The Red Cross has been ranked as the most trusted NGO in Austria, according to a new survey.
Charities focused on social and health issues dominated the list, with St. Anna Children’s Cancer Research and the Red Noses also receiving high scores. At the other end of the spectrum, the climate group “Fridays for Future” recorded the lowest level of trust.
Established Organisations Earn Strong Trust
The APA/OGM Trust Index, conducted by the Austria Press Agency in partnership with polling firm OGM, measures the balance between public trust and distrust. Established aid organisations continue to enjoy strong support.
The Red Cross is recognised by nearly everyone surveyed (99%), achieving a trust balance of +81, the highest score in the rankings. Similarly, St. Anna Children’s Cancer Research (+76) and the Red Noses (+76) performed strongly. The Cancer Aid Association and Doctors Without Borders were also highly rated.
Animal welfare charities, such as WWF and Four Paws, also scored positively, each with a trust balance of +40. These organisations were just behind the “Light into Darkness” campaign, which maintains a similarly positive reputation.
Mixed Results for Other NGOs
Caritas received some criticism, with 32% of respondents expressing distrust. Despite this, it achieved a positive trust balance of +30. Greenpeace (+20) and Amnesty International (+17) also performed respectably, outperforming Gut Aiderbichl (+16).
Global 2000, while scoring lower than Greenpeace, remained in positive territory with a balance of +7.
“Fridays for Future,” a high-profile climate action group, recorded the lowest score in the survey with a trust balance of -43, indicating widespread scepticism about its activities.
Other organisations, such as Transparency International and Attac, struggled with low levels of public awareness. Only 29% of respondents had an opinion on Transparency International, which scored +3, while just 21% were familiar with Attac, which received a score of -7.
Trust levels stagnating
Despite overall strong trust in NGOs, there has been a slight decline. Wolfgang Bachmayer of OGM attributed this to a broader drop in confidence. “There is a general drop in trust, particularly in areas like climate and environmental issues, as well as societal and human rights concerns,” he explained.