DES MOINES, Iowa, October 14, 2022 /CSRwire/ – Character.org has recognized Dan Houston, chairman, president, and chief executive officer at Principal^®, as the recipient of the 2022 John Winthrop Wright “Ethics in Action” award. This award recognizes an individual who demonstrates a sustained commitment to ethical leadership by modeling and emphasizing core ethical values that are essential to the mission and success of their organization.

Houston was nominated for the award by Scott Raecker, the Executive Director of The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University in Des Moines. In his nomination, Raecker wrote that “Dan is passionate about ethics and integrity. He repeatedly encourages his employees to speak up if someone is not following the company’s Global Code of Conduct. Dan wants his employees to summon their courage and do the right thing.”

The Global Code of Conduct is one component of the company’s robust ethics and compliance program. Employees are required to review the code and participate in an annual training related to its contents, which provide guidance on how to respond to various scenarios that may emerge in daily interactions with customers, colleagues, investors, and the public. Houston has long encouraged employees to practice the highest standards of ethics and professionalism in all business practices.

“Under Dan’s leadership, our commitment to ethics and integrity is central to who we are as a company,” said Noreen Fierro, senior vice president and chief compliance officer at Principal. “It’s reflected in our core values and in our Global Code of Conduct. People want to work for a company they can trust and are proud to work for a company known for its ethical culture.”

The “Ethics in Action” award, made possible by a grant from The School for Ethical Education (SEE), is named after John Winthrop Wright, who founded SEE in 1995. Houston was honored during the Character.org Champions for Character Awards Ceremony in September.

About Character.org
Character.org is a non-profit organization comprised of educators, researchers, business and civic leaders who care deeply about the vital role that character will play in our future. Founded in 1993, it utilizes a worldwide network to provide global leadership, voice, and resources for developing character in families, schools, and organizations.

About Principal Financial Group^®
Principal Financial Group^® (Nasdaq: PFG) is a global financial company with 18,500 employees¹ passionate about improving the wealth and well-being of people and businesses. In business for more than 140 years, we’re helping more than 54 million customers¹ plan, protect, invest, and retire, while working to support the communities where we do business, and build a diverse, inclusive workforce. Principal^® is proud to be recognized as one of America’s 100 Most Sustainable Companies², a member of the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index, and a Top 10 “Best Places to Work in Money Management³.” Learn more about Principal and our commitment to building a better future at principal.com.

¹ As of March 31, 2022
² Barron’s, 2022
³ Pensions & Investments, 2021

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Principal, Principal and symbol design and Principal Financial Group are trademarks and service marks of Principal Financial Services, Inc., a member of the Principal Financial Group^®.

©2022 Principal Financial Services, Inc. Insurance products issued by Principal National Life Insurance Co (except in NY) and Principal Life Insurance Company^®. Plan administrative services offered by Principal Life. Principal Funds, Inc. is distributed by Principal Funds Distributor, Inc. Securities and Advisory Services offered through Principal Securities, Inc., member SIPC and/or independent broker/dealers. Referenced companies are members of the Principal Financial Group^®, Des Moines, IA 50392.​

Principal Financial Group, Inc.

Principal Financial Group, Inc.

Principal Financial Group^® (Nasdaq: PFG) is a global financial company with 18,500 employees1 passionate about improving the wealth and well-being of people and businesses. In business for more than 140 years, we’re helping more than 51 million customers1 plan, protect, invest, and retire, while working to support the communities where we do business, and build a diverse, inclusive workforce. Principal^® is proud to be recognized as one of America’s 100 Most Sustainable Companies2, a member of the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index, and a Top 10 “Best Places to Work in Money Management3.” Learn more about Principal and our commitment to building a better future at principal.com.

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