Microsoft voted the most ethical company in the US

What just happened? A poll conducted by research firm Just Capital revealed that technology companies value ethical issues more than any other industry. With Facebook being one glaring exception, nearly all the big names including Nvidia, Apple, Intel, Salesforce and Alphabet made it to the top 10, with Microsoft in the first spot.

For the second year in a row, Microsoft topped the list of most ethical companies in the US, according to a poll conducted by non-profit research group Just Capital.

The study interviewed 4,000 people for their perception of America’s 1,000 most profitable companies across 29 issues that were classified under five categories: Workers, Customers, Communities, Environment and Shareholders.

Out of 52 software industries included in the poll, Microsoft came out on top along with several big names in the top ten. Amazon, which was listed as a retail company, came in at 75, while Facebook took a beating over how it treats its customers and ranked 149 overall, despite ranking on top in terms of employee pay.

“The list tends to have tech and tech-related companies at the top because the issue people tell us is most important is how you treat your workforce,” said Alison Omens of Just Capital, told CNN, adding that “…companies that are technology, and technology-adjacent, pay their employees above a living wage and give them opportunities for career advancement.”

Remaining in the top 10 for Alphabet could be challenging in the future though, since the recent discovery of Google’s Project Nightingale followed by regulators investigating the matter would likely impact the company’s public perception.

For other industries, including banks, media and energy corporations, the rankings were not as impressive. Apache, the only energy company to make it into the list, stood at 76, while Nielsen ranked at 79, was the sole media company.

Only three financial institutions were able to break into the top 100, with JPMorgan Chase at rank 70, Bank of America ranking 71 and First Horizon securing 87th place.