Holland America Line’s Kelly Clark Named to the Ethisphere Institute’s 2013 ‘Attorneys Who Matter’ List

The Ethisphere Institute, a leading international think tank on business ethics and compliance, recognized Holland America Line’s Kelly Clark in its annual “Attorneys Who Matter” list of lawyers with outstanding ethical track records. Clark serves as vice president, general counsel, and chief ethics officer for the Seattle-based cruise line.

The Ethisphere Institute reviews nominees’ professional expertise, peer and client endorsements, public service and compliance results they have achieved for their companies, among a variety of other criteria.

“Kelly strongly believes that ethical corporate leadership builds and sustains a culture of integrity,” said Stein Kruse, president and CEO of Holland America Line. “She goes beyond basic compliance and has always been one to empower those around her, and she certainly deserves this recognition.”

Clark has established a solid reputation during her career with Holland America Line, as both a partner to senior management and a developer of grassroots ethical practices.

Under her leadership, Holland America Line and Seabourn have received several distinctions for business ethics. They were the first cruise lines to be recognized as Ethics Inside Certified, and in March 2013 both companies were named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute for the second consecutive year.

Clark joined Holland America Line’s legal department in 2002 as assistant general counsel. She was promoted in November 2004 to her current position in which she oversees all legal and ethics matters for Holland America Line and Seabourn, advising the companies on a range of legal and compliance issues. She also is executive sponsor of the companies’ ethics and compliance committee, which focuses on improving awareness and education of the importance of working with integrity, honest and ethics at all levels throughout the companies.

Ethisphere, a provider of independent verification of corporate ethics and compliance programs, awards Ethics Inside Certification exclusively to companies that implement adequate standards, systems and programs to reasonably prevent compliance failures and ethical breakdowns, and can demonstrate the existence of a superior employee and leadership culture that promotes ethical business practices.

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