Tata Motors, Aditya Birla, Bharti Airtel most reputed: Nielsen

Tata Motors has emerged as the most reputed company in India followed by Aditya Birla Nuvo and Bharti Airtel in a survey by Nielsen, a global information and measurement firm.

The survey that tracked the reputation of 32 companies in India based on what they offered in terms of service levels, product quality, financial performance and talent pool, also featured Reliance Industries and Tata Steel among the top five.

Nielsen's Corporate Image Monitor has given highest rating to Tata Motors for its "innovative techniques, providing reliable products and striving for excellence."

The company was ranked second in the last year's list.

Interestingly, Tata Steel dropped from the first position to fifth this year, while Wipro also slipped from fourth to seventh position.

Other major corporates such as ITC, ICICI Bank and Hero MotoCorp Ltd are the new entrants in the list of top reputed names in the 11th Corporate Image Monitor survey that measures perceptions of the image and reputation of India's leading companies.

"The Corporate Reputation Index is a testament to a brand's reputation, by people that matter most to it," Nielsen India Executive Director Dinesh Kapoor said.

For stakeholders, this implies they feel the brand is reliable and sustainable in difficult times, he added.

Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL), Wipro and HDFC Bank also figured in the list of top firms.

Over 1,700 respondents, consisting of stakeholders such as policy makers, influence groups, the financial community, investors, top level management across corporates, and the general consumer, were consulted for the survey.

Nielsen said "certain 'excitement factors' such as innovation, pace of growth and the extent of media visibility also play a subliminal role in shaping reputations".

Respondents also outlined 'hygiene' factors or attributes for a company such as 'vision' or 'leadership' as 'must have' image drivers for a brand, it added.

Over one in five respondents indicated that ITC and Tata Motors are the corporates seen most actively involved in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, followed by Aditya Birla Nuvo and HUL.

The survey covered the top listed companies of India across industries. The selection of companies for the Survey is based on market capitalisation, sales and assets.