Ethisphere Recognizes Apollo Education Group with 2015 Compliance Leader Verification
Higher education leader recognized for continuing to advance ethics and compliance standards with superior compliance program in education.
PHOENIX, January 5, 2015 — Ethisphere, the global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices and the provider of independent verification of corporate ethics and compliance programs, today announced that Apollo Education Group, Inc.(NASDAQ: APOL) has earned Compliance Leader Verification™. Apollo Education Group is the first in the higher education industry to receive this prestigious certification.
Compliance Leader Verification is awarded exclusively to companies with best-in-industry compliance programs that have made the decision to proactively invest resources in compliance, sending a clear signal to key stakeholders that their company takes compliance and ethics seriously.
“This prestigious certification reflects Apollo Education Group’s steadfast commitment to drive company performance through ethical business practices,” said Jim Berg, vice president, chief ethics and compliance officer, Apollo Education Group. “Acknowledgement of our high ethical standards is one of the greatest honors a company can receive. We believe it speaks to the integrity of our employees and reflects the dedication and resources Apollo Education Group has invested to foster a culture that values ethics and compliance.”
“NYSE Governance Services has been consistently impressed with Apollo Education Group’s commitment to ethics and integrity. The company has put a great deal of time, effort and strategic thinking into creating a best-in-class ethics and compliance program,” said NYSE Governance Services Compliance Counsel, Izah K. Gallagher. “Apollo clearly understands that ethics and compliance are critical to the company’s continued success as it moves forward.”
Through the Compliance Leader Verification process, NYSE Governance Services, a licensed credentialing partner, conducted a detailed review of Apollo Education Group’s current compliance and ethics-related initiatives and benchmarked them against the “hallmarks” of an effective compliance program, as defined by the U.S. Federal Sentencing Guidelines (FSG) and corporate and industry best practices, including:
- Standards (code and policies)
- Board of director oversight
- Program structure and responsibility
- Training and communications
- Due care
- Monitoring and auditing
- Enforcement and discipline
“The Compliance Leader Verification process combines recognition with evaluation and offers a third-party verification that a company’s compliance program is at the forefront of their industry in addressing and mitigating compliance risk,” said Ethisphere’s SVP and General Counsel, Michael Byrne. “We would like to congratulate Apollo Education Group for earning Compliance Leader Verification.”
More information about Compliance Leader Verification is available at https://ethisphere.com/certifications/compliance-leader-verification/.
For more information about Apollo Education Group, please visit http://www.apollo.edu.
About Apollo Education Group, Inc.
Apollo Education Group, Inc. is one of the world’s largest private education providers and has been in the education business since 1973. Through its subsidiaries: Apollo Global, College for Financial Planning, University of Phoenix, and Western International University, Apollo Education Group offers innovative and distinctive educational programs and services, online and on-campus, at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. Its educational programs and services are offered throughout the United States and in Europe, Australia, Latin America, Africa and Asia, as well as online throughout the world. For more information about Apollo Education Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries, call (800) 990-APOL or visit the Company’s website at http://www.apollo.edu.
About Ethisphere
The Ethisphere® Institute is the global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices that fuel corporate character, marketplace trust and business success. Ethisphere has deep expertise in measuring and defining core ethics standards using data-driven insights that help companies enhance corporate character. Ethisphere honors superior achievement through its World’s Most Ethical Companies® recognition program, provides a community of industry experts with the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA) and showcases trends and best practices in ethics with the 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™. More information about Ethisphere can be found at:https://ethisphere.com.
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Heather McLaughlin
Apollo Education Group
714-338-6429
heather.mclaughlin(at)apollo.edu
Clea Nabozny
Ethisphere
480-397-2658
clea.nabozny(at)ethisphere.com
