The Edelman Trust Barometer 2015 for Germany indicates a significant decline in trust across various institutions, with trust levels for business, government, media, and NGOs all decreasing. The study shows that 57% of the informed public feel the pace of innovation in business is too fast, leading to cautious attitudes towards advancements like electronic payments and genetically modified foods. Transparency and third-party validation are identified as critical factors for regaining trust in technology and innovation among the German public.

1. GERMANS ARE
AFRAID OF INNOVATIONS
EDELMAN TRUST BAROMETER
2015 GERMANY RESULTS

2. PG 2
EDELMAN’S 15th Annual
TRUST BAROMETER METHODOLOGY
Informed Public
• 500 respondents in U.S.
and China, and 200 in
other countries
• Ages 25-64
• College-educated
• In top 25% of household
income per age group in
each country
• Report significant media
consumption and
engagement in business
news and public policy
• 15 years of data
General Online Population
• 1,000 respondents per
country surveyed
• Ages 18+
• 4 years in 25+ markets
Online Survey in 27 Countries
• 33,000 respondents
• 7 years in 20+ markets
• 10 years in 10+ markets

3. PG 3
China 79
UAE 79
Singapore 73
Indonesia 72
India 69
Malaysia 65
Canada 60
Netherlands 60
Hong Kong 59
Mexico 59
Australia 58
Brazil 57
Germany 57
Argentina 53
U.K. 52
S. Korea 51
Sweden 51
S. Africa 50
U.S. 49
France 46
Japan 44
Italy 43
Turkey 41
Ireland 39
Spain 39
Russia 37
Poland 35
NUMBER OF TRUSTER COUNTRIES AT AN ALL-TIME LOW
THE TRUST INDEX
TRUSTERSNEUTRALDISTRUSTERS
2014
TRUSTERS
from 30% to
22% in 2015
GLOBAL 56
Italy 48
S. Africa 48
Hong Kong 47
S. Korea 47
U.K. 46
Argentina 45
Poland 45
Russia 45
Spain 45
Sweden 45
Turkey 40
Ireland 37
Japan 37
2015
UAE 84
India 79
Indonesia 78
China 75
Singapore 65
Netherlands 64
Brazil 59
Mexico 59
Malaysia 56
Canada 53
Australia 52
France 52
U.S. 52
Germany 50
GLOBAL 55
DISTRUSTERS
from 33% to
48% in 2015
The Trust Index is an average of a country’s trust in
the institutions of government, business, media and
NGOs.
27-country global total.
Informed
Public

4. PG 4
TRUST IN THE FOUR INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS, MEDIA AND NGOS IN GERMANY, 2014
VS. 2015
Q11-14. [TRACKING] Below is a list of institutions. For each one, please indicate how much you trust that institution
to do what is right using a nine-point scale, where one means that you “do not trust them at all” and nine means that
you “trust them a great deal.” (Top 4 Box Trust) Informed Publics in Germany.
THE EVAPORATION OF TRUST:
NGOS, BUSINESS, MEDIA ALL DECLINE
BUSINESS
GOVERNMENT
MEDIA
NGOS
Informed
Public
57%
45%
2014 2015
#3
69%
59%
2014 2015
#1
49% 50%
2014 2015
#2
54%
45%
2014 2015
#4

5. PG 5
THE PACE OF DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE IN BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY IN GERMANY TODAY IS …
Q349-351. Below are a number of statements. For each, please think about the pace of development and change
in business and industry today, and select the response that most accurately represents your opinion. (Not
Enough, Too Much) Informed Publics, in Germany.
TRUST IN BUSINESS INNOVATION: PACE IS TOO
FAST
57% Too Fast21% Too Slow
Informed
Public
19% Just Right

