Southern Co. again named in magazine's 'World's Most Admired' rankings

Southern Company recently was named in Fortune magazine's 2016 "World’s Most Admired Companies" rankings for the seventh year in a row as one of the top three utilities globally.

Fortune said Southern uses its long-term value investment, quality of management, innovation, and quality of products and services to make it a leader in its sector.

The magazine requires listed companies to meet specific standards, including efficiency in conducting worldwide business, wise use of corporate assets, environmental responsibility, financial stability and presence in the community.

The Fortune survey, which the Hay Group conducted, began with approximately 1,400 companies. These included the Fortune 1,000 (the 1,000 biggest U.S. companies by  revenue) and non-U.S. companies within the Fortune Global 500 database (having revenue amounting to $10 billion or more). The surveyors chose the 15 biggest companies from every international industry as well as the 10 biggest from every U.S. industry, surveying 692 businesses based in 30 countries. They then created 57 industry lists based on surveys of corporate executives and CEOs, as well as industry analysts.

"Southern Company consistently earns recognition among the world's top companies because we keep these qualities central to our business," Thomas Fanning, Southern Company's chairman, president and CEO, said. "Today we are creating America's energy future by developing real solutions for the benefit of customers and communities."