Rolex "most reputable global brand" for 3rd straight year: survey

Swiss watch brand Rolex is top in a ranking of the world's most reputable brands for a third straight year, the Reputation Institute said Friday in its annual Global RepTrack 100.

Rolex beat Danish toy company Lego for the top spot and other companies in the top five were Google at No. 3, Canon at four and The Walt Disney Company was fifth.

Swiss food manufacturer Nestle jumped 21 places to rank 33rd.

"The reputation bubble has burst. Companies are down by an average of 1.4 points globally, representing the first major decline since the end of the Great Recession" of the late 2000s, said Stephen Hahn-Griffiths, chief research officer for Reputation Institute.

The Reputation Institute compiled the list in its annual Global RepTrack 100 after asking more than 230,000 people in 15 countries to rank some of the world's biggest companies.

The reputation is based on criteria such as ethical standards, transparency and product value, the institute said in a statement.

It includes comparative rankings, demographic trends, and unique insights into the dynamics behind reputational impact.

The global study shows what drives trust and identifies supportive behavior such as intent to purchase a company's products, willingness to invest in, or even work for, the company.

"There is a growing crisis of trust in the world, especially among big companies making record profits," said Hahn-Griffiths. "These companies are increasingly judged on aspects of their morality and ethics."