Eaton has a best-in-class ethics and compliance program yet remains relentless in its pursuit of continuous improvement and evolution. As a global intelligent power management company and a 14-time honoree on the World’s Most Ethical Companies list, Eaton enjoys strong leadership engagement and support at every level. For more than 15 years, Eaton has collaborated with Ethisphere to strengthen its mature ethics and compliance program. This collaboration includes active participation in the annual Global Ethics Summit and the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA) community.
Joe Rodgers, Senior Vice President of Global Ethics and Compliance, describes the relationship as “symbiotic,” rooted in a shared commitment to elevating ethical business practices and learning from one another. “Ethisphere provides resources that complement our commitment to continuous improvement and strengthen our program,” Joe says.
The Challenge
Eaton has built a strong Ethics and Compliance Program that enjoys active and visible leadership support. Yet, Eaton remains steadfast in its belief that it can never stop strengthening its program. The challenge is sustaining excellence and raising the bar in an environment where expectations keep evolving and the definition of “good” is constantly changing. To meet this challenge, Eaton sought a collaborative resource that could deliver credible benchmarks, share best practices, and provide data-driven insights to pressure-test its approach.
The Solution
Ethisphere has supported Eaton’s objectives with a practical mix of data, expert insights, and peer connections. Eaton’s engagement with Ethisphere focuses on three key areas: access to credible data for benchmarking, tailored answers, high-quality content, and the ability to learn directly from peers.
Benchmarking and validation anchored in credible data. With a focus on both data and maintaining best-in-class standards, Eaton values its annual benchmarking sessions tied to the World’s Most Ethical Companies process. These sessions enable Eaton to compare itself against a selective cohort and validate program quality while identifying areas for further improvement. Joe also uses Ethisphere’s Five-Year Ethics Premium with business leaders to reinforce that a strong ethical culture is good for business and can provide a competitive advantage. Given the longevity of Eaton’s partnership with Ethisphere, Eaton has seen firsthand how Ethisphere’s expanding data set delivers value over time.
Joe explains that benchmarking against a credible third party provides valuable information that can further strengthen Eaton’s program. He points to Ethisphere’s data as a way to spot opportunities for improvement while validating what is working well—resources that would be “very difficult to get elsewhere,” Joe notes.
Direct access to tailored answers. Having a direct point of contact at Ethisphere to support data and information gathering—whether through an engagement lead or the BELA concierge service—also delivers value. Receiving tailored responses to best-practice questions saves time and energy for Joe and his high-performing team.
Content and frameworks that translate into action. Eaton leverages Ethisphere resources such as Ethisphere Magazine, the Ethicast, and the Ethisphere Insights newsletter to gain knowledge of leading practices that help shape strategy. Joe also points to Ethisphere’s Eight Pillars of an Ethical Culture as a particularly impactful resource for framing conversations.
Community connection that enables learning. Eaton also uses the Global Ethics Summit to connect with a broad set of ethics and compliance leaders, share thought leadership and learn from peers who are willing to exchange proven approaches. “It’s fantastic to have an annual opportunity to connect with like-minded compliance leaders through insights and best practices,” Joe says.
The Results
Eaton’s return on this collaboration is both strategic and tangible: faster, more credible decision-making and storytelling about the program, supported by information that would be costly to replicate independently.
In practical terms, this translates into efficiency and avoided costs: Eaton gains access to curated, data-driven insights and resources that would otherwise require considerable time and investment for the company to develop internally.
Final Thoughts
Eaton’s commitment to continuous improvement ensures that its program never stands still. Joe closes by reinforcing that point: “Humility is essential. Our mindset can’t be that we’re finished. In fact, it’s quite the opposite—we’re always learning.” He also proudly notes how the ethics and compliance community shows a distinct and commendable willingness to help each other out, which can reduce the need to reinvent proven approaches. In that context, Ethisphere serves as a catalyst by collecting best practices and connecting companies that want to share and learn together, reducing duplication of effort.
Joe sums it up: “Ethisphere serves as a hub of information. When you work with Ethisphere, you are at the epicenter of a community eager to help each other learn and grow so we can all contribute to an ethical society. In the end, that is good for everybody.”
