Woolworths Leads South African Retailers in Global Trust Ranking
Woolworths Leads South African Retailers in Global Trust Ranking. Woolworths has emerged as the highest-ranked South African retailer in the 2026 World’s Most Trustworthy Companies ranking, placing 15th globally as four local retail names featured in the top 50.
Dis-Chem ranked 21st, followed by Clicks at 27th and Cashbuild at 47th. The results put four South African retailers among the 50 highest-ranked companies in the global ranking, which recognises 1,000 businesses based on trust among consumers, employees, job seekers and investors.
The ranking draws on approximately 200,000 company evaluations from more than 65,000 people across 20 countries. The research also included an analysis of more than 320,000 media mentions.
According to the ranking, the research provides a global view of companies distinguished by their reputations, resilience and ability to build lasting trust among key stakeholders.
Woolworths Group CEO Sam Ngumeni said the recognition reflected the retailer’s values and the trust it had built with its stakeholders.
“Ranking among the world’s most trustworthy companies is proof of our values in action,” Ngumeni said. “I’m proud of our business for achieving this recognition, and we’ll continue to work hard to earn that trust every single day.”
Woolworths’ 15th-place position makes it the highest-ranked South African retailer in the 2026 list, while Dis-Chem, Clicks and Cashbuild also secured positions within the global top 50.
The ranking places the four retailers among companies recognised through research measuring confidence across several stakeholder groups and examining corporate visibility through media coverage.
The results highlight the presence of South African retail companies in an international ranking focused on trust, reputation and stakeholder confidence.
Together, the four retailers account for a notable share of the South African representation in the ranking’s top tier. Their positions range from Woolworths in 15th place to Cashbuild in 47th, with Dis-Chem and Clicks also placed ahead of Cashbuild in the ranking.
