Center for Environmental Innovation

The public often distrusts EH&S information.  This skepticism extends beyond corporate disclosures to information provided by governmental organizations, trade associations, financial institutions, and non-governmental organizations (NGO's).  Even organizations specifically established to independently certify information as trustworthy are often perceived to be subject to bias. So whom does the public trust?

The public does not rely on any single organization completely and without question.  Acceptance and ascription of credibility are a matter of degree.  Factors such as the perceived competency of an organization to accurately research, evaluate and certify information, and perceptions of their independence are paramount.  For example, clerical leaders have a high degree of public trust, but are not recognized as experts in the technical skills needed to conduct EH&S audits.

Research has shown that universities are trusted more than almost any other organizations.  In a Florida research study the ratings of favorable versus unfavorable trust levels were obtained for 21 sources of environmental information.  Seven hundred individuals representing the general public, environmental professionals, and politically active citizens were surveyed.  College and university educators were rated at the top level of trust by all three groups (Table 1).

Recent results of an extensive study conducted by the Field Institute in California are even more convincing.  They illustrate that over a nearly twenty-five year period, universities have consistently maintained one of the highest levels of public confidence (Figure 1).  In addition to the relatively high degree of public confidence in them, universities have the technical skills to evaluate EH&S information.