Bord Bia has topped this year’s RepTrak survey of the country’s most reputable companies.
The annual Ireland RepTrak study, the largest and longest running study of reputation in Ireland, is based on the perceptions of over 6,500 members of the public and was completed between 21st January and 29th March 2021. The study measures the level of trust, respect, admiration and esteem the public has for 100 organisations in Ireland, along with close to 100 other reputation and brand indicators.
Bord Bia took the top spot overall as the most reputable organisation in Ireland with an “Excellent Reputation” Pulse score of 85.1 in the annual Ireland RepTrak 2021 study which is carried out by the Reputations Agency. The 12th annual study of the reputational standing of Ireland’s 100 largest and most visible organisations was undertaken between January and March 2021 and identified the organisations and sectors that the Irish public believes have performed best during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Bord Bia topped the rankings for “its role in bringing Ireland’s outstanding food, drink, and horticulture to the world, thus enabling the growth and sustainability of producers in Ireland.” Bord Bia was ranked in first place for Standing Behind its Products – in the case of Bord Bia, “standing behind the producers of Ireland and supporting them in reaching global markets.” The public also rated Bord Bia as being amongst the leaders in categories covering Working for Society, Improving the Lives of People and their Communities and Being Committed to Changing the World for the Better.
The Credit Unions were recognised at the second most reputable organisation overall, followed by St Vincent’s Private Hospital, Boots Ireland, Mater Private Network, Toyota, Aldi, Kellogs and Lidl in tenth place.
According to Niamh Boyle, managing Director, The Reputations Agency: “This is the twelfth year of our annual Ireland RepTrak study, replicating the global study carried out by our global partners The RepTrak Company. We have been positioning reputation as a critical component in business intelligence since our foundation in 2004. This is now a premier event in the Irish business calendar, and we have developed long standing relations in Ireland, serving over 60 clients and producing close to 300 custom Reputation reports for our clients across 15 markets. Many of our clients have significantly improved their reputation in that period and our results are regularly reported at board level. This year we focused on leadership as a driver of corporate reputation. Leaders can be an important conduit for enterprises to communicate and build reputation. A leader who can communicate openly, authentically, and transparently can help win the hearts and minds of their stakeholders.
She adds: “Over the years we have developed many tailored leadership communications strategies for our clients, supporting them in building reputable, prosperous, and sustainable businesses. The requirement for the senior leadership team to communicate, not just about financial performance, but to provide a clear and compelling corporate vision is becoming more and more important.”
“We are very proud to have topped the Ireland RepTrak 2021 study following what has been an incredibly challenging year for our industry, business and our stakeholders. This result is a testament to their resilience, and we are delighted that it has been recognised by the public. We believe our commitment to sustainable food production has delivered real innovation and shown leadership in the sector this year, ensuring the continued success of the Irish food and drink industry we are so proud to represent at home and abroad. Our reputation is inextricably linked to the hard work and commitment of tens of thousands of farmers and food producers across the country who have helped to build trust and confidence in Irish food,” says Tara McCarthy, CEO of Bord Bia.
