Deere & Co. has been included in the 2011 Top Companies for Leaders listings published by Fortune magazine. Deere was selected for both U.S. and global recognition.

The Top Companies for Leaders study is the most comprehensive, global research on leadership in the market, examining the link between leadership practices and financial results. The study is conducted by Aon Hewitt, a global human resource consulting and outsourcing enterprise.

The research studies how organizations assess, select, develop, and reward leaders, and it examines the execution of leadership practices, as well as the strategy that guides it.

“Leadership development is an important part of our strategy at John Deere,” said Samuel R. Allen, chairman and CEO, in a written statement. “Our global growth aspirations further emphasize the importance and need for a strong leadership development process.”

An expert panel of independent judges selected and ranked those companies named to the listings based on criteria including strength of leadership practices and culture, examples of leader development on a global scale, impact of leadership in communities in which the companies have a presence, business performance and company reputation.

Deere ranked 9th on the U.S. list and 14th globally. These rankings are similar to the company’s placement on the list two years ago when the study was last completed.

Researchers learned that Deere has a very deliberate process for recognizing future leadership candidates and providing assignments and opportunities for those employees to gain the necessary skills and mentoring to help lead the organization.

When comparing the Global Top Companies with more than 470 other companies worldwide, Aon Hewitt identified a common characteristic that sets them apart from their peers – Global Top Companies are committed to building leadership capability within their organizations.