Blue Shield of California Named One of World's Most Ethical Companies for the Second Straight Year

Ethisphere honor recognizes exceptional compliance and ethical leadership across continents and industries

SAN FRANCISCO, March 12, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Blue Shield of California has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute as one of the 2013 World's Most Ethical Companies for the second year in a row. The Ethisphere Institute is a leading international organization dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, governance, anti-corruption and sustainability.

"This award is a testament to the strength of our compliance and ethics program, our commitment to corporate social responsibility, and the dedication of our more than 5,000 employees," said Paul Markovich, Blue Shield President and CEO. "We're proud to be recognized for our ethical business practices as we work to fulfill our mission to provide all Californians with access to high-quality health care at an affordable price."

This is the seventh year that Ethisphere has published its World's Most Ethical Companies rankings. Ethisphere reviewed a record number of nominations from companies in more than 100 countries and 36 industries, utilizing its propriety methodology and in-depth research to name the companies that surpassed their industry peers to earn inclusion on this year's World's Most Ethical Companies list.

"We are excited to see the 2013 World's Most Ethical Companies take these leadership positions, and embrace the correlation between ethical behavior and improved financial performance," said Alex Brigham, Executive Director of Ethisphere.

Blue Shield's Corporate Compliance program reinforces a culture of ethical behavior and integrity as the cornerstone value. "We are honored to receive this prestigious award and view it as a reflection of the company's and our employees' foundational commitment to conducting business with integrity," said K.C. Turan, Blue Shield's Chief Compliance & Ethics Officer. 

Blue Shield of California also has a formal corporate social responsibility program that promotes social, economic and environmental sustainability, as well as charitable and volunteer activities. The company contributes approximately $30 million annually to the Blue Shield of California Foundation. Additionally, since 2010, Blue Shield of California has fulfilled a pledge to return net income that exceeds two percent of revenue to its customers and the community.

For more about Ethisphere, the World's Most Ethical ranking methodology and the complete list of the 2013 World's Most Ethical Companies, visit http://www.ethisphere.com/wme. 

About Blue Shield of California:
Blue Shield of California, an independent member of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit health plan with 3.3 million members 5,000 employees, and $10 billion in annual revenue. Founded in 1939 and headquartered in San Francisco, Blue Shield of California provides health, life, dental, vision, and Medicare insurance and health care service plans in California. Since 2005, the company has contributed more than $200 million to Blue Shield of California Foundation, one of BusinessWeek's most generous corporate foundations. Contact your local agent or broker about Blue Shield of California products and services, or visit www.blueshieldca.com.

About Ethisphere Institute:
The research-based Ethisphere^® Institute is a leading international think-tank dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability. Ethisphere Magazine, which publishes the globally recognized World's Most Ethical Companies Ranking™, is the quarterly publication of the Institute. Ethisphere provides the only third-party verifications of compliance programs and ethical cultures that include: Ethics Inside^® Certification, Compliance Leader Verification™ and Anti-Corruption Program Verification. More information on the Ethisphere Institute, including ranking projects and membership, can be found at http://www.ethisphere.com.

Media contacts:
Lindy Wagner
Corporate Communications Manager
Blue Shield of California
+1-415-229-6872
[email protected] 

Aubrie Artiano
Managing Editor 
Ethisphere
[email protected] 

SOURCE Blue Shield of California