{"id":57469,"date":"2014-05-14T12:12:10","date_gmt":"2014-05-14T10:12:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=57469"},"modified":"2014-05-14T12:12:10","modified_gmt":"2014-05-14T10:12:10","slug":"these-are-south-africas-most-reputable-companies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/trending\/57469\/these-are-south-africas-most-reputable-companies\/","title":{"rendered":"These are South Africa’s most reputable companies"},"content":{"rendered":"

Woolworths has overtaken mobile operator, Vodacom as the company with the strongest reputation in South Africa.<\/p>\n

This is according to the Reputation Institute\u2019s (RI) National RepTrak Pulse survey for 2014, which ranks the largest listed companies by revenue and familiarity.<\/p>\n

The survey, now in its ninth year, tracks companies which are engaged in commercial activities, have a reasonable amount of familiarity with the general public, and are not wholly-owned subsidiaries of other companies.<\/p>\n

Last year\u2019s top firm Vodacom fared particularly poorly in 2014, losing as many as 9.35 points to sixth position on the table – one position below rival operator, MTN.<\/p>\n

Woolworths\u2019 reputation strengthened marginally, from 73.98 to 74.31 points.<\/p>\n

According to the RI, the clothing, home and food retailer led the field on all reputation dimensions: leadership, citizenship, governance, workplace, innovation, products\/services, and performance.<\/p>\n

\"RepTrak<\/a>

RepTrak reputation index 2014<\/p><\/div>\n

Reputation Institute\u2019s Partner for Africa, Dr Dominik Heil said: \u201cThe 2014 survey shows that Woolworths is in a league of its own. Its success comes in an environment in which South African corporate companies are suffering a bloodbath in their reputations.”<\/p>\n

“Woolworths has managed to break out of this logic because it has a sound stakeholder management strategy. It demonstrates that engaging with stakeholders is not a loss exercise. If you create value for all your stakeholders \u2013 and not just for your shareholders \u2013 and manage that well, the benefit \u2018pie\u2019 for everyone will grow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"RepTrak<\/a>

RepTrak reputation index 2013 – 2014 change<\/p><\/div>\n

Trevor Ndlazi, Reputation Institute\u2019s country manager for South Africa, said that the biggest driver of reputation in South Africa in 2014 is products and services at 15.2%, with citizenship only slightly behind at 15.0%.<\/p>\n

\u201cProduct and services, citizenship, financial performance and innovation explain almost 60% of reputation, while workplace, governance and leadership made up just under 40% of what drives reputation this year,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Telecoms<\/h3>\n
\"RepTrak<\/a>

RepTrak reputation index 2014 – SA telecoms<\/p><\/div>\n

Ndlazi said that the drop in Vodacom\u2019s reputation \u2013 from a strong\/robust score of 74.17 in 2013 to an average\/moderate rating of 64.83 in 2014 is massive and is largely attributable to its dispute with Icasa over mobile termination rates.<\/p>\n

Banks<\/h3>\n

The financial services sector also fared poorly. Even though Standard Bank jumped from seventh to second position on the table, its 2014 score of 68.77 points was only marginally better than the 2013 score of 68.5.<\/p>\n

First National Bank dropped 9.08 points from last year. FNB is a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Rand but is included in the survey as it is a major player in the financial services sector.<\/p>\n

Nedbank and ABSA dropped 4.18 and 4.39 points respectively.<\/p>\n

\"RepTrak<\/a>

RepTrak reputation index 2014 – SA banks<\/p><\/div>\n

The survey is conducted annually in January and February among 1,462 unique respondents, from whom 3,860 rates were obtained. Respondents\u2019 distribution was balanced to the country population on age and gender.<\/p>\n

To be included in the survey, companies had to meet the following criteria:<\/p>\n