In the News
Britain's Most Admired Companies reputation risks & opportunities for 2025
22 January 2025
Britain’s Most Admired Companies survey identifies priorities for UK businesses
Corporate reputation is never formed in a vacuum. It is always moulded by the wider context in which businesses operate.
So, to top the rankings in Britain’s Most Admired Companies, business leaders have to capitalise on the biggest opportunities to build reputation, and manage the emerging risks to it.
Echo asked the 330 C-suite representatives, analysts and city commentators who took part in the BMAC survey, to identify the biggest risks and opportunities facing British businesses in the year ahead.
The results were then discussed by our CEO panel at the 2024 Britain's Most Admired Companies Awards, hosted by the London Stock Exchange. The panel was moderated by Ian King, Business Presenter at Sky News, and included:
- · Phil Bentley, CEO of Mitie
- · Roisin Currie, CEO of Greggs
- · Rob Perrins, CEO of Berkeley Group
- · Andy Ransom, CEO of Rentokil Initial
- · Mary Macleod, CEO of Business in the Community
- · Charlie Walker, Deputy CEO of the London Stock Exchange.
Top of the risk register is geopolitical uncertainty, identified by nearly 3 in 5 survey respondents. Volatility around market access and tariffs, with potential supply chain disruption, remain major concerns heading into 2025. The same proportion are concerned about inflation and macroeconomic headwinds in the UK.
In third place, identified by 2 in 5 (40%), are threats to cybersecurity – just ahead of the regulatory environment (36%) and challenges of talent retention and acquisition (33%). Surprisingly, just 12% name climate change as one of their top 3 risks heading into 2025.
- Risks facing British businesses - What are the top THREE risks facing your company in the next 12 months?
Turning to opportunities, it’s no surprise to see technology/AI topping the list – 4 in 5 see potential upside here.
Speaking at the Britain's Most Admired Companies awards, Andy Ransom, CEO of Rentokil Initial, explained how his business is investing in remote monitoring systems, data analytics platforms and mobile apps for customers, including devices which can identify different birds by their calls from 250m away and respond with deterrent predator sounds to scare them off.
Third on the list of opportunities is securing top talent. For our CEO panel at the BMAC awards, the biggest opportunity lies in combining these two factors – new technology and human talent. Dame Emma Walmsley, CEO of GSK, summed up this view when responding to her award as Most Admired Business Leader:
“We literally describe the purpose of GSK as uniting science, technology and talent – because the human factor is so fundamental – to get ahead of disease together.”
Sandwiched between these two factors, in second place is reputation/trust. Especially in turbulent times, businesses with a strong, trusted reputation are more competitive and, ultimately, resilient.
Which is, after all, the essence of Britain’s Most Admired Companies.
- Opportunities for British businesses - What are the top THREE opportunities facing your company in the next 12 months?
Watch Julia Hogget in conversation with Dame Emma Walmsley here.
Read Ian King's article in The Times here.
