More than half of the Australians questioned for the latest Edelman Trust Barometer said they trusted government to do what is right. At 52 percent it’s only just over the halfway mark, but it’s 11 percent higher than last year. This reflects the opinions of opinion formers — educated consumers of news and business media — who were interviewed late last year.

In this edition of BTalk Michelle Hutton, CEO of Edelman Australia, talks about the findings and what it means for business.

There is good news for business, with trust in companies having increased, in Australia and around the world. It has bounced back after a sizeable dip during the worst of the global financial crisis. It varies by sector — we trust technology companies well ahead of finance companies and telecommunications companies. NGOs are the most trusted institutions in Australia (63 percent) whilst the media, not surprisingly, is close to the bottom of the ladder (32 percent).

There are some useful findings for businesses who see the importance of building trust to enhance a brand and build loyalty. First, clearly, behave more like NGOs. Secondly, the influence of a CEO seems to be important, so having someone at the top who is media savvy will help. We’re also researching a lot more, so influencing what people read about you online is also key. All this points to a change in the way your business handles PR.

First published on CBS News