[Edaily Reporter Shin Yeong-bin ] Samsung SDS (SAMSUNG SDS CO., LTD.(018260)) has been ranked No. 1 globally in the “Software & Telecommunications” category of Newsweek’s “World’s Most Trusted Companies 2026” list.

Samsung SDS announced on the 14th that it took first place in the “Software and Telecommunications” category in this evaluation, conducted jointly by Newsweek and the global research firm Statista.

Global IT companies such as IBM (2nd), Rakuten (4th), Palo Alto Networks (5th), SAP (6th), and TCS (7th) ranked among the top in the Software & Telecommunications category. Among South Korean companies, Naver ranked 8th, joining Samsung SDS in the top tier.

Newsweek and Statista conducted a survey targeting global publicly traded companies with revenues of at least $500 million across 23 industry sectors in 20 countries. They evaluated trust levels among customers, investors, and employees based on the opinions of a total of 65,000 respondents.

The evaluation criteria consisted of customer trust—assessing products, services, and customer service; investor trust—evaluating long-term investment value and management competence; and employee trust—examining fair treatment, compensation, and growth opportunities.

A separate online analysis was also conducted on the top 1,400 companies identified through the survey. Over a period of approximately five months, more than 320,000 mentions collected from web articles, news reports, forums, social media, and comments were analyzed to comprehensively evaluate positive, neutral, and negative reactions, as well as their influence.

Following its first-place finish in the Conglomerate category in 2023, Samsung SDS ranked first in the Software & Telecommunications category in 2024 and second in the same category last year. By regaining the top spot this year, the company has made Newsweek’s list of the World’s Most Trusted Companies for four consecutive years.

The company is also establishing systems to strengthen trust in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). It is reinforcing digital responsibility governance by establishing a dedicated AI ethics team and operating a monitoring system that covers the entire AI development process.

In the environmental sector, it is promoting the transition to renewable energy and the expansion of low-power, high-efficiency data centers, while in its logistics business, it is providing transportation routes that reduce carbon emissions. It is also continuing initiatives to enhance trust among employees and investors, such as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) policies and expanded shareholder returns.

A Samsung SDS spokesperson stated, “We are continuously pursuing responsible digital innovation and ESG management while prioritizing customer value above all else.”