6. PG 6
TRUST IN RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY IN GERMANY
BUSINESS INNOVATION:
TRUST IN NEW DEVELOPMENTS VARIES
Informed
Public
Q355-359. Below are a number of recent developments in business and industry. To what degree do you trust
each of these recent developments? (Top 4 Box, Trust) Informed Publics, in Germany.
50%
48%
33%
30%
25%
21%
Electronic and Mobile
Payments
Electronic and
Personal Health
Trackers
Cloud Computing Genetically Modified
Foods
Hydraulic Fracturing

7. PG 7
Q360-364: Now thinking specifically about each of the following industries, how much do you trust them to responsibly
develop and release each of these recent developments? (Showing % who trust, rated 6-9). Informed Publics, in Germany.
Q43-60. Please indicate how much you trust businesses in each of the following industries to do what is right. Again, please
use the same nine-point scale, where one means that you “do not trust them at all” and nine means that you “trust them a
great deal.” Informed Publics, in Germany.
Informed
Public
TRUST IN INDUSTRIES’ ABILITIES TO RESPONSIBLY DEVELOP AND RELEASE
INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENTS, COMPARED TO TRUST IN INDUSTRIES IN GERMANY
25%
25%
35%
36%
37%
51%
37%
45%
27%
66%
Financial Services
Electronic Payments
Health
Personal Health Trackers
Technology
Cloud Computing
Energy
Hydraulic Fracturing
Food & Beverage
Genetically Modified Foods
TRUST INDUSTRY SECTOR TRUST INDUSTRY TO IMPLEMENT EACH DEVELOPMENT
-29
+9
-10
-12
-26
Gap
Trust in Industry Sector
vs.
Trust in Industry to Innovate
BUSINESS INNOVATION: TRUST IN INDUSTRY SECTORS
DOES NOT GUARANTEE INNOVATIONS ARE TRUSTED

8. PG 8
BEHAVIOR BASED ON TRUST IN GERMANY
TRUST IN INNOVATION MATTERS
Informed
Public
Q371-376. Thinking back over the past 12 months, have you taken any of the following actions in relation to
companies that you trust? Please answer yes or no to each action. Informed Publics, Germany.
Q377-380. Still thinking about the past 12 months, have you taken any of the following actions in relation to
companies that you do not trust? Please answer yes or no to each action. Informed Publics, Germany.
Trusted CompaniesDistrusted Companies
Refused to buy products/services Chose to buy products/services-51% 77%
Criticized them to a friend/colleague Recommended them to a friend/colleague-52% 57%
Paid more for products/services 51%
Shared negative
opinions online
Shared positive opinions online-22% 28%
Defended company 36%
I sold
shares
I bought shares-11% 18%

9. PG 9
BUILDING AND DEFENDING TRUST:
CLEAR PERSONAL AND SOCIETAL BENEFITS ARE
KEY
53% 33% 29%
Fails to Contribute
to the Greater
Good
Provides Few/No
Public Services
Lacks Economic
Growth
64% 57% 47%
Allows Me to Be a
Productive
Member of Society
Produces Economic
Growth
Helps Me and My
Family
Live a Healthy
Life
Reasons Trust in
Business Has Increased
in GERMANY
Informed
Public
Q328-329. For which of the following reasons, if any, has your trust in each institution listed below increased over the past
year? (Top 4 Box, Trust) Informed Publics, in Germany. Q330-331. For which of the following reasons, if any, has your trust in
each institution listed below decreased over the past year? (Top 4 Box, Trust) Informed Publics, in Germany.
Q249-252. Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with the following statements? (Top 4 Box, Trust) Informed
Publics, in Germany.
Reasons Trust in
Business Has Decreased in
GERMANY
48% 63%
72%
agree
“A company can take specific actions
that both increase profits and improve
the economic and social conditions in
the community where it operates.”

