Corporate reputation emerges as a $7 trillion global economy: Burson study

Burson has released a global study that places a monetary value on corporate reputation, estimating it to be worth $7.07 trillion worldwide. The research links strong reputational performance to measurable shareholder returns.

Titled The Global Reputation Economy: A New Asset Class for a New Era, the study analyses how reputation contributes to unexpected annual shareholder returns beyond standard financial metrics. According to the findings, companies with stronger reputations recorded an average 'reputation return' of up to 4.78 percent.

The analysis suggests that, depending on scale, reputational strength could translate into additional shareholder value ranging from $2 million to $202 billion for individual companies.

“For decades, leaders have known intuitively that reputation matters, but they’ve never been able to quantify it as a financial asset; now, we can,” said Corey duBrowa, global CEO, Burson. “Our research shows that reputation is an interconnected system that, when rigorously managed, can yield billions in measurable returns, build resilience against shocks, and give leaders the confidence to make bold moves. A strong reputation that can deliver financial impact goes well beyond the simple binary of trust.”

The study identifies the workplace as a key area of reputational risk and opportunity, particularly as companies adopt artificial intelligence. While workplace factors accounted for only 11 percent of perceived reputational importance, performance gaps between companies were significant.

“Businesses must go beyond having an ‘AI strategy’ and create an ‘AI people strategy,’ because how they manage this transition will be a powerful statement about how they value their employees,” said Matt Reid, global corporate and public affairs lead, Burson, and U.S. CEO, Burson Buchanan. “Organisations that invest in reskilling their workforce and co-create the future with their people will earn a reputation dividend. Conversely, those that view AI merely as a tool for headcount reduction will pay a reputation tax, with any efficiency gains offset by reputational losses.”

The research also highlights sector-specific trends. In industries such as aerospace and energy, reputational recovery has been driven more by governance and workplace practices than by product or sustainability messaging. By contrast, the finance sector showed consistent declines across leadership, governance and citizenship metrics, putting a significant portion of reputational value at risk.

“Our research proves that the historical models for studying reputation were at best static and at worst not actionable,” duBrowa continued. “Reputation is organic and constantly evolving, so with a clear understanding of which components of reputation are strong or require action, businesses can focus with precision on predicting and influencing the forces that drive perception and fuel financial outcomes.”

“Our research demonstrates that reputation is no longer an abstract idea, but a measurable asset with a direct impact on enterprise value,” said HS Chung, Asia-Pacific CEO of Burson. “For Asian companies, including those in Korea, disciplined reputation management is now critical to competing and winning on the global stage. Through our proprietary Reputation Capital model, we’re offering clients with near real-time insight into the state of their reputation and how external events are shaping it. This is not only enabling more agile planning and execution but also keeping us sharply focused on the areas that drive tangible business outcomes, helping clients make informed decisions at scale and with speed.”