The Hindu : Business : Tata emerges sixth most reputed company

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Tata emerges sixth most reputed company

U.S.-based Reputation Institute releases Global 200 list; Reliance Industries fails to make the grade

Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Sons

NEW YORK: Diversified Indian conglomerate Tata group has emerged as the world’s sixth most reputed company, but India’s most valued firm Reliance Industries failed to make the grade.

Tata group leapfrogged over 100 positions from last year’s 124th rank in the annual ‘Global 200: The world’s best corporate reputations’ list, compiled by U.S.-based Reputation Institute.

The global list, which includes ten other Indian companies, has been topped by Japanese auto maker Toyota, followed by U.S.-based internet search giant Google, Sweden’s Ikea, Italy’s Ferrero and another American firm Johnson & Johnson.

The Ratan Tata-led group is joined by India’s second largest software exporter Infosys Technologies in the Top-50 league at 14th position. However, at least nine other Indian firms, which were among 600 companies considered in a survey to prepare the list, could not make it to the final 200. These firms include Mukesh Ambani-led RIL, the country’s biggest by revenue among private sector firms and overall largest in terms of market value.

Other Indian companies

Other Indian companies that were considered for the list, but failed to make the cut include the biggest private sector lender ICICI Bank, top private and public sector telecom firms Bharti Airtel and BSNL, IT giant Wipro, Birla group’s Grasim Industries, tobacco-to-consumer goods conglomerate ITC as well as two state-run firms — oil refining and marketing major BPCL and Air India.

While releasing its latest Global Pulse report, Reputation Institute said that Tata group and Air India had the strongest and weakest corporate reputations, respectively among the companies from India.

Besides Tata and Infosys, other firms that made to the top 200 list include, Maruti Udyog (Suzuki), State Bank of India, Hindustan Lever, Hero Honda Motors, Life Insurance Corporation of India, Bajaj Auto, ONGC, Mahindra and Mahindra and Indian Oil Corporation.

Both Tata and Infosys have gained over 100 spots each to join the top tier of global companies.

China’s Faw Group

However, the highest jump in ranking has been seen by China’s Faw Group (ranked 41st with an improvement of 178 spots), followed by Norway’s Coop, Canada’s Sobey’s and Japan’s AEON, all of which have gained over 100 spots.

Maruti, India’s biggest car-maker, has been ranked at 77th, SBI at 107th, HLL (now renamed HUL) at 131st, Hero Honda at 147th, LIC at 161st, Bajaj Auto at 169th, ONGC at 186th, M&M at 191st and IOC at 199th position. Globally, food and beverage giant PepsiCo, headed by a person of Indian origin Indra Nooyi, has been ranked 100th.

The Tatas are ranked higher than companies like Walt Disney, Marks and Spencers, Xerox, Colgate-Palmolive, Sony, Honda, and General Electric (GE), all of which are in the top-50.

The survey was conducted on 600 largest companies from 27 countries, out of which 200 were selected for the list. Toyota earned the highest ranking with a score of 86.53, followed by Google with 85.23 points.

Reputation Institute said that all the 200 companies earned scores higher than the global mean of 64.2 points, but despite earnings better-than-global average, the companies ranked 51-200 have “significantly weaker reputations than the top tier companies.” — PTI

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