The RepCore® Nations 2025 report, produced by Reputation Lab and led by Fernando Prado, examines how citizens of G7 countries perceive the reputation of the world’s 60 largest economies.
Switzerland and Canada share the top position in this year’s ranking, followed closely by Norway, Sweden, and Finland. At the bottom of the list are Iraq (rank 58), Iran (59), and Russia (60).
The ranking not only reflects reputation gains and losses but also highlights the growing influence of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria in shaping perceptions.
Top Nations by Reputation in 2025
| Rank | Country |
|---|---|
| 1 | Switzerland |
| 1 | Canada |
| 3 | Norway |
| 4 | Sweden |
| 5 | Finland |
Major Shifts in Global Perception
The United States experienced the largest drop, falling 18 positions from 30th to 48th place and losing 6.7 points. This decline was particularly notable among traditional allies like Canada and the United Kingdom. The areas most negatively affected include commitment to the international community, fight against climate change, friendly business environment, and respected leaders.
South Korea also saw a notable decline in reputation due to a recent institutional crisis, falling 1.8 points and six positions in the ranking. Meanwhile, Ukraine climbed five positions, driven by greater admiration, respect, and trust.
Reputation Gains
- Ukraine and Algeria each climbed 5 positions.
- Japan moved up 4 positions.
- Saudi Arabia and Mexico gained 2 positions each.
The report notes that countries with stronger reputations tend to receive more tourists, attract higher levels of foreign investment, and increase exports. A one-point increase in the RepScore index results in an average 7.2% rise in tourism revenue and a 1.0% increase in foreign direct investment.
The Role of ESG Criteria
Sustainability is becoming a central pillar of national reputation. The “Ethics and Responsibility” dimension is considered most important for public opinion, centered around fights against climate change, environmental protection, ethics and transparency, and respect for human rights.
About the RepCore® Nations 2025 Study
RepCore® Nations is an adaptation of the RepCore® model originally developed to measure corporate reputation. It evaluates admiration, respect, and trust through 22 rational attributes covering economic, political, social, and cultural factors.
For the 2025 edition, Reputation Lab gathered insights from 38 countries and evaluated the reputation of 74 nations. A total of 61,798 people were surveyed online (CAWI). The published ranking focuses on the 60 nations with the highest GDP, as perceived by public opinion in G7 economies.
More about the ranking here.
Want more? Explore our Country Observatory for snapshots of how countries compare on economic performance, brand strength, soft power, and reputation.
