20. Bank of America
> 2023 Harris Poll Reputations Score: 70.1
> Change in rank from 2016: Down by 2
Bank of America’s reputation was sullied during the financial crisis. It paid several Justice Department settlements for its role leading up to and during the financial crisis, including for mortgage abuses, consumer and investor protection offenses, and more. More recently, it was fined over how it handled disbursing unemployment benefits during the pandemic. Bank of America scores lowest in the character, trust, and ethics categories on the Axios Harris Poll.
19. ExxonMobil
> 2023 Harris Poll Reputations Score: 68.9
> Change in rank from 2016: Up by 6
Of the nine categories evaluated in the Axios Harris Poll, ExxonMobil grades lowest, by far, in the citizenship section. The energy giant has had a history of environmental incidents and has also denied the impact of climate change caused by the use of fossil fuels.
Peer energy companies such as Shell have balked at joining an industrywide effort in 2021 led by ExxonMobil to build a carbon capture and storage hub in Houston because of Exxon’s bad reputation.
18. Dollar General
> 2023 Harris Poll Reputations Score: 68.7
> Change in rank from 2016: No change
Dollar General, with nearly 18,000 stores, grades lowest in the categories of culture, character, and products and services. Some customers have said they have been dissatisfied with their purchases. Many have complained about customer service and gift card problems.
17. Burger King
> 2023 Harris Poll Reputations Score: 68.6
> Change in rank from 2016: down by 3
Burger King got dinged in the Axios Harris Poll for its culture and citizenship. The fast-food chain perpetually trails McDonald’s in sales and innovative ideas. Following McDonald’s use of celebrities to sell products, Burger King enlisted celebs such as rapper Nelly, singer Larissa Machado, and TikTok celebrity Lil Huddy – all of whom had a meal named after them.
16. Shein
> 2023 Harris Poll Reputations Score: 68.2
> Change in rank from 2016: down by 7
Shein grades low in the culture, citizenship, and character categories. The Chinese fast fashion company is famous for its cheap bikinis and bike shorts as well as its affiliation with celebs such as Katy Perry and Rita Ora.
But the e-commerce business also has been in hot water for underpaying its workers, plagiarizing designs, reportedly selling Nazi symbols, and making clothes that contain an unsafe level of toxic chemicals.
