According to a survey of 30,000 respondents, Google is the most reputable company in the United States. A new Harris Interactive poll shows the search engine giant outperformed other highly visible brands, such as Amazon and PepsiCo, for the top spot, performing well in almost all of the sub-categories that comprise the reputation quotient (Vision and Leadership, Financial Performance, Workplace Environment, Products & Services, and Social Responsibility).
Google’s performance will be welcome news in Mountain View, where the company has felt the heat of global criticism over privacy infringement questions and government investigations. Some unexpected companies will also welcome the poll’s findings, with Ford, CitiGroup and JP Morgan Chase all enjoying a large increase in reputation (though still showing dismal rankings compared to consumer goods and technology companies).
Johnson & Johnson, 3M Company, Berkshire Hathaway, and Apple joined Google at the top. It should be no surprise that Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, and AIG were all barely on the survey’s radar, showing the weakest numbers.
