"We are proud to be recognized as one of the top U.S. companies for social responsibility," said Jeff M. Fettig, Whirlpool Corporation's chairman and CEO. "Our inclusion in Corporate Social Responsibility Index comes from the efforts of Whirlpool employees. I am proud of the people at Whirlpool who make our long-term commitment to social responsibility a reality."

Whirlpool Corporation has conducted business with integrity and given back to the communities in which it operates since its founding in 1911, long before social responsibility became a focus of business and society. Nearly 40 years ago, Whirlpool established a corporate office for environmental control and, in 2003, Whirlpool became the world's first appliance manufacturer to announce a global greenhouse gas reduction target. Recently, the company announced that by 2015, it will make all the electronically controlled appliances it produces -- everywhere in the world -- capable of receiving and responding to signals from smart grids.

Whirlpool and its employees also support several non-profit organizations, including Habitat for Humanity International, Cook for the Cure®, presented by KitchenAid, Instituto Consulado da Mulher (ICM) and the Boys and Girls Club. In 10 years of partnership with Habitat for Humanity International, Whirlpool has donated more than 100,000 ranges and ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators to new Habitat homes built in North America and activated more than 6,000 employee volunteers. Cook for the Cure®, presented by KitchenAid has raised more than $7 million globally to support the fight against breast cancer. The ICM program has positively impacted the lives of more than 25,000 low-income women living in Brazil. Whirlpool employees also donate hundreds of hours annually to the Boys and Girls Club.

The annual CSRI 50 is created using data collected for the Reputation Institute's 2009 Global Pulse Study and analyzed in coordination with the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship. Researchers use a subset of survey results that focus on more than 200 companies with a dominant presence in the United States and are believed to have a reasonably high recognition factor with the general public. The data captures public perception about a company's corporate citizenship, governance and workplace practices.