#21 of 100 – Financial Services

Australian Ethical

Ethical investment manager that sells superannuation directly to customers through digital marketing and offers managed funds both directly and through advisers.

By Abhimanyu Ghosh, Chairman, WCRC, with the WCRC Business Intelligence Unit · November 2026

Consumer Trust 88/100
Australian Ethical ranked #21 in Australia & New Zealand's Most Trusted D2C Brands 2026 by WCRC
Trust Score81.96out of 100
ANZ D2C rank#21 of 100
HeadquartersSydney, NSW, Australia
Founded1986
Latest revenueA$129.5M operating revenue (FY2026, year ended 30 Jun 2026)
Trust pillar88/100

The Australian Ethical story

Australian Ethical was founded in Australia in 1986 and is owned today by Public (ASX: AEF), Australian Ethical Investment Ltd. It is one of 9 Financial Services brands in this year's ranking, where it places #1.

Why people trust Australian Ethical

It has offered investment products guided by its Australian Ethical Charter since 1986 and managed a record A$14.5B at 30 June 2026.

The watch-out

It is still completing work tied to APRA licence conditions, and the final phase of its investment platform upgrade is not due until the first half of FY2027.

Why Australian Ethical ranks #21

Strongest of the four trust-led pillars

Brand Positioning, scored 90 out of 100.

Room to grow

Brand Recall, scored 66 out of 100.

The WCRC D2C Trust Score gives 80% of the weight to Consumer Trust, Brand Recall, Positioning and Brand Love. Australian Ethical scores 81.96 overall.

Pillar profile

Consumer Trust & Sentiment (32%)
88
Brand Recall (18%)
66
Brand Positioning (15%)
90
Brand Love (15%)
82
Product, Innovation & Delivery (10%)
78
Digital & Financial Soundness (6%)
80
Governance & ESG (4%)
88

Versus its nearest rivals

Questions people ask

What rank is Australian Ethical in WCRC's Australia & New Zealand's Most Trusted D2C Brands 2026?

Australian Ethical ranks #21 of 100 in WCRC's Australia & New Zealand's Most Trusted D2C Brands 2026, with a WCRC D2C Trust Score of 81.96 out of 100.

Why is Australian Ethical trusted?

It has offered investment products guided by its Australian Ethical Charter since 1986 and managed a record A$14.5B at 30 June 2026.

What is Australian Ethical's revenue?

A$129.5M operating revenue (FY2026, year ended 30 Jun 2026), as per company filings.

Who owns Australian Ethical?

Australian Ethical is owned by Public (ASX: AEF), Australian Ethical Investment Ltd. It was founded in 1986 in Australia and is based in Sydney, NSW, Australia.

What is Australian Ethical's biggest challenge?

It is still completing work tied to APRA licence conditions, and the final phase of its investment platform upgrade is not due until the first half of FY2027.

Key facts

BrandAustralian Ethical
Company / ownerPublic (ASX: AEF), Australian Ethical Investment Ltd
HeadquartersSydney, NSW, Australia
Founded1986
Founder(s)Not listed in our verified sources
Latest revenueA$129.5M operating revenue (FY2026, year ended 30 Jun 2026), as per company filings
SectorFinancial Services
Country of originAustralia

Sources

  • Annual report and results announcements lodged with the ASX
  • Company website, official announcements and press releases
  • Published interviews and statements by the founders and leadership
  • WCRC Business Intelligence Unit research: consumer ratings and reviews, complaint records, search demand and social data
Want the full picture? For the detailed methodology, a brand's full assessment report, or the other factors behind a score, contact the WCRC Business Intelligence Unit at consulting@wcrcint.com.
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Disclaimer
  1. Who was considered. Only brands whose owners publish financial results, or that have publicly stated their own revenue, were considered. Brands that do not publish revenue have not been assessed or ranked. Not being on this list says nothing about a brand's quality.
  2. Eligibility. Ranked brands were founded in Australia or New Zealand, are controlled there today, and sell mainly direct to consumers: online, by app, by phone or mail order, or through their own stores under their own label. The rules are applied as of November 2026.
  3. Independent opinion. This ranking is WCRC's independent research and opinion, based on publicly available information as of November 2026. It is not an endorsement of any brand.
  4. Not advice. Nothing on this site is investment, financial, insurance, medical, legal or purchasing advice. Do not rely on it to make decisions of that kind.
  5. Scores. WCRC D2C Trust Scores are provisional assessments by the WCRC Business Intelligence Unit at the time of research. They are opinions, not measurements, and may be revised.
  6. Revenue and facts. Revenue is shown as lodged with the ASX or NZX, with ASIC or the New Zealand Companies Office, or published in company results, or, where marked, as stated by the company itself. Figures are in Australian or New Zealand dollars unless noted, and are not converted. Some figures are for a parent company segment, as noted. WCRC has not audited any figure. Facts are checked twice against public sources, but errors are possible.
  7. Trademarks. Brand names, logos and trademarks belong to their owners. Their use here is for identification only and does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by WCRC.
  8. Use of the badge. Ranked brands may use the WCRC badge only as provided, linked to their page, and unaltered. Any other use of the WCRC name, badge or data needs WCRC's written permission.
  9. Rights and AI. © 2026 WCRC. All rights reserved. The WCRC D2C Trust Score and its methodology are proprietary. Copying, text and data mining, and use of this content to train artificial intelligence models are not permitted without written permission; WCRC expressly reserves these rights, including under Article 4 of EU Directive 2019/790.
  10. Corrections. To report an error or ask for a review, write to consulting@wcrcint.com. Corrections are made promptly.