The Ethisphere Institute’s Ethics Inside Certification recognizes and rewards organizations with outstanding commitments to ethical business practices
New York, NY – February 15, 2011 – Today, the Ethisphere Institute, a leading international think-tank dedicated to the research and promotion of best practices in corporate ethics and compliance, announced that Hitachi Data Systems has earned its coveted Ethics Inside Certification.
“Ethics Inside Certification is a uniquely exhaustive process that identifies a select group of companies that go above and beyond what is legally required of them to cultivate, maintain and communicate an exemplary culture of compliance and ethics,” said Erica Salmon Byrne, managing director of Compliance Advisory Services for Corpedia, a licensed Ethisphere credentialing partner. “Ethical practices and perception of a company’s ethical commitment are more important than ever to a company’s brand, reputation and long-term market success. We applaud Hitachi Data Systems for demonstrating ethical leadership and providing unmistakable assurance to their customers, employees, business partners and investors that it truly does ‘walk the walk’ and that ethics is a key component to its culture and strategy.”
Hitachi Data Systems provides best-in-class information technologies, services and solutions that deliver compelling customer ROI, unmatched return on assets (ROA) and demonstrable business impact. With a vision that IT must be virtualized, automated, cloud-ready and sustainable, Hitachi Data Systems offers solutions that improve IT costs and agility.
“At Hitachi Data Systems, integrity and ethics have always been core values in our culture,” said David Karas, vice president, Business and Ethics Conduct, Hitachi Data Systems. “We appreciate the Ethisphere Institute for formalizing the certification process – it’s given us an objective review and enabled us to benchmark our compliance program against industry best practices and to better communicate our ongoing commitment to our customers, employees, and other stakeholders.”
Ethisphere, the leading provider of independent verification of corporate ethics and compliance programs, awards Ethics Inside Certification 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.
Ethisphere, through its licensed credentialing partners, requires more than 100 separate criteria be evaluated throughout the certification process using a proprietary system of tools, templates, metrics and indicators. Hitachi Data Systems exceeded Ethisphere’s threshold of achievement across these categories and was subsequently awarded Ethics Inside Certification. In addition, Hitachi Data Systems was compared against Ethisphere’s extensive benchmarking database that reflects both industry-specific and overall data and best practices. Ethisphere also provided Hitachi Data Systems, as it does with all credentialing applicants regardless of certification status, with a detailed report as to how its program measures up—including suggestions and guidelines for improvement.
“The Ethics Inside Certification process examines every aspect of a company’s compliance program, ensuring the company doesn’t just meet the letter, but also the spirit of all relevant laws,” said Byrne. “This is measured against best practices within a constantly evolving regulatory environment. We are not only impressed with what Hitachi Data Systems has presented to us throughout the duration of this rigorous process, but in seeking to become Ethics Inside Certified, they’ve sought practical advice and recommendations on how further improvements can be made and risk mitigated.”
More information about Ethics Inside Certification is available at http://ethisphere.com/inside/.
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 groups, the Ethisphere Council and Business Ethics Leadership Alliance, are forums for business ethics that includes over 200 leading corporations, universities and institutions. These groups are dedicated to the development and advancement of members 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. Ethisphere provides the only third-party verifications of compliance programs and ethical cultures, Ethics Inside Certification®, Compliance Leader Verification and Anti-Corruption Program Verification. More information on the Ethisphere Institute, including ranking projects and membership, can be found at http://www.ethisphere.com.
Ethisphere Media Contact
Erin Fullerton
efullerton@ethisphere.com
(720)855-8212
Hitachi Data Systems Media Contact
Melissa Rossiter
Melissa.rossiter@hds.com
(408) 970-4849
