Trust Across America-Trust Around the World™

What were the most trustworthy business sectors in 2010? We recently ran this question through our FIDES ™ computer software. We bundled all the companies in our database (almost 3000), sorted by sector and pressed “go!” Here are the top 5 sectors- there are 16 in total:

Basic Materials– lead by Lubrizol (www.lubrizol.com) and Eastman Chemical (www.eastman.com)

Oils-Energy– lead by Hess (www.hess.com)

Utilities– lead by Pinnacle West Capitol Corp. (www.pinnaclewest.com)  and Oge Energy (www.oge.com)

Consumer Staples– lead by Avon Products (www.avoncompany.com)

Auto-Tires-Trucks– lead by Cummins Inc.  (www.cummins.com)

Our data incorporates five key drivers of trustworthy business behavior: Financial stability/strength; Accounting conservativeness: Corporate integrity; Transparency and Sustainability. We call this FACTS (tm).

One of the goals of Trust Across America is for the top trustworthy companies to start sharing best practices with their peers.

Do you have any questions or comments? Email me at barbara@trustacrossamerica.com

Today, Trust Across America™ (TAA) (www.trustacrossamerica.com)  announced the results of their audit of almost 3000 public companies and named Hess (www.hess.com ) as the Most Trustworthy Public Company for 2010. Barbara Kimmel, Co-founder of Trust Across America states that “While no company received a perfect score, Hess came out on top.”

The audit incorporates over 500 data points with respect to five key corporate indicators of trustworthy business behavior: Financial stability and strength, Accounting conservativeness, Corporate integrity, Transparency, and Sustainability, aptly called FACTS™.

The model was developed in collaboration with two Harvard MBA’s and a leading PhD quantitative analyst. The audit process, which took almost two years to complete, is “the most holistic and comprehensive trust “health” checkup for public companies,” according to its founders.

A statement on the Hess website indicates that the company has “six core values that represent its collective conscience and embed them in their organization: Integrity, People, Performance, Value Creation, Social Responsibility and Independent Spirit. Their business is “built on long standing relationships founded on trust.”

The companies  that ranked among the “Top Ten” embed trustworthy business behavior in their corporate culture. They are listed below in alphabetical order. 

Albemarle www.albemarle.com

Best Buy www.bby.com

Cummins www.cummins.com

Eastman Chemical www.eastman.com

Hess www.hess.com

Lexmark www.lexmark.com

Lubrizol www.lubrizol.com

Sonoco Products www.sonoco.com

Texas Instruments www.ti.com

USANA www.usana.com

Trust Across America™ (TAA) is a program of Next Decade, Inc., an award-winning firm that has been unraveling and simplifying complex subjects for over 20 years. TAA provides a framework for public companies to improve trustworthy business practices, as well as media opportunities to highlight companies that are exhibiting high levels of trust and integrity.

Contact: For more information contact Barbara Kimmel, Executive Director, Trust Across America barbara@trustacrossamerica.com  or simply hit reply.

Now, more than ever, consumers want to make the best purchasing decisions from companies they trust- those that will stand behind their products. While most people would agree that trust and integrity are the foundation of our economy, the news is full of surveys showing that consumers’ mistrust of business is on the rise, but we must not forget that great businesses still exist. 

So whether you are stopping for gas, taking a vacation, buying a computer, getting a cup of coffee, looking for auto or health insurance, or buying a new pair of shoes, you can rest easy that a purchase from one of the following is coming from a trustworthy source that has earned your support: 

                         Alfac www.aflac.com

                         Best Buy www.bby.com

                         Carnival Corp www.carnival.com

                         Cigna  www.cigna.com

                         Costco  www.costco.com

                         Federal Express www.fedex.com

                         Hess www.hess.com

                         JC Penney www.jcpenney.com

                         Lexmark www.lexmark.com

                         Mattel www.mattel.com

                         Nike www.nike.com

                         Progressive Corp www.progressive.com

                         Starbucks www.starbucks.com

                         Timberland www.timberland.com

                         UPS www.ups.com

                         US Airways www.usairways.com

                         Whirlpool www.whirlpool.com

While no company received a perfect score from Trust Across America, our audit incorporated over 500 data points with respect to five key corporate indicators of trustworthy behavior: Financial stability and strength, Accounting conservativeness, Corporate integrity, Transparency, and Sustainability, aptly called FACTS™.

Trust Across America™ (TAA) is a program of Next Decade, Inc., an award-winning firm that has been unraveling and simplifying complex subjects for over 20 years.  TAA provides a framework for public companies to improve trustworthy business practices, as well as media opportunities to highlight companies that are exhibiting high levels of trust and integrity.

Contact: For more information on our methodology please visit our website at www.trustacrossamerica.com or email:  barbara@trustacrossamerica.com