Reputation Review 2012 report: Supply chain focus can make the difference between organization growth and failure post-crisis

LONDON, Oct. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- When examining the dynamic between corporate reputation and financial performance, it is important to study the effects of large-scale crises, whether manmade or driven by external forces. Events such as the Japan tsunami and earthquake as well as various accounting scandals, have caused many organizations to lose value, according to the Aon-sponsored Reputation Review 2012 report recently issued by Oxford Metrica, an independent analytics and advisory firm. Seven of 10 companies measured in the report that were impacted by disasters in 2011 lost more than one-third of their value and two companies lost almost 90 percent.

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"While the principles of reputation recovery are made more vivid by crisis, they apply equally to lesser events that can still damage a company's reputation," said Randy Nornes, executive vice president with Aon Risk Solutions, the global risk management business of Aon plc (NYSE: AON). "Last year's research revealed that 80 percent of firms will lose 20 percent of their value once every five years due to reputational issues. Any company – no matter its size – can mitigate the risks of an event by taking a positive and thoughtful approach to crisis management. Supply chain risk is often the catalyst for crises, so this can be a great place to start the process."

"From business interruption to customer service and quality control, organizations have quickly learned to appreciate the volatility that can stem from a poorly managed supply chain," added Dr. Deborah Pretty, principal of Oxford Metrica.

A coherent reputation strategy can be the difference between recovery and failure for many companies. It can minimize the likelihood of a critical event turning into a reputation crisis and will maximize the probability of recovery. Those that have a firm grip on their brand and are actively monitoring it can more easily weather a crisis. In fact, the research shows that companies that successfully navigate a crisis can actually build additional value.

Best practices companies should perform to ensure an effective reputation strategy is in place include:

• Evaluate reputation equity to benchmark the effectiveness of your current reputation strategy
• Analyze the drivers of reputation risks to allocate your financial resources more effectively
• Develop a reputation recovery strategy to generate the best chance of recovery in the event of a crisis
• Monitor reputation equity to provide senior management with crucial and timely feedback, enabling confident decision-making and rapid responses to emerging risks

"Reputation event triggers are often outside of an organization's control, so having the right response is critical. In an age of 24-hour news cycles and instantaneous social media, the response must be swift and on point. Planning for crises, understanding individual roles and responsibilities as well as developing a road map are key to protecting a brand," said Nornes.

Download the Reputation Review 2012 report: http://www.aon.com/reputationreview
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About Aon
Aon plc (NYSE:AON) is the leading global provider of risk management, insurance and reinsurance brokerage, and human resources solutions and outsourcing services. Through its more than 62,000 colleagues worldwide, Aon unites to empower results for clients in over 120 countries via innovative and effective risk and people solutions and through industry-leading global resources and technical expertise. Aon has been named repeatedly as the world's best broker, best insurance intermediary, reinsurance intermediary, captives manager and best employee benefits consulting firm by multiple industry sources. Visit www.aon.com for more information on Aon and www.aon.com/manchesterunited to learn about Aon's global partnership and shirt sponsorship with Manchester United.

About Oxford Metrica
Oxford Metrica is an independent analytics and advisory firm that focuses on corporate reputation, international listings and international investments. Its reputation service supports chief executives, chief communications officers and chief risk officers. Oxford Metrica is founded on pioneering empirical research and a unique database of reputation events.

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SOURCE Aon plc