review is conducted primarily through review of internal and external documents and information, management interviews and surveys as necessary.
"We were equally impressed with the companies that sought and achieved the Ethics Inside Certification, such as Cisco, Western Union, and Jones Lang LaSalle, and how they used their achievement as a competitive advantage," Kerstetter added.
"Ethics Inside Certification has been very valuable to our business," said Mark Ohringer, Executive Vice President, Global General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Jones Lang LaSalle. " It makes our own people stand up taller knowing they work for a company that has earned this designation, and it has been a competitive advantage as clients increasingly want to be confident in the integrity of their business partners."
Brand reputation and public perception are increasingly key to business success, as more and more a negative perception of an organization's ethical culture can negatively impact profitability. "Now more than ever, it's imperative for companies to recognize the importance of ethical behavior and public perception," said C. Turney Stevens, Director, Kohlberg Capital Corporation and Dean of Lipscomb University College of Business and the Dean Institute for Corporate Governance & Integrity. "The right kind of commitment starts at the top with the board and senior management. Without the right tone at the top it's hard to get it right throughout an organization, regardless of size."
For more information on Ethics Inside Certification, please visit http://ethisphere.org/inside or contact Jonathan Whitacre directly via email (jwhitacre@ethisphere.org) or phone (615) 562-7212. Information regarding the Ethics Inside Certification will also be accessible through Corporate Board Member's website at www.boardmember.com and available at select Corporate Board Member conferences and events.
About Ethisphere Institute
The research-based Ethisphere Institute is a leading international think tank dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability. The Institute's associated membership group, the Ethisphere Council, is a forum for business ethics that includes over 200 leading corporations, universities and institutions. The Ethisphere Council is dedicated to the development and advancement of individuals on its membership council through increased efficiency, innovation, tools, mentoring, advice, and unique career opportunities. Ethisphere magazine, which publishes the globally recognized World's Most Ethical Companies Ranking™, is the quarterly publication of the Institute. More information on the Ethisphere Institute, including ranking projects and membership, can be found at www.ethisphere.org.
About Corporate Board Member
Corporate Board Member is the leading information resource for senior officers and directors of publicly traded corporations and large private companies. The quarterly publication provides readers with decision-making tools to deal with the corporate governance challenges confronting their boards. Corporate Board Member further extends its governance leadership through an online resource center, conferences, director training programs, roundtables, and timely research. The magazine maintains the most comprehensive, up-to-date database of directors and officers serving on boards of publicly traded companies listed with the NYSE Euronext, The NASDAQ OMX Group and NYSE Amex stock exchanges. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee with an editorial office in New York, Corporate Board Member is published by Board Member Inc. and is the sister publication of Bank Director magazine, the leading information resource for officers and directors of financial institutions. For more information, visit www.boardmember.com.
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Erin Fullerton
Ethisphere Institute
720-855-8212
efullerton@ethisphere.org
Kim James
Corporate Board Member magazine
615-309-3200 x 203
kjames@boardmember.com
Last Friday, October 23, New York's Harvard Club was host to the Trust Summit..jpg)
Today, we're posting Part I of the video: it consists of opening remarks by Robin Carey, and by we four panelists. It runs to about 25 minutes. Tomorrow we'll post the (lively!) Q&A session.
