The Foundation for Financial Service Professionals recently announced Kimberly-Clark Corporation as the large company recipient of the 2011 American Business Ethics Award (ABEA). Kimberly-Clark was recognized at a special award ceremony at its headquarters in Dallas, Texas.
“We are heartened by the many examples of strong business ethics we have had the privilege of seeing through the ABEA program,” said foundation chairman R. Clifford Berg Jr. “We hope that in honoring companies such as Kimberly-Clark that adhere to the highest ethical standards in their dealings with employees, customers and stakeholders, the ABEA provides a beacon that guides others to choose the high road in all their business practices.”
Kimberly-Clark provides essentials to enhance the health, hygiene and well-being of 1.3 billion consumers around the world every day. These products include brands such as Kleenex, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Scott and Depend. Chairman and CEO Thomas J. Falk attributes Kimberly-Clark's success to a nearly 140-year culture of treating employees, customers and others with fairness, honesty and integrity.
"We are honored to be recognized for our ethical business practices," Falk said. "Creating a culture where our employees are committed to driving business results ethically and doing the right thing for our communities and environment contribute directly to the success of our company."
Kimberly-Clark's ethical way of life is rooted in core values that require authenticity, accountability, innovation and caring as the driving influence in all its business decisions, transactions and initiatives. Conducting business in accordance with these core values starts at the top and carries through to each of the 57,000 Kimberly-Clark employees, whether those employees are based in the United States, China, Australia, South Africa, Brazil or any other of the 36 corporate locations the company maintains worldwide.
Kimberly-Clark's code of conduct, which is available in 27 languages, focuses on the higher standard of doing the right thing, not just that which is legally required. To stress the importance of living by this code, Kimberly-Clark requires formal training, team leader coaching and publishes "Ethical Moments," a series of articles that focus solely on the ethical dilemmas the company's employees may encounter in the workplace.
Other recipients of the 2011 American Business Ethics Award were Corgan Associates (midsized company) and the Eye & Laser Center (small company).
Established in 1994, the American Business Ethics Award recognizes companies that exemplify high standards of ethical behavior in their everyday business conduct and in response to specific crises or challenges. Customers, employees, shareholders or other members of the local community may nominate companies for the award.
For more information, visit www.FinancialProFoundation.org.