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Winter is coming, and trust levels in Denmark continue to fall for the third consecutive quarter.

The average Trust & Like Score for Denmark’s Top 100 most prominent companies decreased more than one point from a score of 62.9 in Q2 to 61.6 in Q3 – the lowest average level of trust in Denmark since early 2017.

Denmark’s Most Trusted & Liked Companies

Although skepticism appears to be on the rise, Rema 1000 bypasses Lego to become Denmark’s most trusted and liked company for Q3 2019.

This is the first time a non-Danish company has taken 1st place in the ranking. The Norwegian-owned discount grocer has continuously performed well quarter after quarter – praised for a great shopping experience, an impressive selection of organic products, and a unique franchise model where the stores are owned by their managers.

Most notable may be Rema 1000’s latest climate-friendly initiatives that finally took them to the top: at the beginning of Q3 Rema announced it is the only grocer in Denmark to install state-of-the-art trailer cooling systems to reduce CO2 output by 1500 tons annually.

Additionally, in September as plastic pollution weighed heavily on the minds of the public, Rema 1000 announced all meat trays are now recycled plastic. This move by Rema to reduce CO2 levels and tackle single-use plastic packaging seems to be having an impact on public perceptions.

Both add positively to our reputation building.” The new director appears to be bringing a new direction to simplify complexity throughout the business.

With a significant 3.1-point rise in perceptions this quarter, it seems the Danish public is awarding a premium for ATP’s increased transparency.

Q3 Top Risers

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) is also on the ascent as the #1 top riser for Q3 with a 6.7-point increase in perceptions – soaring nearly 40 places up the ranking.

This quarter SAS unveiled its new fleet to reflect the airline’s iconic history while pointing toward a sustainable future. With opportunities for passengers to opt for bio-based fuels beginning last quarter and a collaboration with Airbus to develop a hybrid and electric aircraft, it appears the Danish public is on board.

When approached about the success this quarter, the Acting Head of Media Relations at SAS, Troels Karlskov, said, “We are happy, proud, and humble about the result of SAS’s performance this quarter. We believe it reflects the dedicated and good service that thousands of SAS employees deliver to our customers every day, both on the ground in the airports and onboard.

We operate in an industry with fierce competition, and we are pioneers in a wide range of areas, for example leading the way for more sustainable travel and new technology to enhance the customer experience. This is a role that requires us to constantly reflect on our offerings.

In this survey, we are proud be rated among talented, leading Danish companies. We continue to develop our product and service, always in close cooperation with loyal customers and society, so that we can continue to be among the most recognized brands.”

From good service to sustainability, it appears SAS is ready for takeoff.

L’EASY

Following Lego in 2nd place, Denmark’s largest pension and social security provider ATP makes its debut in the Top 3 with a score of 75.9 points.

Executive Vice President of Communications and External Relations at ATP, Annemette Moesgaard, commented, “We are happy to see a rise in our reputation ranking. During the last few months, we got our permanent CEO, Bo Foged, in place to lead ATP forward. At the same time, we have delivered historically high returns to our members”.

A rather surprising top mover this quarter comes from L’EASY with a 6.6-point rise in perceptions this quarter. The home appliance and electronic leasing service have struggled to build positive perceptions over the past couple of years, but the launch of net-based Facitbank this quarter seems to be turning things around.

As negative interest rates on deposits are becoming a reality and lack of integrity has certain traditional banks falling in the ranks, Facitbank’s positive deposit rates available to all L’EASY customers appear to be working to strengthen and complement the overall business.

Pandora

Speaking of turnarounds, Denmark’s crown jewel Pandora is making a shining comeback. This quarter the jewelry giant painted the streets of LA pink with the relaunch of the brand’s new logo, new stores, and new partnerships to return to the brand’s core values.

With a 5.6-point increase in perceptions, it seems as though Pandora is charming the Danish public again.

DR

Our final top riser this quarter is DR, the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, with a 4.8-point rise in perceptions. Given the recent increase in its Trust & Like Score, DR becomes Denmark’s most trusted and liked media outlet.

Humbled by the performance this quarter, the Head of Communications at DR, Lasse Jensen, commented, “Throughout the recent years, we have seen a positive development in the DR reputation across different agencies.

The main force behind this is a great degree of satisfaction among the users with the content we provide. We recently launched a bold new strategy making DR ready for the future of public service media. It is my hope that this will further strengthen our good reputation.”

With strong evidence that good storytelling, emphasis on sustainability and focus on customers lead to better reputations – it remains to be seen if more companies will join the rising ranks and help reverse the downward trend of public trust in Denmark in Q4, despite the dreaded winter!