NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN), the world leader in innovative workforce solutions, is honored to announce that ManpowerGroup Chairman and CEO Jeffrey A. Joerres received the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award this week for significant accomplishments made throughout his career in corporate social responsibility (CSR).

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On accepting this prestigious award at the 2011 Commit!Forum in New York City, Joerres said this recognition is testament to how ManpowerGroup's passion for unleashing human potential to power the world of work brings social responsibility to life every day. Joerres lauded his 30,000 ManpowerGroup colleagues worldwide for launching and sustaining successful CSR initiatives — as well as business leaders from other companies who have inspired him by making responsible practices a top priority.

"In today's human age, where chaos and complexity rule, the way to achieve a sense of stability is to simplify through responsibility," Joerres added. "Profitability is important, but sustainability is equally as important. Without being responsible, sustainability is not an option. I have always been proud to work for a company that through putting people to work makes CSR a natural part of what we do. I am merely a custodian of the critical initiatives that are designed to improve the lives of my colleagues and people everywhere. This award confirms that CSR is in ManpowerGroup's DNA."

Joerres was joined by ManpowerGroup colleagues and dozens of business leaders at the event's awards dinner. Of the 10 nominees for the 2011 Responsible CEO of the Year, the winners announced last night were Donald Knauss, Chairman and CEO of The Clorox Company; Fred Krupp, President of the Environmental Defense Fund; and Paul Rooke, Chairman and CEO of Lexmark.

"It is a true honor to give the inaugural Lifetime Achievement award to someone who has instilled a vision of transparency and high standards within his organization," said Dirk Olin, CR Magazine editor.

ManpowerGroup was named No. 3, among Business Service companies, in CR Magazine's new listing of America's most transparent large-cap companies. Eleven other companies were named in this category. ManpowerGroup was the only employment services firm named to the list.

ManpowerGroup was also recently named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, the gold standard in recognizing corporate sustainability leaders, for the fourth consecutive year for its continued commitment to sustainability business practices. Earlier this year, ManpowerGroup was ranked No. 1 for social responsibility in the staffing industry in Fortune's list of the World's Most Admired Companies and the only company in the staffing industry named to Ethisphere's prestigious list of the World's Most Ethical Companies for 2011, which factors corporate governance, risk, sustainability, compliance and ethics in its ratings.

This week at 2011 Commit!Forum, Joerres also spoke on an executive summit panel: "How CEOs See Corporate Responsibility Driving Economic Value," at the New York Stock Exchange.

Charles (Chuck) Bartels, ManpowerGroup Director for Global Social Responsibility and Knowledge Sharing, participated on the panel entitled "Disclosure: Opportunity or Risk," by explaining how ManpowerGroup is applying the Global Responsibility Index framework to its CSR and Sustainability initiatives to improve their transparency to internal and external stakeholders and ensure they achieve results.    

About ManpowerGroup

ManpowerGroup™ (NYSE: MAN), the world leader in innovative workforce solutions, creates and delivers high-impact solutions that enable our clients to achieve their business goals and enhance their competitiveness. With over 60 years of experience, our $22 billion company creates unique time to value through a comprehensive suite of innovative solutions that help clients win in the Human Age. These solutions cover an entire range of talent-driven needs from recruitment and assessment, training and development, and career management, to outsourcing and workforce consulting. ManpowerGroup maintains the world's largest and industry-leading network of nearly 3,900 offices in over 80 countries and territories, generating a dynamic mix of an unmatched global footprint with valuable insight and local expertise to meet the needs of its 400,000 clients per year, across all industry sectors, small and medium-sized enterprises, local, multinational and global companies. By connecting our deep understanding of human potential to the ambitions of clients, ManpowerGroup helps the organizations and individuals we serve achieve more than they imagined — because their success leads to our success. And by creating these powerful connections, we create power that drives organizations forward, accelerates personal success and builds more sustainable communities. We help power the world of work. The ManpowerGroup suite of solutions is offered through ManpowerGroup™ Solutions, Manpower®, Experis™ and Right Management®. Learn more about how the ManpowerGroup can help you win in the Human Age at www.manpowergroup.com.

ManpowerGroup is the most trusted brand in the industry, being the only company in our industry to be named to the Ethisphere Institute's 2011 World's Most Ethical Companies list for our proven commitment to ethical business practices, including an outstanding commitment to ethical leadership, compliance practices and corporate social responsibility. In addition, ManpowerGroup has also been recognized as the industry leader by Fortune magazine, who named the company in first place on its 2011 list of the Most Admired Companies in the temporary help sector.

In January 2011, at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, ManpowerGroup announced the world has entered the Human Age, where talent has replaced capital as the key competitive differentiator. Learn more about this new age at www.manpowergroup.com/humanage

Gain access to ManpowerGroup's extensive thought leadership papers, annual Talent Shortage surveys and the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, one of the most trusted indices of employment activity in the world, via the ManpowerGroup World of Work Insight iPad application. This thought leadership app explores the challenges faced by employers navigating the changing world of work and provides in-depth commentary, analysis, insight and advice on strategies for success.  

Follow ManpowerGroup Chairman and CEO Jeff Joerres on Twitter: twitter.com/manpowergroupjj

SOURCE ManpowerGroup