W. L. Gore & Associates Named a Top U.S. Workplace

NEWARK, Del., Jan. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- W. L. Gore & Associates is among just five workplaces to appear on every list of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" since the rankings debuted three decades ago.  The global technology company, which continues to expand its workforce, earned the No. 38 spot on the 2012 list, now available on fortune.com.

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Headquartered in Newark, Del., Gore employs more than 9,500 associates in 30 countries worldwide. The organization is known for its non-hierarchical, team-based culture as well as a diverse array of product innovations, including life-saving cardiovascular devices, GORE-TEX® fabric, guitar strings and electronic cables used in space missions, among hundreds of other products.

"Not only does our company culture contribute to associate satisfaction, it also drives innovation," says CEO Terri Kelly, who joined Gore as an engineer more than 25 years ago. "We resist narrowly-defined titles, bureaucracy and formal chains of command. Instead, our culture is built on teamwork and direct communication, creating an environment ideal for creative collaboration."

In addition to appearing on all 15 FORTUNE "100 Best Companies to Work For" lists, Gore earned recognition in three books by the same name published in the 1980s and 1990s. The company is also consistently named a top workplace in a number of other countries.

Visit www.gore.com to learn more. To find career opportunities, visit www.gore.com/changelife and search "Gore" under the companies section of LinkedIn.

About the FORTUNE "100 Best Companies to Work For" List

To pick the "100 Best Companies to Work For," FORTUNE partners with the Great Place to Work® Institute to conduct the most extensive employee survey in corporate America; 280 firms participated in this year's survey. More than 246,000 employees at those companies responded to a survey created by the institute, a global research and consulting firm operating in 45 countries around the world. Two-thirds of a company's score is based on the results of the institute's Trust Index survey, which is sent to a random sample of employees from each company. The survey asks questions related to their attitudes about management's credibility, job satisfaction and camaraderie. The other third is based on responses to the institute's Culture Audit, which includes detailed questions about pay and benefit programs and a series of open-ended questions about hiring practices, methods of internal communication, training, recognition programs and diversity efforts. Any company that is at least five years old and has more than 1,000 U.S. employees is eligible.

SOURCE W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.