ETHISPHERE RECOGNIZES CAREFIRST BLUECROSS BLUESHIELD WITH COMPLIANCE LEADER VERIFICATION™

Ethisphere’s Compliance Leader Verification recognizes and rewards organizations with outstanding commitments to creating a best in class compliance program

Phoenix, AZ – October 9, 2013 Ethisphere, an independent center of research, best practices and thought leadership that promotes best practices in corporate ethics and compliance, announced today that CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield earned the coveted Compliance Leader Verification for 2013 – 2014, extending on their earlier 2011 – 2012 verification.

“We would like to congratulate CareFirst for earning Compliance Leader Verification, which is a comprehensive review of a company’s compliance program. CareFirst joins an exclusive group of companies and organizations that exceed a rigorous set of verification criteria and earn the CLV designation,” said Timothy Erblich, Chief Executive Officer of Ethisphere. “We’re delighted to recognize CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield as a Compliance Leader Verification recipient.”

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield is a not-for-profit, non-stock health services company which, through its affiliates and subsidiaries, offers a comprehensive portfolio of products and administrative services to individuals and groups in Maryland, the District of Columbia and portions of northern Virginia.

“We are honored to again receive this important designation,” said Chet Burrell, President & CEO of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. “We believe the ethics by which a company operates are the centerpiece of its values.”

Ethisphere, the leading provider of independent verification of corporate ethics and compliance programs, awards the Compliance Leader Verification recognition exclusively to companies and non-profit organizations that have made the decision to proactively invest resources in compliance, sending a clear signal to key stakeholders that a company takes compliance and ethics seriously.

“CareFirst has shown dedication to a high standard of ethics and compliance for several years,” said Eric Morehead, Managing Director and Senior Compliance Counsel at NYSE Governance Services. “We are particularly impressed by their strong leadership, well-organized program, and commitment to constant improvement.”

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. CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield exceeded Ethisphere’s threshold of achievement across these categories and was subsequently awarded Compliance Leader Verification.

In addition, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield was compared against Ethisphere’s extensive benchmarking database that reflects both industry-specific and overall data and best practices. Ethisphere also provided CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, 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.

More information about Compliance Leader Verification is available at https://ethisphere.com/certifications/compliance-leader-verification/.

About Ethisphere

The Ethisphere™ Institute is an independent center of research, best practices and thought leadership that promotes best practices in corporate ethics and compliance and enables organizations to improve governance, mitigate risk, and enhance relationships with employees, business partners, investors and the broad regulatory community.  Ethisphere evaluates and benchmarks compliance and governance programs, honors superior achievement through its World’s Most Ethical Companies recognition program, and publishes Ethisphere Magazine. Ethisphere is also the leading provider of independent verification of corporate ethics and compliance programs that include: Ethics Inside Certification, Compliance Leader Verification and Anti-Corruption Program Verification. https://ethisphere.com

About CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield

In its 76th year of service, CareFirst, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit health care company which, through its affiliates and subsidiaries, offers a comprehensive portfolio of health insurance products and administrative services to 3.4 million individuals and groups in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. In 2012, CareFirst contributed nearly $57 million to community programs designed to increase the accessibility, affordability, safety and quality of health care throughout its market areas. To learn more about CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, visit our website at www.carefirst.com or follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/CareFirst_News.

Ethisphere Media Contact
Clea Nabozny
[email protected]
(480) 397-2658

CareFirst BlueCrossBlueShield Media Contact
Maya Newman
[email protected]
(800) 914-6397

ETHISPHERE ANNOUNCES THE OPENING OF NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2014 WORLD’S MOST ETHICAL COMPANIES

Ethisphere to Host Webinar Series to Describe the Application Process

Scottsdale, AZ – October 1, 2013 – Ethisphere, an independent center for research, best practices and thought leadership in corporate ethics and compliance, announced today the opening of nominations for the 2014 World’s Most Ethical Companies designation.

The coveted World’s Most Ethical (WME) Companies designation recognizes those organizations who truly go beyond making statements about doing business “ethically” and demonstrate real and sustained ethical leadership within their industries.

In its eighth year, Ethisphere anticipates a record number of applicants for the World’s Most Ethical (WME) Companies designation and will host three, 20-30 minute webinars to describe the application process and provide insight into what the designation means for companies around the globe. Events will include:

  • October 10, 2013 // 1:00 p.m. EDT// World’s Most Ethical Companies: Demystifying the Application Process – Register now
  • October 22, 2013 // 1:00 p.m. EDT// What it Means to Be a World’s Most Ethical Company – Register now
  • November 7, 2013 // 1:00 p.m. EST// Lessons from the World’s Most Ethical Companies – Register now

To learn more about the upcoming event series or to register, visit Ethisphere’s event page.  Ethisphere encourages registration even for those unable to attend the live webinars in order to receive access to the event recordings.

World’s Most Ethical nominees can expect to receive their applications the week of October 14th. To nominate an organization, please visit: https://ethisphere.com/worlds-most-ethical/nominate-for-wme/.

Additionally, Ethisphere is hosting its second-annual “Best Practices in Ethics Communications Workshop” on Thursday, October 24th in New York City.  This in-person workshop, coordinated by Ethisphere’s Communications Advisory Board, aims to bring together communications, legal and compliance executives for a full-day of robust dialogue on the theme of Working Across the C-Suite. More information about this event including registration details can be found here: https://ethisphere.com/worlds-most-ethical/2013-best-practices-in-ethics-communications-workshop/.

About Ethisphere

The Ethisphere® Institute is an independent center of research, best practices and thought leadership that promotes best practices in corporate ethics and compliance and enables organizations to improve governance, mitigate risk and enhance relationships with employees, business partners, investors and the broad regulatory community. Ethisphere evaluates and benchmarks compliance and governance programs, honors superior achievement through its World’s Most Ethical Companies™ recognition program and publishes Ethisphere Magazine. Ethisphere is also the leading provider of independent verification of corporate ethics and compliance programs that include: Ethics Inside® Certification, Compliance Leader Verification™ and Anti-Corruption Program Verification™.

Media Contact
Clea Nabozny
Ethisphere
[email protected]
480.397.2658