Business remains the most trusted institution

Edelman’s annual surveys of about 32,000 adults in 28 countries show a familiar pattern from 2011 to 2024: business sits at the top, while NGOs follow, and government plus media stay lower.

• Business ends near 60%
• NGOs sit around 56%
• Government recovers to about 52%
• Media stays close to 50%

That’s the trust environment founder personas are trying to work in. People may still be skeptical of institutions, but they often give a real person more credit than a logo.

Data source: Edelman’s 2025 Trust Barometer

Related read: How to Grow a Founder Persona on X: A Practical Founder Growth System