Boston, MA, March 07, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- It’s a new age for corporate reputation, in which companies are scrutinized on every aspect of their operations, and it’s putting tremendous pressure on companies who are increasingly on trial in the court of public opinion.
In the 2019 Global RepTrak® 100, an annual ranking of public perception toward the world’s top companies, researchers at the Reputation Institute – a leading provider of reputation measurement and management services – surveyed more than 230,000 individuals in 15 countries.
While the overall results of the 2019 Global RepTrak® 100 show improvement over 2018, which saw a reputation decline, Reputation Institute Chief Reputation Officer Stephen Hahn-Griffiths says companies must continue to work hard to convert “fence sitters who are much less likely to give companies the benefit of the doubt.”
“It’s reputation judgement day, given that 52% of the world have doubts about the good intentions of all companies,” said Hahn-Griffiths. “At the same time, companies have a great opportunity to create and deliver reputation assurances that, over time, can convert fence sitters to promoters. Companies that elevate positive perceptions of the enterprise, prioritize corporate responsibility, leverage strong leadership, are ethical, speak to the corporate brand purpose and engage market influences are those who will win in this daunting new reputation era.”
While a lack of assurances means that overall company support did not bounce back to the lofty levels of 2017, an increase of 1.0 points in reputation in the 2019 Global RepTrak® 100 signals the potential for a true reputation recovery.
“The reputation bubble burst in 2018, but there has been a reputation recovery in the past 12 months,” said Hahn-Griffiths. “Companies like Netflix and Microsoft have strengthened their reputation. Others like Facebook, even Google, have declined and have been punished in the court of public opinion. And some have even started to turn things around, such as Uber.”
In the 2019 Global RepTrak® 100, Rolex and The LEGO Group maintain the leading positions. Netflix surged from 24thplace to ninth place while Michelin moves up to the eight spot. The BMW Group, which placed ninth a year ago, and Google (third in 2018), slipped out of the top 10. Facebook had the biggest overall decline in reputation, largely driven by its perceived short-comings on governance andin the workplace.
The top 10 companies in the 2019 Global RepTrak® 100 are:
- Rolex
- The LEGO Group
- The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS)
- Adidas Group (OTCQX: ADDYY)
- Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT)
- Sony (NYSE: SNE)
- Canon (NYSE: CAJ)
- Michelin (OTCMKTS: MGDDY)
- Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX)
- The Bosch Group (NYSE: AVX)
“It is very rewarding to be ranked first on the Global RepTrak 100 for the fourth year in a row,” said Virginie Chevailler, Head of Public Relations at Rolex. “The company has a history of more than a century of perpetual improvement and innovation at every level. We believe this is recognition of our commitment to always reach further, along with our desire to contribute to society.”
Microsoft bucked the reputation trend among technology companies and jumped five places to number five in the 2019 rankings. Among other assurances, Microsoft has remained transparent in the face of product bugs and updates.
“We’re humbled to be recognized amongst the five most reputable global brands as it reflects our commitment to ethics, transparency, and corporate responsibility” said Steve Clayton, General Manager – Communications, at Microsoft.
To access the full list of the world’s most reputable companies, data, insights, and expert perspectives on key trends, please visit: http://www.reputationinstitute.com/Global-RepTrak-100
Companies interested in getting their 2019 score and learn how to improve their ranking should visit https://reputationinstitute.com/about/contact-us.com.
About Reputation Institute - Reputation Institute helps leaders at the world’s largest companies build credibility with the people that matter most to them by delivering data-driven insights about how they are truly perceived. We do this with RepTrak®, an unrivaled technology that provides actionable insights across industry, competitor, and company analysis.