Booz Allen Named to “2021 World's Most Ethical Companies” List by Ethisphere for Second Consecutive Year

Each year the Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, releases a list of the World’s Most Ethical Companies—recognizing “companies who understand the importance of leading, making hard but values-based decisions, and have an overall commitment to integrity.” This year Booz Allen was again included on this prestigious list, and in 2021 is one of only four honorees in the Consulting Services industry.

“Despite a year like no other, Booz Allen did not waiver in its commitment to acting with ferocious integrity to realize positive change through our client work and our support for employees and the communities in which they live,” said Booz Allen Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer Nancy Laben.

To compile its World’s Most Ethical Companies List, Ethisphere used its proprietary Ethics Quotient® and conducted an assessment process that includes more than 200 data points on culture, environmental and social practices, ethics and compliance activities, governance, diversity, and initiatives to support a strong value chain. This is the second year Booz Allen has been named as a global ethics leader by Ethisphere. 

“While addressing the tough challenges of 2020, we saw companies lead – above all other institutions – on earning the trust of stakeholders through resilience and a commitment to ethics and integrity,” said Ethisphere CEO Timothy Erblich. “The World’s Most Ethical Companies honorees continue to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to the highest values and positively impacting the communities they serve. Congratulations to everyone at Booz Allen Hamilton for earning the World’s Most Ethical Companies designation.”

Raising the bar for ethical standards for nearly a century

Booz Allen’s commitment to ethics and integrity dates back to the 1930s, when partner Carl Hamilton penned one of the first-known formal codes of business ethics, pledging to “subordinate oneʼs own personal interest to that of the firm” and to “face all firm problems objectively and dispassionately without arbitrary or prejudicial position.”

Nearly a century later, Booz Allen remains committed to ensuring ethical business practices. “Simply put, we believe in doing what’s right and that holding ourselves and others accountable is the only way to do business,” Laben said.

Ethics and integrity in action

Today, Booz Allen upholds its purpose and values through its work and operations, advancing the principles, standards, and norms of its industry and the communities it serves through efforts including:

Ethical Leadership: Booz Allen employees are charged to lead by example, making the right decisions for the right reasons, with support from their leaders, subject matter experts, and corporate guidance.

Booz Allen’s Ethics & Compliance Team, Ethics & Compliance Committee, and Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Program, among others, provide direction and oversight as they create controls through policy, processes, and technology and conduct regular monitoring, data analysis, and risk assessments. Additionally, the firm’s Ethics Advisor Program helps promote values and mitigate enterprise risk by increasing both the number and the familiarity of frontline ethics resources, including 100+ global Ethics Advisors.

Acting with Integrity: Booz Allen conducts business with integrity and honor in its own activities and through the firm’s business relationships -- identifying and addressing corruption risks, leveraging integrated compliance processes, and expecting its supply chain, clients and partners to uphold the firm’s purpose, values and codes of conduct, with zero tolerance for corruption. The firm’s global policies, procedures, and practices reflect Booz Allen’s commitment to human rights, fair labor conditions, and expectations for those with whom it does business. Within its business and operations, the firm is deeply committed to supporting employees and treating them fairly, providing access to benefits that promote their health, well-being, and security and that of their families, and always seeking to maintain an equitable and inclusive atmosphere that thrives on diversity.

“We understand the direct link between Booz Allen’s longstanding success and our unwavering commitment to living the firm’s values each day as we empower people to change the world,” said Laben. “As we look ahead, we’re more confident than ever in our ability to raise the bar for ethical standards in our industry and beyond.”

Learn more about Booz Allen’s commitment to environmental and social governance and read about the 2021 World’s Most Ethical Companies.