Reputational risk, often called reputation risk, is a risk of loss resulting from damages to a firm's reputation, in lost revenue; increased operating, capital or regulatory costs; or destruction of shareholder value, consequent to an adverse or potentially criminal event even if the company is not found guilty. Adverse events typically associated with reputation risk include ethics, safety, security, sustainability, quality, and innovation. Reputational risk can be a matter of corporate trust.
This type of risk can be informational in nature that may be difficult to realize financially. Extreme cases may even lead to bankruptcy (as in the case of Arthur Andersen). Recent examples of companies include: Toyota, Goldman Sachs, Oracle Corporation, NatWest and BP. The reputational risk may not always be the company's fault as per the case of the Chicago Tylenol murders after seven people died in 1982.