Piaras Kelly has a fascinating post dealing with the results of the Edelman Trust Barometer. This is an international survey of ‘Opinion formers’ and this is the first time Ireland has been included in the survey. There’s some interesting results from the NGO / non-profit persepctive:
• NGOs are the most trusted NGOs in the developed world, while businesses are most trusted in developing countries.
• Similarly, in the EU, NGOs are out ahead as most trusted.
• However, when you get to Ireland, Businesses are more trusted (50% as against 48% for NGOs)
The big question is whether this is a positive reflection of Irish businesses or negative one of Irish NGOs? Piaras attributes it to our recent economic boom.
• Interestingly, Global Warming comes out as the issue that the Irish respondents felt was the top issue companies should address.
• 44% felt that NGO spokespersons were “extremely or very credible” (significantly higher than business CEOs).
• And a reality check for those of us who blog: only 13% think we’re very credible.
Thanks to Piaras for posting up not just the commentary but also a selection of presentation slides. Required reading.
[tags]charity, ngo, trust, edelman trust barometer, governance[/tags]
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Ireland threw up some really interesting results in the research, and its level of trust in business and NGOs was probably the highlight of that. We exhibit the behaviour of both a developed and developing country. Like the rest of the developed world, NGOs are close to the top. However, because our economic turnaround has been such an overnight phenomenon, we still behave like a developing country in that we trust business organisations more than any other institution.
The proof of the pudding that this isn’t a negative reflection on NGOPs in Ireland is that Greenpeace and Amensty International both ranked as the most trusted brands in the country.
… the interesting thing about your last point Piaras is that Greenpeace – although a global brand – have no actual presence in Ireland!
Never knew that, very strange