In this episode, Tom Fox welcomes back Erica Salmon Byrne to talk about Ethisphere’s 20th edition of the World’s Most Ethical Companies.

Erica began by noting that there are 19 first-time honorees across 40 industries and 17 countries in the  2026 World’s Most Ethical Companies awards. They discuss the rigorous 250+ question Ethics Quotient and documentation review. They discuss the Ethics Premium using a five-year lookback (Jan 1, 2021–Dec 31, 2025), which showed 8.2% statistically significant outperformance versus a benchmark, based on index-firm analysis with capped company weighting. Beyond outperformance, the data showed a resiliency pattern during volatility: lower drawdowns, less time at the bottom, and faster recovery, which is correlated with practices that protect intangible assets. They highlight common honoree program elements, including transparency on investigations and discipline, more interactive “espresso shot” training, and manager toolkits and expectations to drive culture. They preview the 17th Global Ethics Summit in Atlanta and the WME gala.

Key highlights:

Resources:

Erica Salmon Byrne on LinkedIn

Inside the Ethics Premium

Solactive GBS Global Markets All Cap USD Index

Ethisphere

Tom Fox

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The Ethics Premium on the FCPA Compliance and Ethics blog.

For more information on the use of AI in Compliance programs, my new book, Upping Your Game, is available. You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon.com.

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