Hitachi Data Systems Named to Ethisphere’s 2011 World’s Most Ethical Companies

By hds.com

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — March 22, 2011 — Hitachi Data Systems Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT), today announced it has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute as one of the 2011 World’s Most Ethical Companies. Out of a record number of nominations for the award, Hitachi Data Systems secured a hard-earned spot on the list by establishing a strict business practices program that is instrumental to the company’s success, benefits the community and raises the bar for ethical standards within the industry. Other 2011 winners include Adidas, American Express, eBay, Ford Motor Company, PepsiCo, Starbucks and Xerox Corporation. 

"Hitachi Data Systems has always placed considerable emphasis on ethical behavior, and being named to Ethisphere’s 2011 World’s Most Ethical Companies list is a testament to the corporate culture we have built around this value," said Jack Domme, CEO, Hitachi Data Systems. “Upholding the highest levels of ethical standards is not just a business practice at HDS; it is the cornerstone of our company culture and a process of continuous improvement. We are committed to exemplifying an unwavering dedication to the highest integrity and ethical standards and our employees at every level of our organization display this on a daily basis.”

“As companies strive to maintain a competitive advantage, good ethics translate into better business, and better business means better bottom lines. Hitachi Data Systems recognizes the important role that principled practices play in brand reputation, which ultimately is the most valuable asset for a corporation,” said Alex Brigham, executive director, the Ethisphere Institute. “Ethisphere congratulates Hitachi Data Systems on being one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for 2011. We applaud HDS for its ethical leadership, which goes beyond lip-service and translates into action, showcasing a key component to its culture and strategy.”

About The Ethisphere World's Most Ethical Companies

This is the fifth 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. 

Ethisphere reviewed thousands of companies and evaluated a record number of applications utilizing its propriety methodology through in-depth research and multi-step analysis, naming 110 companies that surpassed their industry peers to this year's World's Most Ethical Companies list. The 2011 list features companies in 38 industries including 43 companies headquartered outside the United States.

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.

Award Complements Strict Ethics Inside Certification

Hitachi Data Systems recently achieved the Ethisphere Institute’s coveted Ethics Inside Certification, which recognizes and rewards organizations with outstanding commitments to ethical business practices and provides foundational judging criteria for the World’s Most Ethical Companies awards. Ethics Inside Certification is given exclusively to companies that not only have implemented adequate standards, systems and programs to reasonably prevent compliance failures and ethical breakdowns, but that can also demonstrate the existence of a superior employee and leadership culture that promotes ethical business practices.

Hitachi Data Systems exceeded Ethisphere’s threshold of achievement across these categories and was also compared against Ethisphere’s extensive benchmarking database that reflects both industry-specific and overall data and best practices.