Wise Plastics Technologies, an Illinois based company, has received national Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) designation from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA).

“Wise Plastics Technology has gone above and beyond, proving it’s dedicated to workplace safety,” Illinois Department of Labor Director Michael Kleinik said. “The company has set an example for others in its field.”

Illinois is being recognized for its commitment to attracting businesses to the state and providing an environment where firms can thrive. CNBC’s latest Top States for Business rankings saw Illinois advance to the 15th best state in the United States for business.

CNBC scores all 50 states in the country based on 10 categories of competitiveness, such as cost of living, infrastructure and access to capital. States are then scored in each category and categories are weighted based on how often they are used in economic development marketing.

Illinois’s commitment to sustainability has been recognized in the rankings from Site Selection Magazine. This year, the state earned the coveted top spot, ranking first in the list of U.S. states.

Site Selection magazine uses their annual ranking to provide a resource for companies when deciding where to expand their business with a focus on sustainable development. The magazine looks into development of green energy, green-certified buildings, incentives for green development, redevelopment of brownfields (locations where former industries have left toxins or other environmental dangers) and how well the states are meeting their own environmental goals.

United Airlines will hire up to 3,000 employees in Chicago to staff and maintain the new, bigger planes they are buying to replace aging aircrafts.

Chicago-based United Airlines is ordering 270 new Boeing and Airbus aircrafts for its fleet. As the largest order in the airline’s history, it is the first step in an investment process that’s expected to add more than 25,000 new jobs nationwide, including as many as 3,000 in the Chicago area alone.

An Illinois-based candy manufacturer is bringing a sweet deal to the city of DeKalb. The Ferrara Candy Company today marked the opening of the company’s latest facility in the state of Illinois.

Ferrara’s new distribution center expands upon the Chicago-based company’s investments in Illinois and reflects the company’s long history in the state. The new complex in the Chicago West Business Park will occupy 1.6 million square feet, create an estimated 500 local jobs and constitutes a $100 million investment in the DeKalb area.