1. Sweden (81.7 points)
2. Finland (81.6 points)
3. Switzerland (81.3 points)
4. Norway (81.1 points)
5. New Zealand (79.7 points)
6. Australia (79.6 points)
7. Canada (79.2 points)
8. Japan (77.7 points)
9. Denmark (76.7 points)
10. Netherlands (76.1 points)

In 2018, Sweden rose from third to first place and is one of four countries with an excellent reputation. With almost universally excellent reputation scores, Sweden is seen as the #1 most ethical country with high transparency and low corruption, as well as the country with the most progressive social and economic policies. Right behind Sweden, Finland is the highest climber, rising from #7 to #2.

“I am convinced that this result stems from the fact that our social model creates not only growth but also freedom, equality and security. More and more people understand that inequality is a major obstacle for economic development in the world,” said Prime Minister of Sweden, Stefan Löfven.

Nicolas Georges Trad, President of Global Accounts at Reputation Institute said, “What sets Sweden apart is that is perceived as a highly principled, altruistic, egalitarian, and environmentally-conscious country. Countries that excel, like Sweden, focus on creating strong reputation profiles built on all three aspects of country reputation – government, economy and environment.”

The economic impact of country reputation is significant, with each 1-point increase in country reputation score resulting in 0.9% annual increase in the number of tourists per capita and a 0.3% rise in export rates.

Results revealed that while reputation drives supportive behaviors from stakeholders and economic growth, country reputation is not determined by the largest economy, population nor geographic area. Only 20% of the world’s top 10 countries by economy and geography are among the top 10 most reputable countries.

Source: www.reputationinstitute.com

Photo: Pixabay