Earlier this year, United Parcel Service (UPS) boasted that it was “recognized as a World’s Most Ethical Company for the 10th consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices.”

UPS is one of the world’s most recognizable corporate brands, known for many decades by its familiar nickname “Big Brown” because of its familiar brown package delivery trucks. It has a global workforce of 440,000 and is one of the top ten employers in the US.

Why has UPS been described as an ethical company? In a press release, Big Brown stressed that “the World’s Most Ethical Companies designation recognizes those companies that align principle with action, [and] work tirelessly to make trust part of their corporate DNA.”