Ethisphere
| Company type | For-profit |
|---|---|
| Industry | Business ethics, Consulting |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Founder | Alex Brigham |
| Headquarters | Scottsdale, Arizona , United States |
| Products | Ethisphere Magazine, World's Most Ethical Companies award, Ethics Inside Certification, Compliance Leader Verification |
Ethisphere, previously known as the Ethisphere Institute, operates as a for-profit entity that, in exchange for a fee, establishes and evaluates corporate ethical benchmarks, honors organizations that demonstrate outstanding performance against these criteria, and advocates for best practices within the realm of corporate ethics. The company's main office is located in Scottsdale, Arizona.
The firm produces Ethisphere Magazine and annually presents its World's Most Ethical Companies award. It provides validation services including "Ethics Inside Certification" and "Compliance Leader Verification". Each March, Ethisphere organizes the Global Ethics Summit in New York City and oversees BELA, the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance, which is a network comprising professionals in compliance, ethics, and legal fields.
Operations
Founded in 2007 by Executive Chairman Alex Brigham, Ethisphere began as a division of Corpedia, a company specializing in compliance training. After Corpedia was sold in 2010, Brigham maintained control over Ethisphere.
Criticism
The company's approach has drawn scrutiny for possible conflicts of interest, as organizations pay to undergo evaluations. Its assessments are largely based on self-submitted information and survey responses. Some recipients of the "most ethical" designation, such as Eastman Chemical and Blue Shield of California, were involved in notable public controversies during the award period. Additionally, Ethisphere granted the World's Most Ethical Companies recognition to Elbit Systems of America—a subsidiary of an Israeli defense contractor criticized for its involvement in the Gaza war. Companies frequently honored by Ethisphere often engage in advertising with the firm and pay fees to license the award's annual logo.