UPS has been rated the "World's Most Admired" mail, package and freight delivery company by Fortune magazine, the third time it has done so. The magazine placed Atlanta (US)-based UPS on its Top 25 "All Stars List" for "exemplifying leadership on a global scale". A survey conducted earlier this year selected UPS as America's most admired transportation company for the 17th consecutive time.

"This honour is a testament to the hard work and flexibility of our people," said UPS chairman and CEO Jim Kelly. "As Fortune noted, the companies that flourish today are the ones capable of looking forward and the ones that recognise the importance of every employee's contribution. We at UPS know that staying on top is every bit as tough as getting there and the difference is our people."

UPS' UAE general manager John Tansey said he was pleased to share the honour from the regional perspective. "Our customers, even throughout the Emirates, have told us time and time again how much they appreciate us. The mere fact that every aspect of our business in the UAE is on the increase - volume, revenue and the number of destinations served directly by UPS - is proof that our customers are pleased." The other companies on Fortune's "All Stars" list are Charles Schwab, Nokia, Enron and Goldman Sachs. The magazine said all "embody business strategies that bridge the old and new economic worlds".

UPS, recognised as one of the world's most recognised brands over the last 93 years, now operates in more than 200 countries and territories and employs more than 340,000 people.