Granite Construction Incorporated has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute as one of the “World’s Most Ethical Companies” for 2010. 

Granite was last honored by Ethisphere in 2008 as having one of the “Best Overall Government Contractor Ethics Programs” in the industry.

“We are tremendously proud to be on this list,” said William G. Dorey, president and chief executive officer of Granite, in a written statement. “This recognition is a testament to the strong ethical culture within our company and the dedication and commitment by our people to exhibit respect, honesty, integrity and character in every aspect of our work.”

Underscoring the company’s commitment to ethics,  Dorey served as the first chairman of the governing body for the Construction Industry Ethics and Compliance Initiative (CIECI). Launched in 2008, the CIECI is a non-profit association of leading construction industry firms whose sole purpose is that of promoting and monitoring ethical behavior and full compliance with the law within the construction industry.

This is the fourth year Ethisphere, a think-tank dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability, has published the WME rankings, which appear in Ethisphere magazine’s Q1 issue.

Through in-depth research and a multi-step analysis, Ethisphere reviewed thousands of nominations from companies in more than 100 countries and 36 industries in order to determine the winners. The other construction companies so honored this year are CH2M Hill, CRH, Flour, and Parsons.

“Granite’s promotion of a sound ethical environment shines within its industry and shows a clear understanding that operating under the highest standards for business behavior goes beyond goodwill and ‘lip-service’ and is intimately linked to performance and profitability,” said Alex Bingham, executive director of the Ethisphere Institute in the same written statement. “This year’s World’s Most Ethical Companies award was more competitive than ever, because companies realize that making ethics a priority is critical amidst a tough economic environment.”

Bingham added, “Compliance or ethics failures add up to more than fees, fines and penalties. The leadership distraction and turnover, forced alteration of a working profit model and heightened scrutiny that result show: good ethics means better business.”