EnergieUri is the reputation leader in 2026
The new media reputation study of Swiss energy companies 2026 names energieUri as the reputation winner - ahead of AEW and ewz. Large utilities such as Axpo and BKW suffer from critical reporting.
energieUri takes the lead in the reputation of Swiss energy companies
The swissreputation.group's 2026 media reputation study brings a surprise: the Central Swiss company energieUri takes the top spot among the 30 Swiss energy suppliers surveyed - knocking the previous top dogs 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, compiled by swissreputation.group in cooperation with pressrelations Switzerland and with the support of KI-Analyse.
Second place went to Aargau-based AEW Energie, while third place went to Zurich-based ewz - confirming its position from the previous year.
Positive projects as the key to reputational success
The success of energieUri is based on a series of projects that have attracted positive media coverage throughout Switzerland: these include the construction of one of the largest battery storage facilities in Switzerland in cooperation with Axpo, the first alpine solar plant in central Switzerland and wind turbines at more than 2,300 meters above sea level. The positive tone of the reporting more than compensated for the lower media presence compared to the large utilities. energieUri also leads the ranking for the best tonality values - followed by the two Thurgau companies EKT and Thurplus.
Axpo and BKW: Large presence, tarnished reputation
As in previous years, Axpo and BKW had by far the highest media presence of all the companies surveyed. However, this time the high level of awareness was not reflected in a strong reputation result. According to the study, the proportion of critical media reports about both companies has increased in recent years.
At BKW, topics from the «Workplace» and «ESG & Sustainability» areas in particular had a negative impact on the media image: reports of accusations of discrimination and halted sustainability projects resulted in poor tonality values. At Axpo, problems with nuclear power plants and the recurring debate about management salaries weighed on the media image.
Reputation dimensions: Focus on products, ESG strongly represented
The analysis breaks down the media coverage into several reputation dimensions. With a share of 38%, product and service topics dominated the reporting; Axpo achieved the best reputation score in this dimension. Economic performance« - i.e. reports on business figures - claimed a share of 20 percent, but had the lowest tonality level, as several large companies are said to have failed to meet expectations. AEW Energie secured the best score here.
Management and leadership topics accounted for 15 percent of reporting, also with a low tone. AEW Energie also performed best in this category. ESG and sustainability topics accounted for a high 17% of contributions. Here, energieUri benefited from the positive response to its energy projects and recorded the best reputation score in this dimension. The «Workplace» area accounted for six percent of all media contributions; Lucerne-based CKW performed best in this category. Innovation topics were less represented with four percent, but achieved the highest level with a tonality value of 0.54 - BKW leads this dimension.
Media reputation gains strategic importance
According to the study, an intact media reputation not only influences customer trust, but also has an impact on employees, investors, political conditions and public perception. In times of increasing digital transparency, regulatory requirements and ESG expectations, media reporting is becoming even more relevant.
Media reputation also takes on a new strategic dimension: AI tools such as ChatGPT give particular weight to journalistic sources when information about companies is requested. According to the study, positive or negative media reports also directly influence AI-supported information queries - an aspect that is becoming increasingly important for strategic communication management.
More information on the study and methodology: https://www.swissreputation.group
