Racine-based S.C. Johnson & Son Inc. is the recipient of the 2013 Ethical Business Leadership Award from Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW).
Members of the faculty and students from the CUW School of Business Administration will present the award tonight at a ceremony held at the Wisconsin Country Club.
Each year, Concordia students identify individuals, corporations or organizations that demonstrate ethically responsible management practices and submit a written nomination on their behalf. The award criteria requires recipients to treat employees and customers with dignity and respect, create a community corporate culture, emphasize quality, serve as a model of integrity and consider the environment in all business activities.
“It is inspiring to see that CUW students share the values that are important to us at S.C. Johnson, and we are honored to be recognized by these future leaders in our community,” said Kelly Semrau, senior vice president of global corporate affairs, communication and sustainability for S.C. Johnson. “As a family company, making a positive impact on employees, the community, and the environment is a responsibility that we’ve taken seriously for 127 years, and it is exciting that many of Wisconsin’s best and brightest agree.”
The students’ nomination specifically called out SC Johnson’s philanthropic efforts and its charitable contributions that have totaled more than $200 million in the past 10 years worldwide, including a recent $1.7 million donation to Gateway Technical College in support of its integrated Manufacturing and Engineering Technology (iMET) Center in Sturtevant.
“Leading businesses are faced with more complex challenges each day as our world becomes more interconnected and complicated. To meet these challenges, corporate leaders must make decisions with strong community and environmental values,” said David Borst, dean of the School of Business Administration at Concordia University Wisconsin. “SC Johnson is leading the charge to make sure every aspect of their business takes the community and the environment into account. With this recognition, it is our hope that other companies take note and follow their lead.”
Past recipients of the award include Kapco Inc., Wenthe Davidson Engineering, Milwaukee Protestant Home, Baensch Food Products, UMOS, Steinhafels Furniture, Stone Creek Coffee, Johnson Control Inc., Ozaukee Humane Society, Wally Sommer and West Bend Mutual Insurance.
