The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has been recognized as one of America's most reputable companies by Forbes magazine.
Goodyear ranked 40th on the magazine's fifth annual listing of companies with the best reputations in the United States, which was released on www.forbes.com.
The list is based on the results the Reputation Institute's U.S. Reputation Pulse consumer opinion survey, which measures the overall respect, trust, esteem, admiration and good feelings consumers hold toward the country's 150 largest companies.
Scores are based on RI's seven dimensions of reputation: products/services, innovation, governance, workplace, citizenship, leadership and performance. RI said the 2010 survey indicates that products/services, followed by governance and citizenship are the most influential dimensions.
Goodyear's score of 74.24, represented a 0.79-point increase over 2009. Goodyear is the only tire maker on the list and the highest-ranked company in the automotive industry.
"This recognition is very meaningful as Goodyear's reputation rides with consumers every time they get behind the wheel," said Richard J. Kramer, Goodyear president and chief executive officer. "It demonstrates that our high-quality, innovative tires with fuel-saving technology are valued by American drivers."
"In today's tough economic climate, corporate reputation is critical to sustaining and growing business," said Anthony Johndrow, RI managing director, in announcing the 2010 rankings. "This year's results illustrate a direct correlation between how well a company manages its reputation and how likely consumers are to recommend or reject the company."
Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs approximately 69,000 people and manufactures its products in 57 facilities in 23 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry.