Mar 10, 2015 / 17:53 pm

You have probably heard about their work with charitable organizations and the international councils that they've founded across the globe. You may have benefited from their life insurance program, or know someone who belongs to the fraternal organization. But this year, they have been recognized as one of the world's most ethical companies for the second consecutive year.

The Knights of Columbus have been honored by the Ethisphere Institute as a 2015 World's Most Ethical Company, acknowledged for their exceptional performance in business transparency, ethics, and sustainability.

"Earning this recognition involves the collective action of a global workforce from the top down. We congratulate everyone at Knights of Columbus for this extraordinary achievement," Timothy Erblich, CEO of Ethisphere, stated March 9.

Ethisphere is a leading global herald for ethical business practices, known for recognizing organizations that advance ethical conduct and transparency in their work operations.

In an effort to recognize businesses of principal, Ethisphere developed a comprehensive program which assesses companies for their performance based on five categories: ethics and compliance, corporate citizenship and responsibility, culture of ethics, governance, and leadership, innovation, and reputation.

With these considerations, Ethisphere's high-level advisory panel reviews the vetted businesses and rates their core ethics. Every year, they announce the organizations that meet these standards  and recognize them as global leaders in ethical business practices.

For the second year in a row, the Knights of Columbus were recognized as a Ethisphere's 2015 World's Most Ethical Company, one of only four companies in the Life Insurance category that were honored.

"For more than 130 years, the Knights of Columbus have been protecting the financial future of Catholic families and providing charity to those on the margins of society," stated Carl Anderson, CEO of the Knights of Columbus.
 
According to the Ethisphere Institute, the Knights of Columbus have one of the highest rated life insurance programs in North America, making them one of the top-notch contenders in the world for their provided services.

The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal organization, present in 15,000 councils around the world. Because of their charitable work across the globe, the Ethisphere Institute considers this year's recognition as a sign of their commitment to positively impact society, making them one of the leading ethical stakeholders globally.

How do they do it?

Anderson attributes the Knights of Columbus' success to foundational Catholic values and their commitment to lending a helping hand.

"That founding principal of helping those in need is at work in every aspect of our business, guiding our corporate governance, our professional agency force, our investments, and our day-to-day business operations," Anderson stated, noting that Catholic principals are the primary guide to their business model.