BASKING RIDGE, NJ--(Marketwire - April 6, 2010) - Avaya, a leading global provider of business communications applications, systems and services, has been recognized for the fourth year in a row by the Ethisphere Institute as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies (WME). Out of a record number of nominations for the award, Avaya secured a spot on the list by implementing initiatives to drive understanding of the importance of ethics at all levels of the organization and maintaining high ethical standards in business practices.
"Avaya is honored to be recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for our efforts to build a corporation on a solid ethical foundation," said Kevin Kennedy, president and CEO, Avaya. "We believe that a commitment to ethics must permeate our company at every level and is fundamental to the value we bring to customers."
Through in-depth research and a multi-step analysis, Ethisphere reviewed thousands of nominations from companies in over 100 countries and 36 industries in order to determine the winners.
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; and studying nominations from senior executives, industry peers, suppliers and customers.
"Avaya's promotion of a sound ethical environment shines within its industry and shows a clear understanding that operating under the highest standards for business behavior goes beyond goodwill and 'lip-service' and is intimately linked to performance and profitability," said Alex Brigham, Executive Director of the Ethisphere Institute. "This year's World's Most Ethical Companies award was more competitive than ever, because companies realize that making ethics a priority is critical amidst a tough economic environment."
Brigham added, "Compliance or ethics failures add up to more than fees, fines and penalties. The leadership distraction and turnover, forced alteration of a working profit model and heightened scrutiny that result show: good ethics means better business."
A sampling of other winners include: Aflac, American Express, Campbell Soup, the Ford Motor Company, Henkel, General Electric, Google, L'Oréal, Nike, PepsiCo, Starbucks, Standard Charter Bank, UPS, Whole Foods Market and Xerox.
This is the fourth year Ethisphere, a think-tank dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability, has published the WME rankings, which appear in Ethisphere Magazine's Q1 issue, which came out in March. Avaya has maintained a position on the list every year since the initial publication of the WME rankings in 2007.
Read about the methodology and view the complete list of the 2010 World's Most Ethical Companies at http://ethisphere.com/wme-2010.
About Avaya
Avaya is a global leader in enterprise communications systems. The company provides unified communications, contact centers, and related services directly and through its channel partners to leading businesses and organizations around the world. Enterprises of all sizes depend on Avaya for state-of-the-art communications that improve efficiency, collaboration, customer service and competitiveness. For more information please visit www.avaya.com.
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.com.
Contact Information:
Ethisphere Contact:
Emily Parker
(212) 446-1889
eparker@sloanepr.com
Avaya Contact:
Deb Kline
(908) 953-6179
klined@avaya.com