Ethisphere’s Compliance Leader Verification recognizes organizations with an outstanding commitment to achieving a best-in-class ethics and compliance program
Scottsdale, AZ – February 5, 2026 – Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, announced today that Premera Blue Cross has earned the coveted Compliance Leader Verification for 2025, 2026 and 2027.
Premera Blue Cross is a not-for-profit Blue Cross Blue Shield-licensed health insurance company based in Mountlake Terrace, Washington, United States. It provides health insurance and related services to approximately 2 million people in Washington state and Alaska.
“Premera’s Regulatory, Ethics, and Compliance program reflects a strong and thoughtful evolution as the organization has continued to mature,” said Laura Danysh, Senior Ethics and Compliance Advisor. “We were particularly impressed by the strength of the Regulatory, Ethics, and Compliance team and its leadership, as well as the continued investment in training and communications, the development of a highly effective Compliance and Ethics Champion program, and the strengthening of monitoring and control functions. Together, these elements demonstrate a disciplined, forward-looking approach and a clear commitment to embedding compliance and ethics into the fabric of the organization.”
The Compliance Leader Verification process involves a rigorous review of an ethics and compliance program and corporate culture. It includes completing the Ethics Quotient® (EQ), a questionnaire covering the elements of an effective program; benchmarking program practices against the World’s Most Ethical Companies®; and extensive document review and interviews with executives and stakeholders.
Premera Blue Cross’s performance was evaluated on six key areas: program resources and structure; perceptions of ethical culture; written standards; training and communication; risk assessment, monitoring and auditing; and enforcement, discipline, and incentives.
“At Premera, we hold ourselves to the highest standards of ethical behavior because we know that every decision we make has a direct impact on our customers, members, and the communities we serve,” said Sven Peterson, Compliance and Ethics Officer at Premera Blue Cross. “Doing the right thing is a shared responsibility, woven into every team at Premera, and this award is a testament to our deep and ongoing commitment to integrity and maintaining a culture of compliance and ethics.”
More information about Compliance Leader Verification is available at https://ethisphere.com/what-we-do/leader-verification/
About Ethisphere
Ethisphere® 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 Ethisphere Magazine. Ethisphere also helps to advance business performance through data-driven assessments, benchmarking, and guidance. Learn more about Ethisphere at https://www.ethisphere.com.
About Premera Blue Cross
Premera Blue Cross, a not-for-profit, independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association based in Mountlake Terrace, Wash., is a leading health plan in the Pacific Northwest, providing comprehensive health benefits and tailored services to more than 2.5 million people, from individuals to Fortune 100 companies. For more information, visit www.premera.com.
Media Contact:
Bill Coffin
Editor in Chief, Ethisphere
Bill Coffin | Editor-in-Chief, Ethisphere Magazine, Ethisphere
Bill Coffin is the Editor-in-Chief of Ethisphere Magazine and supports the larger content strategy of Ethisphere. He is an internationally recognized writer and editorial leader in the fields of ethics, compliance, insurance and risk management. His work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, Forbes and Fortune, as well as Compliance Week, National Underwriter, Risk Management, Best’s Review and other B2B media. Previously, Bill served as Director, Senior Editor at AIG, leading content strategy for one of the world’s largest insurance companies.
