Employer brand | Apple tops Fortune's 'most admired' rankings as Musk's reputation slides

Apple tops Fortune's 'most admired' rankings as Musk's reputation slides

Apple has once again secured its place as the world’s most admired company, topping Fortune’s annual corporate reputation rankings for the 18th consecutive year.

The rankings, based on surveys of executives, directors, and analysts, highlight the significance of corporate stability in shaping business prestige. Rapid growth and innovation are also rewarded, with Nvidia emerging as one of the most respected companies amid its meteoric rise in the AI-driven economy.

Corporate reputation plays a critical role in a company’s ability to attract and retain top talent. As competition for highly skilled professionals intensifies, businesses with strong leadership, innovative work environments, and ethical corporate practices gain an edge in securing the best employees. Apple’s dominance in the rankings reflects not only its continued financial success but also the trust it has built among investors, customers, and prospective hires.

Nvidia’s ascent

Nvidia, a key player in the generative AI boom, has demonstrated that long-term strategic investments can yield remarkable results. Over the past three years, its revenue has quadrupled, and its stock price has surged by 525%, achievements which have propelled Nvidia to number four on the Fortune list. Although, it took a nose dive this week after the Chinese launched the DeepSeek AI platform.

Within its industry, it ranked first across six out of nine evaluation categories, including quality of management, innovation, and product excellence.

In the war for talent such recognition will directly impacts Nvidia’s ability to attract top engineering, AI, and business experts. As companies in the AI and tech sectors face an intense recruitment struggle, maintaining a positive corporate reputation strengthens employee loyalty and makes firms more attractive to high-performing professionals seeking long-term career growth.

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Industry-specific rankings also revealed notable shifts. Accenture maintained its position as the leading IT services firm for the 12th straight year, while UnitedHealth Group dominated the health insurance sector for the 15th consecutive time.

Meanwhile, some firms saw their reputations falter. Nike, once a leader in apparel rankings for a decade, was dethroned by Ralph Lauren after a year of revenue struggles and product missteps.

Starbucks also lost ground amid customer dissatisfaction and employee strikes, with McDonald’s taking its place as the top food service brand.

Corporate reputation

A strong corporate reputation is an invaluable asset, influencing not only consumer trust but also leadership perception and investor confidence. In CEO rankings, Microsoft’s Satya Nadella was again voted the most underrated leader, credited for his strategic pivots in AI and cloud computing. By contrast, but not by surprise, Tesla’s Elon Musk was deemed the most overrated CEO for the third year in a row, reflecting concerns over his leadership decisions despite his growing influence.

The reputational turbulence faced by brands like Nike and Starbucks shows how missteps in product strategy, customer service, or employee relations can quickly erode public perception.

Both companies are now scrambling to rebuild trust. Nike through new product launches and Starbucks via streamlined operations and store enhancements.

Ultimately, a company’s ability to maintain a stellar reputation directly impacts its capacity to recruit and retain the best talent.

As the business landscape continues to evolve, corporate leaders recognise that a brand’s overall reputation is not merely about public perception but can also affect its employer brand reputation - a vital factor in sustaining long-term success and competitive advantage.

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