Bon Secours Health System has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute as one of the 2018 World’s Most Ethical Companies.

Bon Secours is one of only eight honorees in the health care industry, underscoring the organization’s commitment to lead with integrity and prioritize ethical business practices in the areas of compliance, corporate responsibility, governance, leadership, innovation, reputation and in creating a culture of ethics, according to a press release from Bon Secours.

In 2018, 135 honorees were recognized, spanning 23 countries and 57 industries. The 12th class of honorees had record levels of involvement with their stakeholders and their communities around the world. Measuring and improving culture, leading authentically and committing to transparency, diversity and inclusion were all priorities for honorees.

“Bon Secours is honored and humbled by this recognition,” said Toni R. Ardabell, chief executive officer of Bon Secours Virginia Health System. “Being good help to those in need is the cornerstone of our ministry as a faith-based, nonprofit health system. We view building a strong ethical culture as a continuous journey, something we strive daily to improve upon.”

The World’s Most Ethical Companies assessment is based upon the Ethisphere Institute’s Ethics Quotient framework, which offers a quantitative assessment of a company’s performance in an objective, consistent and standardized manner. The information collected provides a comprehensive sampling of definitive criteria of core competencies rather than all aspects of corporate governance, risk, sustainability, compliance and ethics.

“Global corporations operating with a common rule of law are now society’s strongest force to improve the human condition. The World’s Most Ethical Companies in particular continued to show exemplary leadership,” said Ethisphere’s chief executive officer, Timothy Erblich. “I congratulate everyone at Bon Secours on their inaugural recognition as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies.”

“Our Board of Directors sees its role of fostering a strong ethical culture as among its most important fiduciary duties, as we strive to build healthy communities,” noted Chris Allen, chairman of the Bon Secours Health System Board of Directors.

All companies that participate in the assessment process receive their scores, providing them with valuable insights into how they stack up against leading organizations. The full list of the 2018 World’s Most Ethical Companies can be found at worldsmostethicalcompanies.com/honorees.