20th annual recognition honors organizations committed to business integrity through robust ethics, compliance, and governance programs

LAKE FOREST, Ill., March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Grainger (NYSE: GWW), a leading broad line distributor of maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products serving businesses and institutions, has been recognized as one of the 2026 World's Most Ethical Companies® by Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices. 

This is Grainger's second consecutive year being recognized. In 2026, 138 honorees were recognized, spanning 17 countries and 40 industries.  

"At Grainger, doing the right thing is foundational to how we operate and the principles that guide us every day," said Nic Eichenseer, Vice President and Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer at Grainger. "It's how we've earned trust and built lasting relationships with our customers, partners and communities for nearly a century, and we're honored to have this team commitment recognized." 

"Congratulations to Grainger for achieving recognition as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies®. As we mark the 20th class of honorees, this group continues to raise the bar for business integrity by embedding ethics into everyday decision-making and long-term strategy. Companies with strong ethics, compliance, and governance programs are built for better long-term performance," said Erica Salmon Byrne, Ethisphere's Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Chair. 

Methodology & Scoring
The World's Most Ethical Companies assessment is grounded in Ethisphere's proprietary Ethics Quotient®, which requires companies to provide 240+ documented proof points on practices that support robust ethics and compliance, including: corporate governance; program structure & resourcing; written standards; training, awareness, & communication; risk assessment & auditing; investigations, enforcement, discipline & incentives; measurement of ethical culture; third-party risk management, and environmental & social impact. 

That data undergoes further qualitative analysis by our 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. 

Honorees
To view the full list of this year's honorees, please visit the World's Most Ethical Companies website: https://worldsmostethicalcompanies.com/honorees. 

About Grainger
W.W. Grainger, Inc., is a leading broad line distributor with operations primarily in North America and Japan. At Grainger, We Keep the World Working^® by serving more than 4.6 million customers worldwide with maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products and value-added solutions delivered through innovative technology and deep customer expertise. Known for its commitment to service and purpose-driven culture, the Company reported 2025 revenue of $17.9 billion. For more information, visit www.grainger.com. 

About Ethisphere
Ethisphere is the global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices that strengthen corporate brands, build trust in the marketplace, and deliver business success. Companies turn ethics, compliance, and culture into a business advantage by leveraging Ethisphere's data-driven program & culture assessments featuring the latest guidance and the practices of hundreds of global organizations across the 8 pillars of an ethical culture, and 240+ ethics, compliance, social, and governance data points delivered through a proprietary software platform. Ethisphere also honors superior integrity programs through World's Most Ethical Companies® recognition, brings together a community of industry experts with the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA), and advances ethical business practices through the Global Ethics Summit, Ethisphere Magazine, and the Ethicast podcast. For more information, visit https://ethisphere.com. 

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SOURCE W.W. Grainger, Inc.