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Harris Corporation Named One of World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute

Posted on: Tuesday, 21 April 2009, 08:00 CDT

Award Recognizes Real and Sustained Ethical Leadership Within Various Industries

MELBOURNE, Fla., April 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Harris Corporation (NYSE: HRS), an international communications and information technology company, has been named one of the 2009 World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute. The company is one of only 99 among 10,000 evaluated to make the coveted list by exceeding legal minimums and demonstrating an ongoing commitment to strong ethical leadership. Harris joins recognized global leaders on the list, such as Honeywell, Oracle, American Express and Cisco Systems.

Ethisphere's researchers and analysts use a rigorous, multi-step process to determine the finalists. Nominated companies are evaluated in seven categories: Corporate Citizenship and Responsibility; Corporate Governance; Innovation that Contributes to the Public Well Being; Industry leadership; Executive Leadership and Tone from the Top; Legal, Regulatory and Reputation Track Record; and Internal Systems and Ethics/Compliance Program.

"Harris has proven to be one of the world leaders in upholding high ethical standards, making it a true standout in its industry, especially as unethical business actions and decisions grab headlines each day," said Alex Brigham, executive director of the Ethisphere Institute. "The competition for this year's World's Most Ethical Companies was very strong and we applaud Harris for rising to the top. Harris recognizes that being ethical is not only the right thing to do, it is also good business practice and leads to more successful and profitable operations."

"Harris is a trusted employer, supplier and partner in the markets we serve," said Howard L. Lance, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Harris. "That's the bottom line. The company has long understood the importance of an ethics- and values-based business model and has in place mature corporate governance and business conduct programs, as well as strong initiatives dedicated to the support of the environment, education and social responsibility. This award validates our commitment to promoting an ethics-based culture across our employee base, and we are honored to be named to the list of the World's Most Ethical Companies."

This is the third year that Ethisphere, a think-tank dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability, has published the rankings, which appear in Ethisphere Magazine's Q1 issue.

The methodology for the ranking includes reviewing codes of ethics, litigation and regulatory infraction histories; evaluating the investment in innovation and sustainable business practices; looking at activities designed to improve corporate citizenship; studying nominations from senior executives, industry peers, suppliers and customers; and working with consumer action groups for feedback.

The 2009 World's Most Ethical Companies methodology committee, comprised of leading attorneys, government officials, professors and organization leaders, were consulted early on in the 2009 WME process and had the opportunity to review and comment on the methodology used to rate this year's nominees. Ethisphere researchers further analyze information provided by the companies through questionnaires.

The complete list of companies can be found at www.ethisphere.org/wme2009.

About Ethisphere Institute

The research-based Ethisphere Institute is a leading international think-tank dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability. The Institute's associated membership group, the Ethisphere Council, is a forum for business ethics that includes more than 200 leading corporations, universities and institutions. The Ethisphere Council is dedicated to the development and advancement of individuals on its membership council through increased efficiency, innovation, tools, mentoring, advice, and unique career opportunities. Ethisphere Magazine, which publishes the globally recognized World's Most Ethical Companies Ranking(TM), is the quarterly publication of the Institute. More information on the Ethisphere Institute, including ranking projects and membership, can be found at http://www.ethisphere.org.

About Harris Corporation

Harris is an international communications and information technology company serving government and commercial markets in more than 150 countries. Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, the company has annual revenue of $5.4 billion and 16,000 employees -- including nearly 7,000 engineers and scientists. Harris is dedicated to developing best-in-class assured communications(R) products, systems, and services. Additional information about Harris Corporation is available at www.harris.com.

SOURCE Harris Corporation

Source: PR Newswire

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