Study examines the media reputation of industrial companies
Swissreputation.group and Pressrelations Switzerland present the first comprehensive study on the media reputation of 70 industrial companies in Switzerland. ABB, Bühler Group, Dätwyler and Cicor occupy the top positions in the four categories examined.
The reputation study was based on all Swiss online and print media, in which articles from 70 industrial companies were examined using an AI analysis methodology. Almost 70,000 reputation-relevant statements were identified and evaluated over a period of twelve months. To calculate the strength of reputation in the individual areas, the number of articles, the tonality and the reach and importance of the media sources were taken into account.
Six dimensions form the good reputation
The reputation model on which the study is based distinguishes between six different factors - known as reputation dimensions - that shape a company's reputation: Products & Services, Innovation, Economic Performance, Management & Leadership, Workplace, ESG & Sustainability. The study determined how industrial companies perform in these areas in the media.
Sensible benchmarking through categorization
The media presence of the companies surveyed varies greatly. For this reason, four groups of companies were formed, each covering a specific presence spectrum:
- Presence leaders - omnipresent companies with high visibility
- Pacesetters - regularly in the media, often leaders in their industries
- Pioneers - reliably present, setting the tone
- Hidden champions - small presence, striving for the top
Each of these groups comprises 17 or 18 companies. This segmentation allows the companies in the individual groups to compare themselves with companies with a similar media presence. This makes benchmarking possible - overall or at the level of a reputation dimension - in order to meaningfully classify the results achieved and take targeted measures.
Media reputation is highly relevant for industrial companies
"Most industrial companies are business-to-business enterprises with which the general public has little contact," says Katrin Frei, Managing Director of Pressrelations Switzerland. "The media are often the only source of information that the public uses to find out about the activities, successes and challenges of companies. What the online and print media report therefore has a decisive influence on the reputation of companies among the Swiss population."
For Lukas Zihlmann, Managing Director of Swissreputation.group, visibility is essential in order to stay ahead of the competition: "It's not just about working conditions and career opportunities. Employees prefer well-managed, successful, innovative and sustainable companies. Industrial companies in particular must therefore communicate convincingly in all these areas, especially via the media."
