DENVER — CH2M HILL, a global full-service consulting, design, construction and operations firm, has been named to the Ethisphere Institute’s list of the 2011 World’s Most Ethical Companies.
“Doing our work ethically and treating our clients, colleagues and communities we serve with civility and respect is core to the way we live and do work,” CH2M HILL Chairman and CEO Lee McIntire said. “This recognition is an honor and testament to the dedication of our 23,000 global employees to conduct business in the most ethical manner.”
CH2M HILL officials said they made progress in 2010 in these areas:
• Analytics, independent evaluation and follow-up planning and execution
• Expanding and enhancing ethics-and-business-conduct training and global participation
• Sustainability as it pertains to company operations and the services provided to clients
• Community investment and employee volunteerism
“Our ongoing focus on governance enhances our ability to ensure that we live up to our company’s core values,” Chief Legal Officer Margaret McLean said. “Our leadership team believes that it takes more than simple rules to maintain sound ethical practices over the long haul — it requires commitment to fundamental values that we reinforces every day. As we grow and expand our global presence and the complexity of our business, we recognize that it is ever more important to stay vigilant about ethics in everything we do.”
Alex Brigham, executive director of the Ethisphere Institute, said, “As companies strive to maintain a competitive advantage, good ethics translate into better business, and better business means better bottom lines. CH2M HILL recognizes the important role that principled practices play in brand reputation, which ultimately is the most valuable asset for a corporation.
“Each year, the competition gets more intense for the World’s Most Ethical Companies, and this year was no exception with a record number of organizations vying for this distinguished honor. Ethisphere congratulates CH2M HILL on being one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for 2011,” he said.
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.