New York – January 12, 2009 – After a year of daily headlines proclaiming ethical failings across a variety of industries, The Ethisphere Institute announces its annual list of the 100 Most Influential People in Business Ethics, standouts whose actions had the greatest positive impression on the business ethics world in 2008.
“The risks of running an organization without a focus on ethical leadership have never been greater,” said Stefan Linssen, Publisher of Ethisphere Magazine. “This year we saw a breakdown in corporate and government structures that could have largely been prevented. Despite these failings, there were many people who stepped up and made difficult choices to better the ethical business environment for everyone.”
Some of this year’s winners include Liu Qi, who oversaw the bid process as Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the 2008 Olympics. He secured the top spot on the list for running one of the most stringent programs on anti-corruption and bribery in history. Other key notables include Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (#8), David Steiner, CEO of Waste Management (#11), Author Thomas Friedman (#20), 2007 Winner Anne M. Mulcahy, Chairman and CEO of Xerox (#22), Ben W. Heineman, Jr., Author and Former General Counsel of GE (#24), T. Boone Pickens, creator of the Pickens Plan (#75) and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom (#85).
Some individuals from the 2007 ranking made the list again this year for their continuing efforts to support ethical practices in their respective industries and. There were seventeen total repeat winners from 2007, including Neelie Kroes, European Commissioner for Competition, Leslie Gaines-Ross, Chief Reputation Strategist of Weber Shandwick and Peter Kinder, President of KLD Research & Analytics, Inc.
Ethisphere also released its annual Top 10 List of People We Won’t Miss, which includes now infamous names such as Bernard Madoff, the disgraced Wall Street investment manager, Robert Rubin, former Treasury Secretary and Citi executive, former AOL employee Adam Vitale, and Rod Blagojevich, the impeached Governor of Illinois. “These individuals represent colossal failings in the business ethics space,” continued Linssen. “We would hope that their misdeeds serve as opportunities to improve and better our systems for detecting fraud and other unethical behaviors in the future.”
Developed with the help of professors from leading international business schools such as DePaul, University of Delaware and Universidad Alberto Hurtado, the Most Influential ranking recognizes individuals in nine categories: Government and Regulatory, Business Leadership, Non-Government Organization (NGO), Design and Sustainability, Media and Whistleblowers, Thought Leadership, Corporate Culture, Investment and Research, and Legal and Governance.
The full rankings with descriptions of the recognized activities and the list of advisory panel members are available in the Q4 2008 issue of Ethisphere Magazine and online at ethisphere.com.
Ethisphere is currently accepting nominations for its annual list of the World’s Most Ethical Companies to be published in the Q1 issue of Ethisphere Magazine. The deadline for entries is February 15, 2009 and additional information on submission requirements is available at ethisphere.com.
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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 http://www.ethisphere.org.
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