A new poll from Axios ranking the reputations of American companies has named Patagonia the most credible business in the U.S., based on scores in seven categories: affinity, ethics, growth, products/services, citizenship, vision, and culture.
The Axios Harris Poll 100, conducted annually, is “the result of a partnership between Axios and Harris Poll to gauge the reputation of the most visible brands in America, based on 20 years of Harris Poll research,” Axios said of the list, which surveyed 42,935 Americans in a nationally representative sample. Other top finishers include Honda Motor Company, SpaceX, Costco, and REI, which finished in eleventh place this year, scoring particularly high in its rankings for “ethics” and “products and services.”
“Today’s consumer is more digitally connected and more purpose-driven than ever, and that dramatically affects what it takes to excel in marketing, communications, and reputation,” said Mark Penn, chairman of Harris Poll, in a statement.
“Purpose-driven” certainly describes Patagonia, which beat out all other companies on the list in its scores for ethics, citizenship, and culture. The brand has a long history of making its political and moral voice heard, but consumer appreciation for that stance seems to have increased over the past year; Patagonia rose 36 places in the rankings since the group’s 2020 poll, the second-largest positive change among all included businesses, falling behind only Pfizer, which rose 54 places.
Recently, Patagonia has made headlines for fighting voter suppression in Georgia, encouraging shoppers to reduce industry waste by buying used gear, and challenging brands to make less product each year.
“Companies that advertise around corporate social responsibility and purpose is a hot trend right now,” said Axios co-founder and CEO Jim VandeHei. “Messages about values not only boost a company’s reputation, but they also help with recruiting talent, especially among younger workers that care more about what a company stands for.”
Patagonia declined to comment on the news.