A multinational corporation’s country of origin is increasingly shaping how it is perceived abroad, according to a new global study by Ipsos, which suggests that geopolitics, economics, and social expectations are now inseparable from corporate reputation.
The report, Impacts of Multinational Corporations: What Citizen-Consumers Want from Foreign Companies Doing Business in Their Country, draws on a survey of more than 23,500 adults across 31 countries conducted in late 2025. Its findings point to a world in which companies are judged not only on their products and services but also on the policies, values, and global standing of the nations they call home.
The weight of a corporate “passport”
Researchers describe a company’s country of origin as functioning like a passport—one that can either open doors or create barriers in international markets. Political tensions, trade disputes, and debates over labor, environmental standards, and ethics increasingly influence public opinion about foreign firms.
One of the most striking findings is the scale of negative sentiment toward American companies. While the United States has long been associated with innovation and global leadership, the study suggests that this perception is shifting. Respondents around the world, particularly in Canada and Europe, were more likely to associate U.S.-based firms with concerns about environmental responsibility, ethical conduct, and economic impact than companies from most other major economies.
The findings raise questions about what the researchers describe as the decline of “American exceptionalism” in the corporate sphere. In a turbulent global environment shaped by political polarization, economic uncertainty, and social change, companies may find themselves affected by forces well beyond their control.
What people want from foreign companies
Despite regional differences, one expectation stands out globally: people want multinational corporations to contribute to local economies. Providing jobs and investing in host countries consistently ranked as the top priorities among respondents.
This economic focus was particularly pronounced in developing and emerging markets, including many countries in the Middle East, North Africa, and Latin America, where foreign investment is often seen as a critical driver of growth and opportunity.
In more economically secure regions, however, expectations shift. Respondents in North America and the Asia-Pacific region placed greater emphasis on ethical conduct, while European participants highlighted fair treatment of workers as a top concern. Product safety and environmental responsibility were still important, but they ranked slightly lower overall compared with jobs, investment, and labor practices.
These differences suggest that multinational corporations must adapt their messaging and operations to local priorities rather than relying on a single global narrative.
A mixed reputation landscape
The Ipsos study also examined how companies from specific countries are perceived across key dimensions such as investment, ethics, worker treatment, and environmental responsibility.
Canadian, German, Japanese, French, Italian, and British companies generally received more positive than negative associations worldwide. German and Japanese firms, in particular, were widely viewed as reliable sources of jobs and investment, with strong reputations for quality and fairness in many regions.
Canadian companies also performed well globally, enjoying especially positive perceptions in the United States, even as Canadians themselves expressed relatively negative views of American firms.
By contrast, companies from China and India faced more skepticism in several regions, particularly in Europe and North America. Concerns among respondents often centered on worker treatment, product safety, and economic impact. However, perceptions were more favorable in parts of Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, underscoring how regional relationships and economic ties shape public opinion.
Brazilian and Mexican companies, meanwhile, were less clearly defined in the global public imagination. Many respondents indicated uncertainty about these firms, suggesting that familiarity and visibility remain key factors in shaping corporate reputation.
Trade relationships and perceptions
The broader context of international trade relations also appears to influence how companies are viewed. The study found that the United States had nearly twice as many respondents rating their country’s trade relationship as poor compared with other major economies, with negative sentiment driven largely by respondents in Canada and Europe.
Europeans tended to report stronger internal trade relationships within the region than with countries such as the United States, Brazil, India, or South Korea. In contrast, respondents in Latin America reported generally positive regional relationships and relatively favorable views of China, while participants in the Middle East and North Africa expressed particularly strong trade perceptions toward Japan and China.
Navigating turbulence
For multinational corporations, the findings highlight the importance of understanding local expectations and cultural contexts. The report suggests that companies may need to position themselves as global or locally embedded organizations, rather than being defined primarily by their headquarters.
In an era of heightened scrutiny, corporate reputation is no longer shaped solely by brand messaging or financial performance. Instead, it is increasingly intertwined with geopolitics, public trust, and the social and economic priorities of communities around the world.
As global markets grow more interconnected—and more polarized—the challenge for multinational corporations may be not only to do business across borders, but to earn acceptance in societies that are paying closer attention than ever before.
