The topic of corporate reputation took center stage in one of the panels Global Agribusiness Festival held this Friday, June 6, in São Paulo. The debate on “Building brand images and reputation” brought together Anik Suzuki, founder and CEO of ANK Reputation, Francesca Tomaselli, Director of Digital Strategy at Oficina Consultoria, and Silmara Ferraresi, Director of Institutional Relations at the Brazilian Association of Cotton Producers (Abrapa).
Moderated by Ricardo Nicodemos, president of Brazilian Association of Rural Marketing and Agribusiness (ABMRA)), the panel at Allianz Parque discussed the challenges faced by companies in their reputational journeys in the face of global transformations. It also brought reflections for agribusiness, in particular, with alternatives for the activity to ensure an image internally and abroad that is in line with its importance in the global context.
“We need to build solid and strategic foundations. Crises will always exist and we need to be prepared.”
Ricardo Nicodemus,
President of ABMRA
Anik Suzuki noted that reputation means trust and that times are tough to build. According to her, long-lasting and successful companies will inevitably face crises – whether caused by internal factors, under the control of managers, or external, often unpredictable ones. Still, she drew attention to data from a survey conducted by ANK at the end of 2024, with more than 100 managers of large companies in Brazil.
– More than 80% stated that their companies are not adequately prepared to face crises. This is an important warning for all of us who work in communications and have the responsibility to address the issue of reputation within companies – said Anik.
The biggest challenge for those who produce today, he added, is to understand, manage and meet not only the interests, but also the expectations of stakeholders.
– In agribusiness, building and maintaining a reputation is even more challenging, as you well know, because this is part of the daily lives of those in the sector – he stated.
Therefore, he emphasized, it is essential to design a consistent and long-term reputation journey. Anik pointed out four priorities for reputation managers. The first is to ask the right questions, focusing on what really matters and investing in qualitative analyses that reveal the mental model and feelings of stakeholders. Another point is to do the basics well, with updated narratives, influential spokespeople and strategies aligned with the maturity of the audiences. It is also important to go beyond the obligation, guided by purpose and the idea of giving back to society what we reap from it. And, finally, it is necessary to be prepared for crises, with risk mapping, mitigation plans and protocols ready, transforming threats into opportunities.
Digital world enhances crises
Francesca Tomaselli also highlighted the challenges faced today, which are not restricted to agribusiness, referring to the BANI concept, which describes a world characterized by fragility (Brittle), anxiety (Anxious), non-linearity (Nonlinear) and incomprehensibility (Incomprehensible).
This instability, he explained, leads to the idea of permacrisis, a state of constant and prolonged crisis, in which political, economic, social or environmental difficulties follow one another without respite, turning the exception into a new normal. The digital world tends to intensify all of these factors.
Even in this unstable scenario, it is possible to move forward, as Silmara Ferraresi demonstrated. The Director of Institutional Relations at Abrapa presented the successful case “I am made of Cotton”, launched in 2016 with the aim of raising collective awareness around fashion and responsible consumption, which continues to reap results.
Abrapa's initiative unites and values professionals from the entire cotton and textile industry production chain, engaging with end consumers through actions, content and partnerships with brands and companies. Since then, the number of people involved with the product has grown steadily, helping to strengthen its internal and external image.
Reputation management is valid for companies of all sizes
One of the questions raised during the panel by moderator Ricardo Nicodemos was whether reputation management is also a valid alternative for smaller companies. Anik Suzuki considered that the challenge is for any company, regardless of size, and that the need is even more evident in agribusiness, as the world is looking at this area in Brazil.
Therefore, the executive spoke of the importance of companies and leaders having a repertoire, being aware of what is happening around them, having a clear positioning aimed at the right people and knowing the strategic relationship spaces to be better known and recognized.
. Clovis Malta is a journalist
clovis.malta@ankreputation.com.br
. Mariana Azevedo is a journalist and Business and Marketing Manager at ANK
mariana.azevedo@ankreputation.com.br
