TI has been named to Ethisphere’s “World’s Most Ethical Companies” list for the 10th consecutive year

I’m very glad to report that TI has been named to Ethisphere’s list of the “World’s Most Ethical Companies” for the 10th consecutive year. 

"Most Ethical Companies" List 2016As chief compliance officer, I view TI’s recognition today by the Ethisphere Institute not only as an affirmation of our commitment to high ethical standards but also a challenge to all TIers to stay committed every day, today and in years to come.  The full list of the 2016 World's Most Ethical Companies can be found here.

One of the things I’m most proud about is the sense of ownership all TIers feel on maintaining TI’s culture of ethics and values. TI has had an ethics program for more than 50 years that remains vibrant from all employees knowing that if they see something that doesn’t look right, to raise it. Our leaders know that, if something is reported to them, they need to take action. I believe our employees see that we take action on reported incidents, and they know that, even when the allegations involve managers or key business contributors, their coming forward will be attended to.

We have a strong central ethics office and a strong corporate compliance program, but we also have ownership across many functions and across the employee base. The culture enhances all our relationships – with customers, suppliers, government and community leaders, and it binds employees together as well. That trust makes doing business easier.

It’s truly an honor for TI to be recognized among the 131 honorees from 21 countries and five continents, representing 54 industries.  The World’s Most Ethical Companies designation recognizes organizations that have had a significant impact on the way business is conducted by fostering a culture of ethics and transparency at every level of the company.

Ethisphere’s assessment is based on its Ethics Quotient (EQ), a framework developed over years of research to provide a way to assess an organization’s performance in an objective, consistent and standardized way.

Scores are generated in five key categories: ethics and compliance program (35%), corporate citizenship

and responsibility (20%), culture of ethics (20%), governance (15%) and leadership, innovation and reputation (10%) and provided to all companies who participate in the process.

I feel confident that TI has the both historical foundation and vigilance to remain an ethical and transparent company.

In 1961, we became one of the first American companies to articulate our ethics in a written document, Ethics in the Business of TI. This booklet focused on ethical issues of the era, including price-fixing, misrepresentation, trade secrets, use of company assets, and gifts and entertainment. Within its pages, the book’s purpose was explained this way:

“Good ethics are good business, both from the moral and practical standpoint. The trust and respect of all people – fellow workers, customers, stockholders, suppliers, competitors, neighbors, friends, and the general public – are assets that cannot be purchased. They can only be earned.”

This first ethics publication has been updated several times throughout the subsequent decades to address new issues. 

In 1987, as Americans grappled with the consequences of insider trading and corporate takeovers financed by junk bonds, TI established a formal Ethics Office and Ethics Committee, further demonstrating its commitment to operating with integrity.

In 1997, we published The Values and Ethics of TI, articulating the core values of integrity, innovation and commitment that had defined us for more than 60 years.

In 2004, we revised the book to include our Code of Conduct, and just last year, TI unveiled an updated Code of Conduct to reflect recent changes in laws, regulations and practices.  The update’s interactive, searchable format also made the code more useful to employees and other stakeholders, making it both a living document and a training tool.

You can find the TI Code of Conduct here or contact the TI Ethics Office with any questions you may have at ethics.ti.com or 1-214-567-6600.

This year we’re taking a look at our risk assessment practices to confirm we’re addressing the breadth of new regulatory schemes as well as the way in which we conduct the assessments to ensure we have the right depth and forward vision on gaps and action plans.

We will continue to view our ability to operate ethically and lawfully as an asset – as vital as the technologies we develop and bring to the marketplace. We are committed to applying the highest ethical standards of integrity to every aspect of our business, demonstrating the respect we have for our customers, suppliers, investors, employees and the communities in which we operate.

Please note "World's Most Ethical Companies" and "Ethisphere" names and marks are registered trademarks of Ethisphere LLC.

 

Anonymous