Ponsse is Finland’s Most Reputable Company of 2020 – Retail Jumps into the Top Ten

A record number of companies from the retail and food sectors are among Finland’s ten most reputable companies. Fazer, which rose to third place, saw the biggest increase in its reputation score. Forestry machinery company Ponsse has held the top spot for the third consecutive year.

The top three most prestigious companies saw a shake-up, with Fazer moving into third place, edging out Kone. The top spot was claimed by forestry machinery company Ponsse, while gaming company Supercell came in second.

Reputation&Trust 2020 Reputation&Trust is particularly interesting given the exceptional circumstances caused by the coronavirus. Companies were forced to adapt quickly to sudden changes in their operating environment. The progression of the pandemic has also affected people’s expectations of companies. These changes and expectations, as well as how companies respond to them, have a particular impact on corporate reputations.

The retail and food sectors exceeded Finns' expectations

Organizations in the retail and food sectors were the most successful in responding to the COVID-19 situation and even exceeded expectations.

“As the pandemic erupted, players in the food and retail sectors were put to the test. Together, these sectors form a value chain on which people depend for their livelihoods. This chain came under particular strain as society went into lockdown,” commented Riku Ruokolahti, Development Director at T-Media.

“Such a rapid change in the operating environment was both a threat and an opportunity for these companies in terms of their reputation. In this situation, it’s not about some PR stunt, but about absolute performance, which these companies demonstrated when the going got tough. If there had been a shortage of supplies or if stores had become hotspots for the coronavirus, the situation would certainly have been different. Now there was plenty of stock, and shopping in stores was considered safe.”

Of all the companies surveyed, Fazer saw the greatest boost to its reputation. “The perception of Fazer as a responsible company and a positive member of society improved in an exceptional way during the pandemic. Perceptions of Fazer’s products and its ability to innovate also improved significantly,” Ruokolahti continues.

K Group and S Group Ranked Among the Most Prestigious Companies – Rapid Developments in the Financial Sector

The K Group and IKEA made it into the top ten most reputable companies for the first time. The S Group returned to the list of Finland’s most reputable companies after a one-year hiatus. Last year, only one retailer, Lidl, made the top ten, but it did not make the list of most reputable companies this year.

Stockmann, Kärkkäinen, and H&M returned to the list of companies with the worst reputations. Among financial institutions, Nordea and Danske Bank, on the other hand, managed to remove themselves from the list of the ten companies with the worst reputations. Nordea’s rise in the governance category—which reflects openness, transparency, and proper conduct—was the most significant improvement of the entire survey cycle.

Additional information

Riku Ruokolahti, Director of Development
riku.ruokolahti@reptrust-staging.fi-p.seravo.com, 0400 512 200

Harri Leinikka, CEO
harri.leinikka@reptrust-staging.fi-p.seravo.com, 040 505 5001