10. PG 10
ACTIONS THAT INCREASE TRUST IN INDUSTRY TO IMPLEMENT TECHNOLOGY CHANGES IN GERMANY
Informed
Public
Q365-369. Below is a number of actions that could impact your trust in business and industry to develop and implement
technology-led changes such as those you just evaluated. What impact would each of these actions have on your trust?
Informed Publics, in Germany.
Q349-351. Below are a number of statements. For each, please think about the pace of development and change in
business and industry today, and select the response that most accurately represents your opinion. (Not Enough, Too
Much) Informed Publics, in Germany.
TRUST IN INNOVATION: TRANSPARENCY AND
3RD-PARTY VALIDATION ARE ESSENTIAL
Make test results available publicly for review 73%
Partner with an academic institution 63%
Partner with an NGO 63%
Run a clinical trial or beta test 56%
Partner with government 45%
57% AGREE:
New developments
are not tested
enough

11. PG 11
Q130-143. [TRACKING] Below is a list of people. In general, when forming an opinion of a company, if you heard
information about a company from each person, how credible would the information be--extremely credible, very
credible, somewhat credible, or not credible at all? (Top 2 Box, Trust) Informed Publics, in Germany.
CREDIBILITY OF SPOKESPERSONS, 2014 VS. 2015 IN GERMANY
LEADERSHIP: EXPERT AND “A PERSON LIKE
YOURSELF” MORE THAN TWICE AS CREDIBLE AS
CEO
72%
60%
63%
70%
55%
34%
37% 37%
70%
66%
61% 60%
42%
39%
32%
28%
A Person
Like Yourself
Academic or
Industry Expert
NGO
Representative
Company
Technical Expert
Regular
Employee
Government
Official
or Regulator
Financial or
Industry Analyst
CEO
2014 2015
More Trust Less Trust
Informed
Public

12. PG 12
67%
69%
77%
66%
36%
40%
43%
36%
29%
27%
35% 31%
45% 45%
47% 47%
24%
31%
37%
30%
2012 2013 2014 2015
Online Search Engines
Traditional Media
Hybrid Media
Social Media
Owned Media
Q178-182. When looking for general news and information, how much would you trust each type of source for
general news and information? Please use a nine-point scale where one means that you “do not trust it at all” and
nine means that you “trust it a great deal.” (Top 4 Box, Trust) Informed Publics, in Germany.
TRUST IN EACH SOURCE FOR GENERAL NEWS AND INFORMATION IN GERMANY
MEDIA SOURCES:
TRADITIONAL MEDIA LOSE TRUST
Informed
Public

13. PG 13
Q387-396. Thinking about the information you consume on social networking sites, such as Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn,
Meebo, Orkut, Qzone, RenRen, how much do you trust the information posted from each of the following authors or content
creators? (Top 4 Box, Trust) Informed Publics, in Germany.
Q397-406. Thinking about the information you consume on content sharing sites, such as YouTube, how much do you trust the
information posted from each of the following authors or content creators? Informed Publics,in Germany.
Q407 - 415 Thinking about the information you consume on online-only news and information sources, such as The Huffington
Post, Buzzfeed, Techcrunch, etc., how much do you trust the information posted from each of the following authors or content
creators? Informed Publics, in Germany.
22%
24%
27%
28%
33%
34%
45%
54%
60%
67%
Celebrities
Brands I don't use
A company ceo
A well-known online personality
Elected officials
Employees of a company
A journalist
Companies I use
An academic expert
My friends and family
Informed
Public
TRUST IN INFORMATION CREATED BY EACH AUTHOR ON SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES,
CONTENT SHARING SITES AND ONLINE-ONLY INFORMATION SOURCES IN GERMANY
TRUSTED
NEUTRAL
DISTRUSTED
CONTENT CREATORS: FRIENDS/FAMILY AND
EXPERTS ARE MOST TRUSTED

14. PG 14
On the cover, from top left: India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi: REUTERS/Lucas Jackson; Financial Times article on the forex rigging scandal; Ukrainian tanks:
REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko; Sony Pictures Entertainment Studios: AP PHOTO/Damian Dovarganes; Uber: REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach; Wall of hope for Malaysia Airlines
Flight MH370: REUTERS/Samsul Said; Protester calls for G20 leaders to address the Ebola issue: REUTERS/Jason