ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Labrador, a leading global communications firm specializing exclusively in corporate disclosure documents, today announced the winners of the fourth annual U.S. Transparency Awards. The rankings compare the efficacy of corporate disclosure documents among the S&P 2501 – the nation’s largest companies based on market capitalization. This year’s top honor is awarded to Intel Corporation for Best Overall Corporate Disclosure.
Labrador’s experts determine the Transparency Awards rankings by reviewing the annual proxy statement, Form 10-K, investor relations website and code of conduct of all S&P 250 companies. The team collected more than 39,000 data points and evaluated each organization’s disclosure documents using 146 different criteria2 that reflect the award’s four pillars of transparency: accessibility, precision, comparability and availability. Review the complete list of ranking criteria and view the awards announcement.
“At a time when companies are being heavily scrutinized by the public, it’s not surprising that investors and other stakeholders now demand a new level of corporate transparency,” said Nneoma E. Njoku, head of Labrador U.S. “These awards honor those companies who demonstrate a dedication to transparently communicate for the benefit of their stakeholders. A grand tradition in Europe, the U.S. Transparency Awards –in their fourth year – are quickly becoming a coveted acknowledgment among S&P 250 companies.”
Because of the extensive set of criteria and comprehensive methodology, the Transparency Awards recognize the quality and completeness of information that top U.S. companies make available.
TOP 10 MOST TRANSPARENT COMPANIES IN THE U.S.
- Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC)
- CVS Health Corporation (NYSE: CVS)
- Honeywell International, Inc. (NASDAQ: HON)
- The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL)
- Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation (NASDAQ: CTSH)
- Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT)
- Anthem3 (NYSE: ELV)
- American International Group, Inc. (NYSE: AIG)
- Accenture PLC (NYSE: ACN)
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S&P Global Inc. (NYSE: SPGI)
Best Overall Transparency: Intel
Intel triumphs among those judged, providing information well beyond required disclosure on all four documents. A standout achievement, the company is clearly committed to transparency and emphasizes key information through graphics to enhance reader comprehension – even within the Form 10-K where most companies do not. CVS Health and Honeywell rank second and third.
Best Proxy Statement: CVS Health
Proxy Statements are one of the most important documents for shareholder review and thus, a critical area for transparency. CVS Health takes top honors with Cognizant Technology and Anthem receiving the next highest rankings. All three honorees stand out by illustrating risk oversight responsibilities among their Board, its committees and their management in graphic form.
Most Improved Overall: Becton Dickinson
The award for Most Improved Overall goes to Becton Dickinson for demonstrating a commitment to enhancing its corporate disclosure documents year-over-year. The company increased its score by more than 23% moving up 177 spots. Capital One Financial and Target rank second and third.
Best Form 10-K: Allstate
Allstate takes top honors for its Form 10-K. Recognized for its emphasis on human capital management, the company provides specific information about culture and engagement. Intel and Devon Energy receive the next highest rankings. All three honorees provide a clear overview of corporate strategy and are among only 39% of companies that disclose workforce statistics on race.
Best Investor Relations Website: Chubb
Transparency online is critical, and nowhere is this more apparent than on a company’s investor relations website. Chubb is awarded top honors with Exxon Mobil and AT&T ranking second and third. All three clearly identify and provide access to sustainability or corporate responsibility information and are among only 24% to provide an Annual Meeting sub-section with a link to voting.
Best Code of Conduct: American International Group (AIG)
A clear, concise Code of Conduct reflects an organization's purpose and values, guiding the behavior of its Board and employees. The 2022 winner is AIG, with Becton Dickinson and Procter & Gamble ranking second and third.
Most Efficient Plain Language - Proxy Statement: Eli Lilly
The use of simple, concise language enhances transparency and offers distinct benefits to the reader and the issuing company. Top honors are awarded to Eli Lilly. Becton Dickinson and Paccar receive the next highest rankings.
U.S. TRANSPARENCY AWARDS RECOGNIZE TOP INDUSTRY WINNERS*
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Utilities
Duke Energy, Public Services Enterprises Group and Xcel Energy
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Telecommunication Services
Comcast, T-Mobile and Verizon
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Real Estate
CBRE, Prologis and Welltower
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Materials
Dow, Freeport-McMoran and Newmount
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Information Technology
Accenture, Cognizant Technology and Intel
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Industrials
Honeywell, Lockheed Martin and Rockwell Automation
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Healthcare
Anthem, CVS Health and Johnson & Johnson
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Financials
AIG, Allstate and S&P Global
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Energy
ConocoPhillips, Devon Energy and Occidental Petroleum
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Consumer Staples
Altria, Coca-Cola and Colgate-Palmolive
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Consumer Discretionary
General Motors, Home Depot and Target
*Winners are listed alphabetically
To learn more about the U.S. Transparency Awards, visit www.transparencyawards.com. Companies wishing to inquire about the rankings should contact transparency@labrador-company.com.
ABOUT LABRADOR
Labrador, the creator and organizer of the Transparency Awards, is an independent agency specializing in communicating compliance. With more than 30 years serving clients globally, Labrador’s mission remains the same – to bridge the gap between compliance and communication creating, designing and publishing reader-centric documents that generate shareholder trust and reinforce their investment decisions. Focusing exclusively on corporate disclosure documents, and with over 300 clients worldwide, Labrador provides unique insight into industry trends and best practices, and award-winning innovation and initiatives. For further information, visit www.labrador-company.com or connect with us on LinkedIn or Twitter.
1All S&P 250 companies are ranked, with no need to apply and no fee. Each company receives its own confidential annual ranking. The list of companies was created on January 26, and the data collected between May 9 and July 1, 2022.
2The criteria are objective and selected based on our unique methodology. For a list of the criteria and more information about the four pillars of transparency, visit www.transparencyawards.com.
3Anthem has since been acquired by Elevance Health.
