2018 Thunderbird Opinions Most Admired Companies in the Global 500

The Thunderbird Top 20 Most Admired Companies in the Global 500

The top 20 include Apple, LG, SAP, Swatch, Spotify, Toyota, Zara, Ferrari, Lego, Huawei, and L’Oréal.

Seoul Apple Store (Credit: Apple Stores)

Introducing the Thunderbird Most Admired

In the course of our fieldwork, we happened to stumble upon the most effective mood changing drug in the corporate reputation medicine cabinet. 80% of our respondents said “quality of leadership” was the reason they admired a company, and why they bought the product or invested. The implication was if the leader personifies the qualities the public admires, corporate reputation will follow.

We are pleased to present the top 20 Most Admired Companies in the Global 500 in each country.

THUNDERBIRD METHODOLOGY

(for full methodology, click here)

• Why does Apple have a GlobalRank™ of 90% and Huawei 100%? Does it mean one is more admired?
• Not at all. Our system identifies the #1 global company in each country and every region judges business differently. This factor is implied in the rating variances.
• In our example of Apple and Huawei above, the way to read a 10% variance is that it reflects the best of class in both countries.
• We surveyed 3500 global executives with MBAs from 19 different regions of the world which companies they admired most.
• The GlobalRank™ rating is their admire vs. do not admire percentage.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

(Insights, more findings, and a top 20 map below)

• Apple is the #1 most admired company in America with 92% GlobalRank™ rating.
• People who admire Apple say the qualities that inspire them are integrity followed by innovation.
• American Express, Boeing, and 3M (89%) are second most admired in America.
• The highest level of admiration (100%) for a company in its own country is for Huawei and Alibaba in China.
• Kaspersky Labs (Russia) at 93%, Lego of Denmark at (92%), and Toyota of Japan (92%) are the next most admired in their own countries.
• Vive la France: the most admired companies in France are L’Oréal, Hermes, Danone, Christian Dior, and LVMH.
• More key findings below.

The most admired companies were the companies with the highest GlobalRank™ (percentage of respondents who admire the company vs. don’t admire or undecided. Survey respondents were asked about companies in their home country or work location.

ADMIRED AND OUTCOME ICONS

QUALITIES: what people admire about a company. OUTCOMES: how people respond to a company they admire.

KEY FINDINGS

• American Express, Boeing, and 3M are tied (89%) for second most admired in America behind Apple.
• Kaspersky Labs (93%) is the most admired company in Russia.
• In China, Huawei is rated the most admired company with a GlobalRank™ score of 100%.
• Alibaba is second in China in total admirers, with the same GlobalRank™ of 100%.
• In Japan, Toyota (92%) is the most admired company and the most admired automobile company in the world.
• Lego (92%) of Denmark is the most admired company and the most admired consumer products company in the world.
• In India, Wipro (89%) is rated the most admired company.
• Tata Consultancy was second in admirers in India and tied with 89% GlobalRank™.
• Ferrari (86%) is the most admired Italian company and is valued for integrity, environmentalism, and visionary leadership.
• In the UAE, Emirates (86%) is the most admired company and the most admired airline in the world.
• L’Oréal (80%) is rated the most admired company in France, and the most admired company in the world in luxury goods.
• Statoil is the most admired company in Norway at 67%, and the only energy company among the world’s top 20 most admired.
• In Germany, SAP is rated the most admired company at 81%.
• Zara is rated the most admired company in Spain at 80% and is the most admired retailer in the world.
• Swatch (67%) of Switzerland is the most admired company and the most admired Swiss watchmaker.
• LG (71%) is rated the most admired company in South Korea.
• Hyundai and Samsung tied for second in South Korea in total admirers, with a GlobalRank™ of 71%.
• Spotify (77%) is the most admired company in Sweden.
• Heineken (60%) of The Netherlands was rated the most admired company.
• Itau (60%) of Brazil was rated the most admired company.
• Femsa (67%) of Mexico was rated the most admired company.
• In Canada, RBC (56%) is rated the most admired company.

MAP OF THE WORLD’S MOST ADMIRED COMPANIES

(the #1 most admired company in each country)