Company recognized for its commitment to robust ethics, compliance and governance programs

MILWAUKEE, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A. O. Smith Corporation (NYSE: AOS), a leader in water heating and water treatment, announced today it has been recognized as a 2026 World's Most Ethical Company by Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices.

A. O. Smith has been honored with this award for three consecutive years and is one of only 13 honorees in the industrial manufacturing category. In 2026, 138 honorees were recognized, spanning 17 countries and 40 industries.

"For 152 years, A. O. Smith has led the industry with integrity and accountability, guiding every decision we make," said President and CEO Steve Shafer. "This recognition reflects the strength of our culture and our employees' commitment to living our values and doing what's right — every day."

The World's Most Ethical Companies assessment is grounded in Ethisphere's proprietary Ethics Quotient^®, which requires companies to provide 240+ different proof points on practices that support robust ethics and compliance, governance, a culture of ethics, environmental and social impact, and initiatives that support a strong value chain. That data undergoes further qualitative analysis by a panel of experts who spend thousands of hours vetting and evaluating each year's group of applicants. This process serves as an operating framework to capture and codify best-in-class ethics and compliance practices from organizations across industries and from around the world.

"Congratulations to A. O. Smith for achieving recognition as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies," said Erica Salmon Byrne, Ethisphere's chief strategy officer and executive chair. "As we mark the 20^th class of honorees, this group continues to raise the bar for business integrity by embedding ethics into everyday decision-making and long-term strategy. Companies with strong ethics, compliance, and governance programs are built for better long-term performance."

To view the full list of this year's honorees, please visit the World's Most Ethical Companies website, https://worldsmostethicalcompanies.com/honorees.

About A. O. Smith Corporation
A. O. Smith Corporation, with headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a global leader applying innovative technology and energy-efficient solutions to products manufactured and marketed worldwide. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: AOS), the company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of residential and commercial water heating equipment and boilers, as well as a manufacturer of water treatment products. For more information, visit www.aosmith.com.

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SOURCE A. O. Smith Corporation