3M, which has a manufacturing plant at Aycliffe, has won two new accolades for the way it carries out its business. The science-based technology company makes respirators for worker safety and products for the vehicle aftercare market at its Heighington Lane site. It has been named as one of the world’s most ethical companies for the fourth year running in the annual rankings produced by the prestigious Ethisphere Institute – an honour that only four industrial manufacturing companies worldwide can claim this year.
The Ethisphere Institute assesses companies on a series of levels, from compliance programmes and corporate responsibility to leadership and a culture of ethics. “At 3M, it’s not enough to just win in business – it matters how you do it,” said Kristen Ludgate, 3M’s chief compliance officer. “Customers want to do business with companies they can trust, and achieving that trust requires the help of all employees.” 3M has also received a gold rating for corporate social responsibility from EcoVadis, an organisation that evaluates the environmental, social and ethical management systems of suppliers. The gold rating puts 3M in the top one per cent of companies assessed this year.
The company is celebrating its success during this week’s Responsible Business Week from 24-28 April. The week is organised by Business in the Community (BITC), a charity of which The Prince of Wales is president and 3M is a national member. The week puts the spotlight on how businesses of all sizes are making a difference, changing lives and improving communities across the UK and aims to inspire many more businesses to take action To find out more about Responsible Business Week 2017 visit www.bitc.org.uk/rbweek or search for the hashtag #RBWeek.
