Certified Excellence

Twelve years ago, the public image of Underwriters Laboratories, the product testing and certification company, was tarnished due to a cavalier attitude that developed toward customer service—for most of its 100-plus-year history, UL was the only provider for customers to go to for U.S. accreditations. Surveys revealed that clients found the nonprofit company difficult to work with, while its command-and-control management style did not foster the kind of working environment for which the company strove.