CHICAGO (January 21, 2011) – Grainger (NYSE: GWW) today announced that it has been named to the 2011 FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® list. Grainger is the leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products serving businesses and institutions.
In one of the most comprehensive annual workplace survey conducted in corporate America, FORTUNE selects 100 companies across the U.S. for inclusion on its prestigious list based on employee feedback as well as company practices and culture.
“We are honored that our team’s input has helped us gain recognition as a top workplace in the United States,” said Grainger Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Jim Ryan. “Our company values have always focused on doing what is right for customers, the community and our team. Our people differentiate us from the competition. Their positive feedback shows that employees are proud of Grainger and its direction, and find it a workplace where they can grow professionally. This has been the foundation of our success for more than 80 years.”
The recognition by FORTUNE Magazine is the latest honor Grainger has received in recent months. In 2010, the company was also ranked No. 1 among diversified wholesalers on FORTUNE’s “World’s Most Admired Companies” list, and a top workplace by the Chicago Tribune and Computerworld Magazine. It also was named to the “Most Admired Companies for Human Resources” list by HR Executive Magazine.
Grainger was founded in 1927 in Chicago; of its more than 18,000 global employees, more than 16,000 are located in approximately 400 facilities across the United States. Grainger’s average employee tenure in the United States is 9.5 years, more than twice that of other companies in the private sector, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
To determine the “2011 FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For” list, FORTUNE teamed up with the Great Place To Work® Institute to survey randomly selected employees at a company and also gather a Culture Audit. Two-thirds of a company’s score was based on employee input about topics including management credibility, job satisfaction and camaraderie. The remaining one-third of the score was based on a company’s responses to the Institute’s Culture Audit questionnaire, which included questions about demographics, pay and benefit programs, diversity and internal communication.
“Grainger has a rich tradition of treating employees with respect and sharing its success with the team,” said Larry Pilon, Grainger Senior Vice President, Human Resources. “Our unique and generous profit sharing program and comprehensive benefits, combined with opportunities for professional development and community involvement, helps make for a winning team committed to growth and superior customer service.”
The full list and related stories are currently available at http://www.fortune.com/ and will be featured in FORTUNE’s print issue available on newsstands February 7, 2011.
For more information about Grainger visit http://www.grainger.com/news.
About Grainger
W.W. Grainger, Inc. with 2009 sales of $6.2 billion is North America’s leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating products with an expanding presence in Asia and Latin America.
Media Contact:
Anjali Reddy
Director, Communications
(847)535-4197
