Lego has topped a list of the world's most reputable companies for the fourth year in a row, according to an annual survey, closely followed by Disney, with both firms appearing in the top 10 every year since 2011.

Innovation, investment in staff training and a focus on quality have helped them maintain their good reputations, according to the Reputation Institute, which surveyed more than 80,000 people in 15 countries for its Global RepTrak study, published Tuesday.

Lego scored 78.9 out of a possible 100 points, while Disney scored 78.1. Rolex, Ferrari, Microsoft, Levi Strauss, Netflix, Adidas, Bosch and Intel made up the rest of the top 10.

The study asked people about how they perceived a company, including their products, governance, leadership, financial performance, how innovative they are and their "citizenship," or how they behave as a business in wider society.

Lego and Disney scored well in terms of their products and services. "They're doing the best in matters of innovation and being able to adapt year over year (and) expand their product offerings," according to Isadora Levy, the Reputation Institute's director of marketing insights, who spoke to CNBC. Levy credited Disney's move into streaming and Lego's shift to plant-based or recycled bricks by 2030 as examples of how they are meeting consumers' demands.

Disney also fared well because of its investment in education: In 2018, it put $50 million into staff training, including funding higher education and vocational courses.

Notably absent from the top 10 are Google and Apple, which came first and second respectively when the survey began in 2011. Google featured in the top 10 every year until 2018, while Apple has been ranked five times in 10 years.