Jun 25 Toyota NZ: the best reputation in the land

reputation

In a report released today by AMR, Toyota New Zealand has the strongest corporate reputation in the country.

The corporate reputation index is produced by AMR, the Australasian associate of the worldwide Reputation Institute. The results are based on the public perception of New Zealand's largest companies across their products and services, innovation, workplace, governance, citizenship, leadership and financial performance.

Toyota had risen from sixth place last year to win the overall top ranking, as well as first in products and services, innovation and governance.

Toyota New Zealand managing director and chief executive Alistair Davis said it was pleasing to know Kiwis thought highly of the company.

"At Toyota, we try to take a long-term perspective and we fundamentally believe that business cannot survive in a society, or on a planet, that fails. Within the framework of the business of moving people, we are trying to build a better planet," he said.

"Good values underpin our business, and we genuinely take our role as a good corporate citizen very seriously."

The rankings were announced at the inaugural corporate citizenship conference in Auckland, organised by the Social Good Foundation.

Foundation trustee David Living said reputation had never been more important in business.

"Where once upon a time employee loyalty or brand allegiance alone may have secured a business's future, these days not only customers but employees and in fact anyone invested in a business in any way has a much higher expectation about the way that business behaves," he said.

"With easy access to the information about what a business is or isn't doing, people are able to swiftly change allegiances much more quickly if they do not like or approve of what they see, and in some ways New Zealand companies are still coming up to speed with the implications of that."

The conference examined organisational health, employee wellbeing, workplace giving and corporate social responsibility.

The event was an important one for New Zealand, Living said.

"We can't afford to be complacent about this area of business any more, and things have moved on substantially from the days when corporate social responsibility was just a buzz word," he said.

"People are now looking for tangible actions that prove a company is a good corporate citizen, but for that investment, corporates are finding there are plenty of benefits for them as well."

The reputation rankings for 2013 are:

1. Toyota New Zealand

2. Heinz-Wattie's.

3. Air New Zealand.

4. New Zealand Post.

5. Fisher & Paykel.

6. Foodstuffs.

7. Hewlett-Packard New Zealand.

8. The Warehouse.

9. ASB.

10. Goodman Fielder.

11. Woolworths.