Does reputation have a price tag? Burson puts it at US$7.07 trillion globally

Corporate reputation has officially crossed into balance-sheet territory. According to a new global study by Burson, companies with strong reputations can unlock up to 4.78% in additional unexpected annual shareholder returns, creating what the firm calls a global “reputation economy” worth an estimated US$7.07 trillion. That’s equivalent to the combined market capitalisation of Alphabet, Meta, and Tesla.

The research, titled "The Global Reputation Economy: A New Asset Class for a New Era", marks a significant shift in how reputation is understood, quantifying it not as a soft, intangible concept but as a measurable financial asset. Between October 2024 and October 2025, Burson evaluated 66 publicly listed companies globally, combining stakeholder insights, proprietary intelligence, multi-year media and market data analysis, and share price movements to quantify the financial value of reputation.

Burson’s analysis found that reputation-driven returns could add anywhere between US$2 million and US$202 billion in shareholder value beyond what would typically be expected from financial performance alone. These “reputation returns” refer to additional shareholder gains that cannot be explained by traditional financial metrics alone and are directly attributable to a company’s reputation, making reputation a measurable contributor to business performance.

Corey duBrowa, global CEO of Burson, said the findings provide long-awaited proof of what leaders have long believed intuitively. He explained that reputation functions as an interconnected system that, when actively managed, can generate measurable returns, build resilience against external shocks, and support bolder leadership decisions, going far beyond a simple trust metric. "A strong reputation that can deliver financial impact goes well beyond the simple binary of trust," he added. 

Don't miss: Burson launches AI-powered tool to link reputation with shareholder value

AI and the workplace emerge as a reputational fault line

While reputation leaders performed strongly across all eight drivers measured in the study, Burson identified the workplace as a growing reputational battleground. Despite being ranked lowest in perceived importance at 11%, the workplace showed a performance gap of 11.8% between the best and worst performing companies.

There is also a substantial chasm between the top quartile leaders (71.1 points out of 100) and the bottom quartile laggards (57.3 points), which fundamentally changes the risk calculus for a CEO. Leaders, insulated from the full impact of minor setbacks, can afford to take big swings, as their reputation is anchored by deep reserves of credibility across all eight levers. However, laggards have no such cushion.

The study warns this gap could widen as organisations integrate artificial intelligence. According to Matt Reid, Burson’s global corporate and public affairs lead and U.S. CEO of Burson Buchanan, companies need to move beyond having an AI strategy and develop an “AI people strategy”. How organisations manage reskilling, workforce transitions, and employee engagement around AI, he said, will send a powerful signal about how they value their people.

Reid added that organisations which co-create the future of work with employees stand to 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," he explained. 

No weak links for reputation leaders

Burson’s analysis found that top-performing companies consistently outperformed across all eight reputation drivers, with average score gaps of 11 to 15 points compared to weaker performers. The biggest advantages were seen in innovation (15.5-point gap), product (15.2-point gap) and governance (14.4-point gap).

In sectors with high consequences for failure, such as aerospace and energy, reputational recovery is increasingly driven from the inside out. Aerospace companies in the study recorded their biggest gains by strengthening governance and workplace practices, rather than highlighting engineering capabilities. Similarly, energy companies saw reputational improvements through workplace and citizenship efforts, rather than sustainability messaging alone.

The finance sector, however, showed a sustained erosion across leadership, governance, and citizenship metrics. Burson estimates that this decline places US$4.3 billion, or 38% of the sector’s total reputational value analysed, at direct risk.

Burson believes the research demonstrates that reputation now has a direct and measurable impact on enterprise value. HS Chung, APAC CEO, Burson, said "For Asian companies, including those in Korea, disciplined reputation management is now critical to competing and winning on the global stage."

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