WD has been named one of Ethisphere’s “World’s Most Ethical Companies for 2026,” extending its record of selection for eight consecutive years. This evaluation is regarded as an indicator of the reliability of corporate operations, as it was conducted based on the overall framework of ethics, compliance, and governance rather than products or performance.

WD announced this on March 23. According to the announcement, WD was selected as one of five winners in the technology industry sector for 2026, with a total of 138 winners across 40 industries in 17 countries. Of these, 19 were named for the first time, and six were selected for the 20th consecutive year.

This evaluation focused on examining whether corporate ethical management is functioning as actual systems and operational frameworks. The assessment covered the entire spectrum of corporate activities, including ethical standards, compliance programs, corporate governance, internal controls, training and communication, and risk management. It is interpreted that WD has been recognized for operating an organizational ethics and compliance system in accordance with these standards.

This assessment is closely linked to the business structure of the technology industry. As companies supplying storage devices and data infrastructure operate within global supply chains and diverse business relationships, management levels in non-technical areas—such as trading practices, partner management, internal controls, and employee conduct standards—play a significant role, in addition to product quality.

In particular, in industries requiring large-scale data storage and stable supply systems, such as data centers, cloud, and AI infrastructure, a company's ethical and compliance framework is directly linked to business sustainability. This signifies a growing trend where the competitiveness of technology companies is no longer easily explained by performance and price alone, but is instead evaluated alongside operational accountability and transparency.

WD's selection can be seen as an example demonstrating that the way technology companies secure market trust is expanding from a focus on product competitiveness to overall organizational operations. Companies that incorporate ethics, compliance, and governance into their daily decision-making and long-term strategies are highly likely to continue to be recognized as key evaluation criteria within the industry.