Credit Unions again most reputable

The Reputations Agency (TRA) has confirmed that the Credit Unions network was the nation’s most reputable organisation for the fourth consecutive year with a score of 81.7. The PR agency’s Ireland Reputation Index 2026 is a listings which provide a snapshot of the reputation strength of 100 of Ireland’s most important organisations across 16 sectors.

The rankings for the league’s top three companies were a close call. The Credit Unions, which were followed by the IRFU at 80 and An Post on 79.8, also ranked first in the most important driver of reputation – conduct, as well as taking first place when people were asked if they would ‘give them the benefit of the doubt in a crisis’ and ‘trust them to do the right thing.’

Credit Unions were perceived to be the most fair, friendly, genuine and sincere organisation among the 100 studied. In second place, the managing body of rugby in Ireland, the IRFU, achieved a tier score of 80.0 as a new entrant into the top 10 ranking spots this year. An Post came in in third place, with a reputation score of 79.8.

The semi-State body has been recognised for bringing its purpose to life in acting for the common good, improving quality of life across communities in Ireland, and for its noticeable transformation towards sustainable business. The average reputation score for banks now exceeds the average score for all organisations in the index. Boots remains the highest-ranked pharmacy.

Now in its 17th year, the index sees four new entrants to the top ten. In professional services, Grant Thornton increased its standing this year and ranks in the top one-third of organisations with a score of 72.6 in 32nd place. A number of insurance companies were tightly pitched together with Aviva on a score of 72, followed by Irish Life at 71.9 and Zurich at 71.4.

This year’s index also included noticeable improvements across a wide range of sectors. Airlines and aerospace increase by +4.9 reputation points, sporting bodies (+3.8), retail (+3.2), communications and media (+2.1). Public services bodies also increased by an average of +1.9 with Fáilte Ireland as one of four new entrants to the top 10 and ranked in 10th place.

Other public sector bodies with a mission to support Ireland also scored well with the IDA in 16th, Enterprise Ireland in 21st and Tourism Ireland 23rd. The three biggest risers this year were RTÉ, Ryanair and FAI, with RTÉ recording an increase of 10.7 points. Consumers rewarded trusted outlets for their news source with major publishers improving their reputation.

In what was a turbulent year for the tech sector, X ranked in 100th place and Meta in 99th. X was also the only organisation which achieved the lowest reputational tier of poor (0–39).

The average reputation scores across all 100 organisations included in the index increased by 1.1 points compared to last year, with the average now at 69.8, just below the threshold for a strong reputation score of 70.0. This marks the highest average reputation score recorded since Covid, when many organisations experienced a significant reputational uplift.

Of the 16 sectors measured in the study, five recorded significant improvements year-on-year.

The index, powered by RepTrak, surveyed a representative sample of over 5,000 informed members of the public aged 18+ throughout the Republic. Companies are ranked on a score from 0-100 and are grouped as excellent (80+), strong (70-79), average (60-69), weak (40-59) or poor (below 40). The public only rate organisations with which they are familiar.

This is the 17th year of the study, using the same RepTrak methodology each year. Organisations were ranked by their reputation score, which measures the strength of the emotional bond between an organisation and the public based on four components – the level of esteem, admiration, trust, and good feeling.

The index carries out a reputation driver analysis to understand which components are driving reputation and what the public expects from the country’s leading organisations. The most important drivers, in order of priority, are conduct, products and services, citizenship, leadership, workplace, innovation and performance.