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2011 Edelman Trust Barometer Executive Summary
2
2011
EDELMAN TRUST BAROMETER
Business and Government: Trust Stabilizes Globally
In a year marred by corporate crises and fnancial turmoil or European governments, the 2011 EdelmanTrust Barometer fnds trust in business and government markedly resilient and sees a shiting center ogravity. Trust in NGOs, “the fth estate” in global governance, stays strong
.
In this year’s Barometer, a three-partpicture emerges o trusters, neutrals,and distrusters o business and gov-ernment (fgures 1 and 2). Countrieshovering in the 50 percent-range, socalled “neutrals,” occupy a middleground as the divide widens betweentrusters (over 60 percent, includingBrazil and China) and distrusters(under 50 percent, including the U.S.,U.K., France, and Russia). The United States, which last yearenjoyed an 18-point spike in trust inbusiness, saw an eight-point drop,placing the world’s largest economicpower within fve points o last-placeRussia. Trust in government tumbledin the U.S., where the two politicalparties were at loggerheads (seepage 4 or more on the U.S.).In the early years o the Barometer,trust in business and governmenttended to move in opposition. In-creased trust in one was met bydecreased trust in the other. Wegenerally now see the two movingin tandem, an important step as theexpectation is or the world’s two dom-inant institutions to work together. The predominant exception is Ger-many, where trust in business is upby 12 points, but trust in governmentis down by 10 points—to 33 percent,the lowest o the top 10 economies.In Germany, business is now enjoyingthe beneft o the Hartz labor reorms,but the government is seeing wide-spread opposition to the country’sbailout o troubled European nations.
Figure 1:
Emerging markets dominate as “business trusters;” U.S. dropsto within 5 points o Russia (Top 10 GDP countries)
How much do you trust business to do what is right?
Brazil India Italy China Japan Germany France U.S. U.K. Russia
67%70%59%64%62%61%62%81%
+19
2010
49%44%36%48%
-8
54%46%57%53%42%
41%
20112010 20112010 2011
40%52%
+12+12
0102030405060708090100
TrustersNeutralDistrusters
Responses 6-9 only on 1-9 scale; 9=highest; Inormed publics ages 25 to 64
Figure 2:
China and Brazil drive rise in trust in government; U.S. now on parwith Russia (Top 10 GDP countries)
How much do you trust government to do what is right?
43%49%
2010 201120112010 2011
China Brazil Japan France Italy India U.K. U.S. Russia Germany
39%85%42%51%36%45%74%88%
+14 +46+46-6
43%33%46%40%43%44%38%38%43%39%
0102030405060708090100
-10
Responses 6-9 only on 1-9 scale; 9=highest; Inormed publics ages 25 to 64
TrustersNeutralDistrusters
3
2009 2011
32
%
49% 48%53
%80%
85
%
75
%82%
China India U.S. U.K.
+7
2008 2011
83
%
87%78
%
90%46
%
16%25
%
71
%
-46-30
China India U.S. U.K.
+12
0102030405060708090100
2008 2011
78
%
73%69%73
%
93
%
93
%
77
%
98%
China India U.S. U.K.
+21+17
Figure 3:
Banks’ reputation plummets in West, while tech stays highworldwide; automotive climbs across the globe
Responses 6-9 only on 1-9 scale; 9=highest; Inormed publics ages 25 to 64
How much do you trust the ollowing industries to do what is right?
BanksTechnology
Trust in Banks Plunges in West; TechnologyHolds Firm at No. 1; Automotive Rallies
Technology, which is in the No. 1 spotor the third straight year, is nowollowed by automotive and telecom-munications. In the U.S., where GMposted the largest IPO in history,the automotive industry earned backhal o the trust it had lost in 2009. The starkest contrast, however, isbetween technology and banks(igure 3). The dramatic three-yeardrop in trust in banks in the Westkeeps this industry stuck at the bot-tom in global industry rankings. Bycontrast, in China, where banks arecredited with inancing increasedprosperity, trust surged by 12 pointsto 90 percent. All our BRIC countries have gainedtrust as headquarter countries orglobal companies (fgure 4). The trustcomes mainly rom ellow emergingmarkets, indicating that the BRICstrategy to target emerging econ-omies is producing results. However,when compared to Germany andCanada, longtime leaders in themost-trusted-headquarter-countrycategory, the BRICs still have aways to go to be considered reliablebusiness hubs.In 16 o the 23 countries surveyed,NGOs are as or more trusted thanbusiness. Historically trusted most indeveloped markets, NGOs continueto gain trust in emerging markets(igure 5). In Brazil and China, whereNGOs are on par with business,higher economic levels come witha greater concern or environmentalresponsibility, education, and publichealth, the very province o NGOs.
Figure 4:
Trust in BRIC-basedcompanies rises
How much do you trust globalcompanies headquartered in theollowing countries to do what is right?
2010 20112010 2011
0102030405060708090100
CanadaGermany
75
%
76%76%75%
Brazil India RussiaChina
39
%
42%36
%
40%39
%
34
%
30%35%
+3+5+5+4
Responses 6-9 only on 1-9 scale; 9=highest; Inormed publics ages 25 to 64
0102030405060708090100
Brazil China U.K./Fr/GerU.S.
61%63%81%80%
Business NGOs
46%55%48%55%
Figure 5:
Trust in NGOs on par withbusiness in emerging markets
How much do you trust business todo what is right? How much do youtrust NGOs to do what is right?
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