Rolex Is Named the World's Most Reputable Company for 2019

The global business community saw a significant reputation regression last year, with crises ranging from data breach scandals to sexual harassment allegations shattering much of the trust in corporations that had been restored since the end of the Great Recession. While companies have yet to fully regain the confidence of the general public, the outlook does seem slightly rosier. 

“With everything being interconnected, we’re at a point in time when the risk for all companies is elevated,” says Hahn-Griffiths. “There is a higher potential than ever before for reputation risk to be around the corner, and because of that, this year’s study shows we’ve reached a reputation judgement day—there is no place to hide.”

Gallery: The World's Most Reputable Companies 2019

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At a time when the 24-hour media cycle, supplemented by constant scrutiny on social media, has put organizations under a microscope, a single misstep is all it takes to tarnish reputation. Take Nike, for example: After college basketball star Zion Williamson’s foot ripped right through his Nike sneaker during a nationally televised game, leaving the Duke Blue Devil with a knee injury, a Twitter storm broke out. By morning, Williamson’s shoe wasn’t the only damaged good—the athletic apparel company’s stock had dropped more than 1% and its reputation had taken a hit, descending three spots to No. 15 on this year’s RT100.

The world certainly is watching, but there is a silver lining: A whopping 52% of people are keeping an open mind. “This is the first time we’ve seen this significant a group of people being so undecided about any given company,” says Hahn-Griffiths. “They’re saying, ‘Give me a good reason to believe you’re trying to do the right thing.’” Businesses that are able to prove they are sincerely trying to make the world a better place will be the ones that win over those who haven’t yet made up their minds and eventually rise above the rest.

With that in mind, it’s no wonder that Rolex has maintained its hold on the RT100’s No. 1 spot for the fourth year running. A brand as timeless as Rolex could seemingly just exist, as it always has, but through its “Every Rolex Tells A Story” campaign, the Swiss watchmaker has made a concerted effort to stay true to its roots in the luxury lifestyle it represents while at the same time appealing to the aspirational masses. By partnering with such brand ambassadors as filmmaker James Cameron, skier Lindsey Vonn, singer Michael Bublé and marine biologist Sylvia Earle, Rolex has paired its celebrated name with more than a few faces, people the world generally thinks well of. “Rolex’s reputation is aligned with symbolic spokespeople who become manifestations of the brand and reinforce quality with integrity,” says Hahn-Griffiths. “They’re successful and making the world a better place.”