(NEW YORK) The research-based ranking ethics thinktank, The Ethisphere Institute, announced today that it plans to complement its highly-regarded annual World’s Most Ethical Companies™ with a sister efforts in “World’s Least Ethical Companies” and “World’s Most Kinda Ethical™” ranking lists.

Reaction was swift from the ethics, compliance and governance communities. Professor Ester Bonne from the Center for Ethics Statistics stated “What better way to haphazardly ruin a corporation’s reputation than to name them to the World’s Least Ethical Companies list?” She added “This will surely help reduce excessive executive compensation at these companies, albeit in a roundabout way”.

Ari Kidden, spokesperson for the Ethisphere Institute took a similar view. “We anticipate a lot of web traffic resulting from the publishing of our ‘World’s Least Ethical Companies™ ranking and plan to sell cleverly worded T-Shirts on the website that will make us all a lot of money” said Kidden.

“We are particularly excited about the World’s Most Kinda Ethical™ list as it is sooooo American to celebrate mediocrity, from trophies for Little Leaguers just for showing up, to grade inflation in college. We are excited to be extending this trend into the corporate world” Kidden added.

Some legal experts have already raised concerns about exposure that the Ethisphere Institute may be assuming in designating the world’s “least ethical” companies but others were impressed at the bold maneuver.

One outside counsel, who insisted on remaining unnamed in order to not jeopardize his client relationship with the Ethisphere Institute, called the development “Awesome!”. He added “I can only imagine how upset companies will be to see themselves on the ‘least ethical’ list… and my billings are going to skyrocket.” This individual was nonplussed however about the ‘kinda ethical’ list… deeming it “a waste of time.”

And if you have made it this far… APRIL FOOLS!