Microsoft Word - MSA Named World's Most Ethical Company For Second Consecutive Year Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



FROM: MSA (MSA Safety Incorporated) Ticker: MSA (NYSE)

Contact: Mark Deasy - (724) 741-8570


MSA Named a World's Most Ethical Company for Second Consecutive Year


PITTSBURGH, March 7, 2016 - MSA Safety Incorporated (NYSE: MSA), today announced that it has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute, the global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, as a 2016 World's Most Ethical Company®. This is the second consecutive year MSA has been recognized with this distinction.

The World's Most Ethical Companies designation recognizes those organizations that have had a material impact on the way business is conducted by fostering a culture of ethics and transparency at every level of an organization.


Being recognized in this manner underscores MSA's commitment to developing and utilizing ethical business standards and practices that ensure long-term value to key stakeholders including customers, employees, suppliers, regulators, and shareholders, said William M. Lambert, MSA Chairman, President and CEO. Of the 131 companies recognized this year, MSA is the only company recognized in the Security and Protection Services category.


"On behalf of our Board of Directors, our Executive Leadership Team and our 4,600 associates around the world, we are incredibly proud and honored that the Ethisphere Institute once again included MSA in its annual list of the World's Most Ethical Companies," Mr. Lambert said. "At MSA we conduct our business in accordance to seven core values, with integrity at the center of that values system.


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"And that's why I am so proud of this honor. It reflects the efforts of our associates around the world who live our mission and values every day. They personify integrity, and they are the ones who have earned this recognition."


"Companies rely on Ethisphere to continually raise and measure the standards of corporate behavior," said Ethisphere's Chief Executive Officer, Timothy Erblich. "Those that demonstrate leadership in areas like citizenship, integrity and transparency create more value for their investors, communities, customers and employees, thus solidifying a sustainable business advantage," he continued. "We congratulate everyone at MSA for this extraordinary achievement."


The World's Most Ethical Company assessment is based upon the Ethisphere Institute's Ethic Quotient™ (EQ) framework developed over years of research and vetted and refined by the expert advice from Ethisphere's World's Most Ethical Company Methodology Advisory Panel. The EQ offers a quantitative way to assess a company's performance in an objective, consistent and standardized way. The information collected provides a comprehensive sampling of definitive criteria of core competencies, rather than all aspects of corporate governance, risk, sustainability, compliance and ethics.


Scores are generated in five key categories: ethics and compliance program (35%), corporate citizenship and responsibility (20%), culture of ethics (20%), governance (15%) and leadership, innovation and reputation (10%) and provided to all companies who participate in the process.


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The full list of the 2016 World's Most Ethical Companies can be found at http://ethisphere.com/worlds-most-ethical/wme-honorees/.


Best practices and insights from the 2016 honorees will be released in the form of a whitepaper and infographics over the next few months. Organizations interested in how they compare to the World's Most Ethical Companies are invited to participate in the Ethics Quotient.


About MSA


Established in 1914, MSA Safety Incorporated is the global leader in the development, manufacture and supply of safety products that protect people and facility infrastructures. Many MSA products integrate a combination of electronics, mechanical systems and advanced materials to protect users against hazardous or life-threatening situations. The company's comprehensive line of products is used by workers around the world in a broad range of markets, including the oil, gas and petrochemical industry, the fire service, the construction industry, mining and the military. MSA's core products include self- contained breathing apparatus, fixed gas and flame detection systems, portable gas detection instruments, industrial head protection products, fire and rescue helmets, and fall protection devices. With 2015 revenues of $1.1 billion, MSA employs approximately 4,600 people worldwide. The company is headquartered north of Pittsburgh in Cranberry Township, Pa., and has manufacturing operations in the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America. With more than 40 international locations, MSA realizes approximately half of its revenue from outside North America. For more information visit MSA's web site at www.MSAsafety.com.


About the Ethisphere Institute

The Ethisphere® Institute is the global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices that fuel corporate character, marketplace trust and business success. Ethisphere has deep expertise in measuring and defining core ethics standards using data--driven insights that help companies enhance corporate character. Ethisphere honors superior achievement through its World's Most Ethical Companies® recognition program, provides a community of industry experts with the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA) and showcases trends and best practices in ethics with the publication of Ethisphere magazine. More information about Ethisphere can be found at: http://ethisphere.com.


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MSA Safety Inc. issued this content on 07 March 2016 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 07 March 2016 16:30:14 UTC

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