“At A. O. Smith, ethics is the foundation of everything we do,” said Kevin Wheeler, chairman and chief executive officer. “Being named one of the 2025 World’s Most Ethical Companies is a testament to our team’s dedication to doing business the right way and living our values every day.” 

The World's Most Ethical Companies assessment is grounded in Ethisphere's proprietary Ethics Quotient, which requires companies to provide 240+ different proof points on practices that support robust ethics and compliance; governance; a culture of ethics; environmental and social impact; and initiatives that support a strong value chain. That data undergoes further qualitative analysis by a panel of experts who spend thousands of hours vetting and evaluating each year's group of applicants. This process serves as an operating framework to capture and codify best-in-class ethics and compliance practices from organizations across industries and from around the world.

“Congratulations to A. O. Smith for achieving recognition as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies,” said Erica Salmon Byrne, chief strategy officer and executive chair, Ethisphere. “Behind this honor is a true dedication and a commitment to advancing business integrity. This approach is good for business — employees and other stakeholders value companies that prioritize the kinds of practices we measure with our process.”