Credit Unions have been named Ireland’s most reputable organisation for the fourth consecutive year, according to the Ireland Reputation Index 2026, with the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) and An Post completing a tightly contested top three.
The annual study, conducted by The Reputations Agency in partnership with RepTrak, is now in its 17th year and is regarded as one of the country’s leading measures of public trust and corporate reputation. For 2026, it surveyed more than 5,000 people between January and March this year and measured public perceptions of 100 of Ireland’s leading organisations. Credit Unions achieved an “Excellent” reputation score of 81.7, narrowly ahead of the IRFU on 80.0 and An Post on 79.8.
According to the research, Credit Unions ranked first on the key reputation driver of conduct and were viewed by respondents as the organisation most likely to “do the right thing” and deserving of “the benefit of the doubt in a crisis.” They were also regarded as the most fair, friendly, genuine and sincere organisation among those surveyed.
The top 10 rankings saw four new entrants this year, reflecting broader shifts in public sentiment across several sectors. Completing the top 10 were Bon Secours Hospital, Aldi, Toyota, St Vincent’s Private Hospital, Samsung, Aer Lingus and Fáilte Ireland.
The report highlighted notable gains in reputation across a range of sectors, with airlines and aerospace recording the strongest improvement, up 4.9 points year-on-year. Sporting bodies rose by 3.8 points, retail by 3.2 points and communications and media by 2.1 points. Public sector organisations also improved, gaining an average of 1.9 points.
Fáilte Ireland was one of four new entrants to the top 10, ranking 10th overall, while other public bodies, including the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and Tourism Ireland, also performed strongly.
Among the biggest movers in this year’s rankings were RTÉ, Ryanair and the Football Association of Ireland (FAI). RTÉ recorded the largest increase, improving its reputation score by 10.7 points. The study suggested that consumers are increasingly rewarding trusted news sources, with major news publishers also recording gains in reputation strength.
At the other end of the table, social media platform X ranked 100th and was the only organisation to fall into the “Poor” reputation category, while Meta ranked 99th.
The average reputation score across all 100 organisations increased by 1.1 points to 69.8, marking the highest average level recorded since the COVID-19 pandemic, although still marginally below the threshold for a “Strong” reputation rating. Five of the 16 sectors measured recorded significant year-on-year improvements.
Alan Tyrrell, chief executive of The Reputations Agency, said the findings reinforced the commercial value of reputation.
“From our 2026 study the message is clear – reputation matters from the boardroom to the frontline. The evidence shows that organisations with an “Excellent” reputation score are 19 times more likely to earn the public’s willingness to buy than organisations in the ‘Poor’ reputation tier,” he said.
He added that organisations with the strongest reputations consistently contribute positively to society, operate with integrity, deliver quality products and services and demonstrate strong leadership.
David Malone, chief executive of the Irish League of Credit Unions, welcomed the organisation’s continued top ranking, describing it as a reflection of the trust placed in local credit unions and the sector’s continued investment in innovation, digital services and community engagement.
Meanwhile, IRFU chief executive Kevin Potts said the second-place ranking reflected the trust and support of players, volunteers, partners and supporters across Irish rugby, while An Post managing director Debbie Byrne said the organisation’s strong performance recognised its ongoing commitment to communities, innovation and sustainability.
