SPOKANE, Wash., March 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avista Corp. (NYSE: AVA), a Washington state-based energy company with operations spanning five states, has been recognized by Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, as one of the 2023 World’s Most Ethical Companies.

Avista has been recognized by Ethisphere for four consecutive years since 2020 and is one of only 9 honorees in the Energy and Utilities industry. In 2023, 135 honorees were recognized spanning 19 countries and 46 industries.

“What a privilege it is for Avista to be recognized once again as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. It’s even more special because today’s announcement comes as Avista celebrates 134 years since our company was incorporated on March 13, 1889. This honor acknowledges a legacy of corporate responsibility and environmental stewardship that have been fundamental principles that have guided us for more than a century. Receiving this award is a tribute to our employees, who are committed to conducting business with the highest level of integrity and in a manner that is trustworthy, innovative, and collaborative,” said Avista President and CEO Dennis Vermillion.

“Ethics matters. Organizations that commit to business integrity through robust programs and practices not only elevate standards and expectations for all, but also have better long-term performance,” said Ethisphere CEO, Erica Salmon Byrne. “We continue to be inspired by the World’s Most Ethical Companies honorees and their dedication to making real impact for their stakeholders and displaying exemplary values-based leadership. Congratulations to Avista for earning a place in the World’s Most Ethical Companies community.”

Methodology & Scoring
Grounded in Ethisphere’s proprietary Ethics Quotient®, the World’s Most Ethical Companies assessment process includes more than 200 questions on culture, environmental and social practices, ethics and compliance activities, governance, diversity, and initiatives that support a strong value chain. The process serves as an operating framework to capture and codify the leading practices of organizations across industries and around the globe.

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

About Avista
Avista Corp. is an energy company involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy as well as other energy-related businesses. Avista Utilities is our operating division that provides electric service to 411,000 customers and natural gas to 377,000 customers. Our service territory covers 30,000 square miles in eastern Washington, northern Idaho and parts of southern and eastern Oregon, with a population of 1.7 million. AERC is an Avista subsidiary that, through its subsidiary AEL&P, provides retail electric service to 17,000 customers in the city and borough of Juneau, Alaska. Our stock is traded under the ticker symbol “AVA”. For more information about Avista, please visit www.avistacorp.com. 

Avista Corp. and the Avista Corp. logo are trademarks of Avista Corporation.

SOURCE: Avista Corporation

About Ethisphere
Ethisphere is the global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices that fuel corporate character, marketplace trust, and business success. Ethisphere has deep expertise in measuring and defining core ethics standards using data-driven insights that help companies enhance corporate character. Ethisphere honors superior achievement through its World’s Most Ethical Companies® recognition program, provides a community of industry experts with the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA), and showcases trends and best practices in ethics with Ethisphere Magazine. Ethisphere also helps to advance business performance through data-driven assessments, guidance, and benchmarking against its unparalleled data: the Culture Quotient dataset focused on ethical culture and featuring the responses of 2+ million employees around the world; and the Ethics Quotient dataset, featuring 200+ data points highlighting the ethics, compliance, social, and governance practices of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. For more information, visit https://ethisphere.com.

Media Contacts

Avista Media Contact
Laurine Jue
Laurine.jue@avistacorp.com

Ethisphere Media Contact
Anne Walker
VP, Media and Communications
Anne.Walker@Ethisphere.com