EnergieUri Tops the Reputation Rankings in 2026
The new 2026 media reputation study of Swiss energy companies names energieUri as the top-ranked company in terms of reputation—ahead of AEW and ewz. Major utilities such as Axpo and BKW are facing critical media coverage.
energieUri Takes the Lead in the Reputation of Swiss Energy Companies
The 2026 Media Reputation Study by swissreputation.group reveals a surprise: The Central Swiss company energieUri ranks first among the 30 Swiss energy providers surveyed—thereby knocking the previous top performers, Axpo and BKW, off the podium. The study measures the reputation of Swiss energy companies in Swiss media sources over the period from April 2025 to March 2026; it was conducted by swissreputation.group in cooperation with pressrelations Switzerland and with the support of AI analysis.
Second place went to Aargau-based AEW Energie, while third place went to Zurich-based ewz—which thus maintained its ranking from the previous year.
Positive Projects as the Key to Reputational Success
energieUri’s success is based on a series of projects that have garnered positive media coverage throughout Switzerland: These include the construction of one of Switzerland’s largest battery storage facilities in cooperation with Axpo, the first alpine solar power plant in Central Switzerland, and wind turbines at more than 2,300 meters above sea level. The positive tone of the media coverage more than made up for the company’s lower media presence compared to the major utilities. energieUri also tops the ranking for the best tone scores—followed by the two Thurgau-based companies EKT and Thurplus.
Axpo and BKW: Strong Presence, Tarnished Reputation
As in previous years, Axpo and BKW had by far the greatest media presence among all the companies surveyed. However, this high level of visibility did not translate into a strong reputation score this time. According to the study, the proportion of critical media reports about both companies has increased in recent years.
At BKW, issues primarily related to «Workplace» and «ESG & Sustainability» had a negative impact on its media image: Reports of discrimination allegations and suspended sustainability projects led to poor sentiment scores. At Axpo, problems with nuclear power plants and the recurring debate over executive pay weighed on the company’s media image.
Reputation Dimensions: Focus on Products, Strong ESG Presence
The analysis breaks down media coverage into several reputation dimensions. Product and service topics dominated the coverage, accounting for 38 percent; Axpo achieved the highest reputation score in this dimension. «Economic Performance»—that is, reports on financial results—accounted for 20 percent of the coverage but had the lowest sentiment score, as several large companies reportedly fell short of expectations. AEW Energie secured the top score in this category.
Topics related to management and leadership accounted for 15 percent of the coverage, which also had a subdued tone. AEW Energie also performed best in this category. ESG and sustainability topics accounted for a high 17 percent of the coverage. Here, energieUri benefited from the positive response to its energy projects and recorded the highest reputation score in this dimension. The «Workplace» category accounted for six percent of all media coverage; in this category, Lucerne-based CKW performed best. Innovation topics were underrepresented at four percent but achieved the highest level with a sentiment score of 0.54—BKW leads in this dimension.
Media reputation is gaining strategic importance
The study notes that a strong media reputation not only influences customer trust but also affects employees, investors, the political environment, and public perception. In an era of increasing digital transparency, regulatory requirements, and ESG expectations, media coverage continues to gain in relevance.
In addition, media reputation is taking on a new strategic dimension: AI tools such as ChatGPT place particular emphasis on journalistic sources when information about companies is sought. According to the study, positive or negative media coverage thus directly influences AI-powered information queries—an aspect that is becoming increasingly important for strategic communications management.
More information about the study and its methodology: https://www.swissreputation.group
