The story of the Edelman Trust Barometer began in 1999 with the “Battle of Seattle,” when anti-globalization protests organized by nongovernmental organizations erupted in violence at the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference.
We wondered how NGOs would be perceived relative to the institutions of business, government and media. The Trust Barometer posed a simple question: “How much do you trust each institution to do what is right?” We were stunned to find that NGOs were the most trusted institution in most countries. This was the first indication that the global consensus on the triumph of capitalism and democracy was built on a foundation of sand.
