Reputation and Corporate Communication: Key Intangibles in Business Management

• • The 9th edition of the report collects the 9 major trends in intangible asset management that are currently shaping the business agenda.
  • Corporate reputation and reputational risk occupy the top spot in the relevance ranking, and they have seen the greatest increase in resources and investment since the previous edition (+7.8 points).
  • Corporate communication is the trend being worked on the most by companies and the area where senior management invest more resources, demonstrating it strategic role as an essential aspect of the business model of the future

In a global climate of geopolitical instability, political and social polarisation, and increasing environmental and technological risks, uncertainty has become a widespread sentiment. In response to this scenario, companies are evolving towards more committed and responsible management and leadership models that build trust among their stakeholders, with corporate reputation and reputational risk being key elements. This is one of the main findings in the 9th edition of the report Approaching the Future (ATF) 2024: Trends in Reputation and Intangible Asset Management, produced by Corporate Excellence – Centre for Reputation Leadership in collaboration with CANVAS Sustainable Strategies and the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management as worldwide partner. 

Based on a survey of nearly 2,200 professionals (40% of whom are senior executives) and the qualitative analysis of 11 leading experts, the report provides a forward-looking perspective on corporate strategy. Predictably, this year, artificial intelligence and its disruptive impact on business is included among the top nine trends for the first time.

Companies face disruptive changes in dynamic and highly competitive environments marked by various crises and risks that create significant reputational challenges. As a result, corporate reputation and reputational risk lead the ATF 2024 trends ranking: 60% of professionals consider it the most relevant intangible, and 70% state that its relevance has increased significantly over the past three years.

In fact, reputation is the area that has grown the most in investment and resources compared to the previous edition (+7.8 points), with more than half of consulted companies (54%) now actively managing it. Although 57% admit they are not measuring their reputation, they do use direct surveys and reputational rankings. Additionally, reputation is being reported and consolidated in management committees and boards of directors (68%), becoming integral to strategic business decision-making.