On the other hand, 29% of Americans think NGOs (non-governmental organizations) are the most likely institutions to lead to a better world followed by 22% who say businesses will take us where we need to be.

Trust in government is near all-time lows, as we pointed out the other day.

But trust in employers is growing according to the Edelman Trust Barometer annual survey.

The employer is the safe house in global governance, with 72 percent of respondents saying that they trust their employer to do what is right. By nearly a two-to-one margin, a company is trusted to take specific actions that both increase profits and improve economic and social conditions.

There are new expectations of corporate leaders. Nearly 7 in 10 respondents say that building trust is the No. 1 job for CEOs, ahead of high-quality products and services. Nearly two-thirds say they want CEOs to take the lead on policy change instead of waiting for government, which now ranks significantly below business in trust in most markets.