Public Sector Reputation Index: New Zealand

The Public Sector Reputation Index was developed nearly a decade ago in response to demand from our public sector clients for rigorous, independent benchmarks of their reputation.

The Index is a globally validated model of reputation that has been carefully adapted for the public sector.

This model includes 16 reputation attributes under four central pillars:

• Trust,
• Leadership,
• Social responsibility, and
• Fairness

Highlights of 2026's results include:

- This year the reputation of the public sector has increased to a level not seen since the pandemic. This rise is not just due to a small number of high performing agencies pulling ahead. It’s due to a wider strengthening across the public sector.

- Over the last decade, reputation has shifted from being driven by a relatively even mix of factors to being much more anchored in trust and organisational competence.

- The ability to communicate credibly with the public is intrinsically tied to organisational reputation. An agency’s ability to communicate effectively ultimately depends on whether it has built the trust to be believed.

- Emotional connection is a key enabler of reputational improvement. Agencies that deepen their emotional connection with New Zealanders can build trust and strengthen their overall reputation.

- Agencies operating in contested areas face a more exposed and challenging reputational environment, where trust must be actively built rather than assumed.

- In our environment, the case to increase public support for funding has to demonstrate clear need, visible service pressure, and tangible impact.

- AI may help agencies do more with less - but in a constrained environment, it might also feel like a loss of human support (particularly for those who are more vulnerable and experiencing financial hardship themselves).

The top ten performing agencies and most improved are available in the full report - download it in the link on the left.

Recommendations for agencies include:

1. Focus on delivering consistently strong services that people can experience directly.
2. Demonstrate that you are well run, forward-looking, and using resources responsibly.
3. Make sure what people hear from you matches what it feels like to deal with your agency.
4. Build emotional connection by linking your work to outcomes that matter to people.
5. Be transparent and consistent in contested areas, where trust is harder to maintain.

If you'd like to know more how Verian can support you in building your agency's reputation or to request a customised report, get in touch with Andrew Robertson.