Business Ethics

This year the 100 Best Corporate Citizens list celebrates its fifth anniversary, and we're happy to note that 29 firms have placed on the list all five years -- among them Intel (No. 3), Avon Products (No.7), Herman Miller (No. 14), Timberland (No. 17), Cisco Systems (No. 19) Southwest Airlines (No. 22), AT&T (No. 43), Starbucks Coffee (No. 45), Merck (No. 48), and Medtronic (No. 57).

The most consistent performer has been Procter & Gamble. This enduring American icon -- in business in Cincinnati, Ohio since 1837 -- has placed in the top five all five years and this year ranked No.2. Hewlett-Packard has made the top 10 all five years and placed No. 8 this year.

One example of a five-year 100 Best firm is The St. Paul Companies, the 150-year-old liability and property Minnesota insurance firm, which climbed from No. 85 in 2000 to No. 4 this year. Another is Ecolab of St. Paul, Minn., which climbed from No. 29 in 2000 to No. 10 this year. Ecolab scored high in service to customers, in part because the firm has been quick to develop creative new products for unexpected modern hazards. "We ramped up quickly in response to the Anthrax scare with our Vortexx product, a fungicide, not to make a buck, but because it was the right thing to do," said Al Schuman, Ecolab CEO. "We also developed anti-microbial disinfectant products to address foot and mouth disease in livestock, and then yet another new product to combat SARS at the Toronto Airport."