Ford Media Center

Ford Named a 2015 World’s Most Ethical Company by Ethisphere Institute; Only Automaker to Earn Designation

  • Ford named to Ethisphere Institute’s 2015 list of World’s Most Ethical Companies® – the only automaker to earn the recognition
  • Ethisphere honors companies for leading in ethics and compliance; corporate citizenship and responsibility; culture of ethics, governance and leadership; innovation; and reputation
  • A company’s reputation for ethics and trust plays a role in customer purchase decisions, research finds

DEARBORN, Mich., March 9, 2015 – Ford Motor Company is being named today to Ethisphere Institute’s 2015 list of World’s Most Ethical Companies®.

The honor comes at a time in which the way a company conducts its business is viewed as every bit as important as the products and services it provides, new research shows.

“This award celebrates doing business the right way, and making the right choices every day,” said Ford Motor Company Executive Chairman Bill Ford. “Ethics and corporate citizenship are important factors that affect a company’s reputation and success, and we are proud Ford is the only automaker to have received this honor for six consecutive years.”

The World’s Most Ethical Company assessment is based on a framework developed by the Ethisphere Institute to assess an organization’s performance in an objective, consistent and standardized manner. The honor is given based on top ratings in five categories – ethics and compliance; corporate citizenship and responsibility; culture of ethics, governance and leadership; innovation; and reputation.

“The World’s Most Ethical Companies embrace the correlation between ethical business practice and improved company performance,” said Timothy Erblich, Ethisphere chief executive officer. “Earning this recognition involves the collective action of a global work force from the top down. We congratulate everyone at Ford for this extraordinary achievement.”

The honor correlates with research showing a reputation for ethics and trust plays a role in consumers’ purchase decisions. Last year, according to the 2015 Harris Poll Reputation Quotient, 53 percent of the U.S. public learned more about a company before doing business with the organization. More than one third of the respondents decided not to do business with a company based on the perception of a negative reputation.

Ford sees this trend shaping consumers of all ages – especially younger customers. Generation Z members born after 1993 are 54 percent more likely than their millennial counterparts to say they want to have an impact on the world, and these consumers do business with companies that share their values, according to a study from research firm Sparks & Honey.

For more information about the methodology and to view the complete list of the 2015 World’s Most Ethical Companies, visit http://ethisphere.com/worlds-most-ethical/wme-honorees/.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams.  The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty.  Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services.  The company does that through three customer-centered business segments:  Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough electric vehicles along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs.  Additionally, Ford provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company.  Ford employs about 174,000 people worldwide.  More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.

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. Ethisphere honors superior achievement through its World’s Most Ethical Companies® recognition program, provides a community of industry experts with the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA) and showcases trends and best practices in ethics with the publication of Ethisphere Magazine and The World’s Most Ethical Companies Executive Briefing. Ethisphere is also the leading provider of independent verification of corporate ethics and compliance programs. More information about Ethisphere can be found at: http://ethisphere.com