Granite Construction, the company behind the failed Liberty Quarry project, was named one of the world's most ethical companies.
The Ethisphere Institute added the company to its list in March for its corporate responsibility, according to Alex Brigham, the executive director of Ethisphere.
"A strong ethical foundation is a competitive advantage, and Granite Construction recognizes the important role that corporate responsibility plays in improving its bottom line,” he said in a written statement.
The company was recently embroiled in controversy over south of Temecula. .
Ethics have always been high on the company's priority list, according to Karie Reuther, a spokesperson for Granite this week.
"In the world of construction industry ethics and compliance, we have a duty to lead by example," she said.
Granite’s immediate past president was the founding chairman of the Construction Industry Ethics and Compliance Initiative.
From its initial 13 founding members in 2008, the group has grown this year to 45 contractors and engineers who commit to ethical conduct and compliance with the law and encourage the sharing of best practices, Reuther said.
------ “To compile the data on which it bases the list, Ethisphere relies mostly on the honor system. Three thousand companies were nominated--or nominated themselves--to be considered.” [found at: http://www.forbes.com/2010/03/22/ethisphere-ethical-companies-leadership-citizenship-100.html ] ------ The citizens involved in the push to terminate the effort of Granite Construction, Inc., to build an unwanted quarry next to the City of Temecula know of GCI’s deceptive practices. For example, at one hearing before the Board of Supervisors of Riverside County, GCI mustered workers to appear in support of the GCI appeal of an earlier denial of its proposed quarry project. GCI turned out these jobless workers by deceiving them to believe they would attend a job fair. This one deception alone disqualifies GCI from a business ethical award. Other deceptions have required GCI to self-describe itself as ethical, via another deception -- self-nominating itself as an ethical company. The corporate officers at GCI have no shame, even as they continue to shame themselves by trying to dupe others.