Dole Food Company, Inc. was named one of the World's Most Ethical
Companies by Ethisphere Magazine, a national publication dedicated to
illuminating the important correlation between ethics and profit. The
elite list of companies was recognized for their strong leadership in
ethics and compliance, advancement of industry discourse on social and
ethical issues, and positive engagement in the communities in which
they operate.
"We are honored to receive this designation from Ethisphere
Magazine," said David Murdock, chairman and chief executive officer of
Dole Food Company. "Dole takes great pride in our corporate ethics and
social responsibility. We treat all employees and business associates
with dignity and respect. Special attention is given to safeguarding
Dole employees' health, providing competitive wages and benefits,
honoring collective representation, enhancing and empowering our
communities, and protecting the environment in which we work and
live."
Ethisphere Magazine has a circulation of 65,000 global Board
members, CEOs, General Counsel, Chief Ethics and Compliance Officers
and institutional investors; and offers insight on gaining market
share and creating sustainable competitive advantage through ethical
business practices and corporate citizenship.
The editors of the magazine chose fewer than 100 companies from
several thousand organizations that they analyzed over a six-month
period. "This was a rigorous process that identified a select group of
companies that were unequalled in their industries for their
commitment to ethical leadership and corporate social responsibility.
These organizations go beyond making statements about doing business
ethically; they translate those words into action," said Alex Brigham,
executive editor of Ethisphere Magazine.
The process included reviewing companies' codes of ethics,
litigation and regulatory infraction histories; evaluating investment
in innovation and sustainable business practices; looking at
companies' activities to improve corporate citizenship; studying
nominations from senior executives, industry peers, suppliers and
customers; and working with consumer action groups for feedback and
rating.
About Dole Food Company, Inc.
Dole Food Company, Inc., with 2006 revenues of $6.2 billion, is
the world's largest producer and marketer of high-quality fresh fruit,
fresh vegetables and fresh-cut flowers. Dole markets a growing line of
packaged foods and frozen fruit and is a produce industry leader in
nutrition education and research. For more information on the
company's CSR efforts go to dole.com.
About the Ethisphere Council
The Ethisphere Council was created in 2006 by Corpedia, a leader
in risk assessment and eLearning for ethics and compliance; the
Practising Law Institute, a non-profit organization committed to
enhancing the professionalism of attorneys and others; and LexisNexis,
a leading provider of comprehensive information and business
solutions. Formed with support from such leading corporations as
Deutsche Telekom, Time Warner, Dresser Industries, Avaya and Kraft,
the council is dedicated to the research, creation and sharing of best
practices in ethics, compliance and corporate governance among its
membership companies. It also focuses on the development and
advancement of its members through increased efficiency, innovation,
tools, mentoring, advice and unique career opportunities. More
information on membership can be found at http://www.ethisphere.com.
