INC.’S INAUGURAL BEST IN BUSINESS AWARD NAMES ESRI GOLD MEDAL WINNER IN GOVERNMENT SERVICES



Esri Receives Recognition for its Work in Mapping COVID-19

Inc. Magazine’s inaugural Best in Business list has awarded Esri the gold medal in the Government Services category. Inc. created the Best in Business Awards to honor companies that have gone above and beyond to make a positive difference.

The list, which can be found in the Winter issue of Inc. (on newsstands December 29, 2020), recognizes small- and medium-size privately held American businesses that have had a superlative impact on their communities, their industries, the environment, or society as a whole.

“I am incredibly proud of the contributions our teams are making in response to COVID-19 and other natural disasters,” says Jack Dangermond, Esri founder and president.  “This year more than ever, our mission of helping our customers make an impact through the use of GIS is critical. We are humbled to have this important work recognized by a renowned publication such as Inc.”

Instead of relying on quantitative criteria linked to sales or funding, Inc.’s editors reviewed the companies’ achievements over the past year and noted how they made a positive difference in the world. They then selected honorees in more than 30 different industries–health, software, retail, business services, and more–and in age- and revenue-based categories. The applicant pool was very competitive, with around 2,700 entries and an acceptance rate in the low single digits—a huge success for these honors in their inaugural year.

Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc., says, “It’s been an incredibly challenging year for companies. Across industries, businesses have had to make brutally tough decisions and face unprecedented uncertainty. That’s why we knew 2020 called for a new recognition program, something to complement our annual Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the country. For Best in Business, companies have prioritized tackling today’s problems to lead us to a better future, even if they’ve struggled to stay in the black.”

Honorees for gold, silver, bronze, and general excellence across industries and categories are featured online at  https://www.inc.com/best-in-business/2020