Grainger Earns Top Spot in Category of Wholesalers: Diversified on the FORTUNE List of World's Most Admired Companies

CHICAGO, March 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Grainger GWW, the leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products serving businesses and institutions, today announced it earned the number one ranking on FORTUNE magazine's 2016 List of World's Most Admired Companies in the category of Wholesalers: Diversified. This marks the third consecutive year Grainger attained the top spot in this category.

"Grainger is proud to earn the top spot in our category as a Most Admired Company for the third year in a row," said Grainger's Chairman, President and CEO, Jim Ryan. "We are an industry leader because of our people.  It's the relationships team members build with our customers, suppliers and each other that give us a competitive advantage. Our team members offer different skills, perspectives and experiences to help customers keep their facilities running and their people safe. In turn, Grainger is committed to creating a workplace where dedicated, talented people can thrive."

FORTUNE's World's Most Admired Companies list is the definitive report card on corporate reputations. Hay Group has collaborated with FORTUNE annually since 1997 to identify, select and rank the World's Most Admired Companies and uncover the business practices that make these companies highly regarded among their peers. To compile the rankings, corporate reputation and performance are measured against nine key attributes: innovation, people management, use of corporate assets, social responsibility, quality of management, financial soundness, long-term investment, quality of products and services, and global competitiveness.

As a leading business-to-business organization, Grainger offers millions of customers more than 1.5 million products used to maintain, repair or operate facilities. In addition, the company has expertise in key areas, including safety, inventory management and eCommerce, designed to help customers stay safe, increase productivity and decrease expenses. 

Visit http://jobs.grainger.com to learn more about Grainger and view available career opportunities.

The World's Most Admired Companies list can be found on the FORTUNE website. For more information on how the rankings are determined, please view the full methodology on Korn Ferry's website.  

About Grainger
W.W. Grainger, Inc., with 2015 sales of $10 billion, is North America's leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating products, with operations also in Europe, Asia and Latin America.

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About Korn Ferry
Korn Ferry is the preeminent global people and organizational advisory firm. We help leaders, organizations, and societies succeed by releasing the full power and potential of people. Our nearly 7,000 colleagues deliver services through our Executive Search, Hay Group and Futurestep divisions. Visit kornferry.com for more information.

About FORTUNE
FORTUNE is a global leader in business journalism known for its unrivaled access to industry leaders and decision makers. Founded in 1930, FORTUNE magazine has a worldwide circulation of more than 1 million and a readership of nearly 5 million and is the only business brand with editions in Europe and Asia, including a Chinese-language edition. FORTUNE is home to some of the strongest business franchises, including: FORTUNE 500, Best Companies, World's Most Admired Companies, Fastest Growing Companies and Most Powerful Women. The FORTUNE Conference Division extends the brand's mission into live settings, hosting a wide range of annual conferences for top-level executives, including the FORTUNE Global Forum and the Most Powerful Women Summit. FORTUNE's online home is fortune.com, the world's largest dedicated business and finance Web site.

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SOURCE W.W. Grainger, Inc.