The Fortune ranking of the “World’s Most Admired Companies” is one of the most renowned corporate rankings worldwide. On the international front, moreover, Henkel took second place behind Procter & Gamble in the “Soaps and Cosmetics” category.

Henkel was able to celebrate a double success at this year’s unveiling of the “World’s Most Admired Companies”: first place among the German companies and number two in the global “Soaps and Cosmetics” category. “We are delighted to have done so well. This result further demonstrates that we are on the right track, given that the assessment criteria of this ranking coincide very closely with our strategic priorities,” commented Henkel CEO Kasper Rorsted.

The globally active branded consumer goods manufacturer took significant strides up both listings. In the inter-German contest, Henkel leaped from rank 16 to top of the league. Henkel also shot up the international rankings, moving into second place behind Procter & Gamble in the “Soaps and Cosmetics” category. Ranks three and four in this segment were taken by Estée Lauder und L’Oréal. “Companies of high reputation are like beacons in uncertain times. They shore up people’s trust in the economic system,” says Ernst Primosch who, as Chief Communications Officer of Henkel, is responsible for the management of Henkel’s corporate brand. “Aside from quality as a must-have, social responsibility and trustworthiness are becoming increasingly important in the minds of customers and consumers. Hence, these aspects are likewise major contributors to corporate success.”

Fortune’s “World’s Most Admired Companies” counts among the most important global barometers for assessing the reputation of a company. It is based on a survey involving more than 4,000 senior executives and non-executive directors at the world’s largest corporations in 64 different industries, plus a representative number of financial analysts. The respondents evaluate the companies in their own industry on the basis of nine assessment criteria: Innovation, People Management, Use of Corporate Assets, Social Responsibility, Quality of Management, Financial Soundness, Long-Term Investment, Quality of Products/Services, and Global Competitiveness.

Henkel improved in seven of these nine categories, taking first place in the fields of Social Responsibility and Use of Corporate Assets.

This annual ranking survey first began in 1997. A total of around 700 companies are included in the assessment. In the past, Fortune published two versions of the listing, one focused on US corporations - “America’s Most Admired Companies”- and an international version – the “World’s Most Admired Companies”. However, in recognition of the increasingly global nature of the markets and the competitive environment, this year for the first time Fortune merged the two surveys to create a truly international basis for comparison.

For more than 130 years, Henkel has been a leader with brands and technologies that make people's lives easier, better and more beautiful.  Henkel operates in three business areas – Home Care, Personal Care, and Adhesive Technologies – and is ranked among the Fortune Global 500 companies. More than 60 percent of Henkel’s sales are in fast-moving consumer goods, while the industrial business accounts for almost 40 percent of the company’s total sales. In fiscal 2008, Henkel generated sales of 14,131 million euros and adjusted operating profit of 1,460 million euros. Our more than 55,000 employees worldwide are dedicated to fulfilling our corporate claim, "A Brand like a Friend," and ensuring that people in more than 125 countries can trust in brands and technologies from Henkel.