Citizens value safety: The Border Guard and the Rescue Services are the most reputable organizations in the public sector
Reputation&Trust of public administration conducted by T-Media reveals that the Finnish Border Guard and the Finnish Rescue Service are the organizations with the best reputations in 2022. The reputations of the Ministry of Defense and the Finnish Defense Forces, which are responsible for ensuring security, rose to record levels.
T-Media surveyed the reputation of public administration organizations in October 2022, with a total of 9,583 Finns responding to the survey. The Border Guard and the Rescue Services, which tied for first place, had a reputation score of 3.95, with both organizations successfully improving their reputation. The Emergency Response Center Agency came in third with a score of 3.85. Reputation&Trust, a reputation score on a scale of 1–5 is calculated for each organization across eight different categories.
Table: The ten most reputable organizations in the Reputation&Trust Public Administration Reputation&Trust Survey.
“The reputation of security authorities is at a very high level. It’s wonderful to see the Border Guard, the Rescue Services, and the Emergency Response Center at the top of the rankings, as their work is closely linked to strengthening the public’s sense of security. This is a key issue in uncertain times,” says Riku Ruokolahti, Development Director at T-Media.
The Ministry of Defense, the Finnish Defense Forces, and the National Audit Office are the public sector organizations that have seen the greatest improvement in their reputation
Of the public sector organizations surveyed, the Ministry of Defense, the Finnish Defense Forces, and the National Audit Office were the most successful in boosting their reputation over the course of the year. All three saw an increase of 0.28 points.
“Over the past year, the defense administration has demonstrated that it is up to the task. The Finnish Defense Forces rose to the ranks of the ten most reputable organizations, and the Ministry of Defense climbed as many as a dozen spots on the list. Both raised their reputations to a moderately good level, which speaks to the high level of expertise and expert communication,” Ruokolahti says.
The National Audit Office (VTV), which had the lowest reputation score the previous year, managed to raise its reputation score from a very low 1.90 to a low 2.18. The VTV’s reputation score in the area of leadership rose particularly sharply, increasing by 0.47 points.
The Border Guard was rated the best-managed organization, receiving an excellent score of 4.03.
“Our impact analyses show that the importance of leadership is on the rise. The Border Guard, along with the Defense Forces, performs best in the area of leadership. These two organizations are the only public sector entities to have achieved an excellent rating in the leadership category,” Ruokolahti continues.
Trust in public administration remains high, but trends in Parliament are cause for concern
The Parliament’s reputation declined the most over the course of the year, remaining at a low level. It fell by 0.35 points, while public confidence in the Parliament also declined.
Overall, the level of trust that Finns place in public administration organizations remains at a solid level, even though the rating has fallen for the second year in a row. The trust rating currently stands at 3.51, based on a survey of the 25 best-known public administration organizations.
“It is concerning that public trust in the public sector is on the decline. Trust in public sector organizations is a national asset and a national treasure that has a strong impact on the functioning of our society. Restoring that trust is essential. In Western democracy, we cannot force anyone to trust us; trust must be earned. Every public administration actor has an important role to play here, but the role of the incoming Parliament is particularly crucial,” says Harri Leinikka, CEO of the research company T-Media.
This is how we conducted the study
The aim of the Reputation&Trust survey of public administration organizations, conducted by T-Media, was to assess the reputation of public administration organizations operating in Finland among the general public. Data for the survey was collected via an online questionnaire between October 4 and October 31, 2022.
The survey has been conducted annually since 2018. This year’s survey included 9,583 Finns. The survey’s target group consisted of Finns aged 15–65 nationwide (excluding the Åland Islands). The sample was weighted to be representative of the population by gender, age, and region of residence.
Organizations were evaluated using T-Media’s Reputation&Trust, in which an organization’s reputation score is calculated as the average of eight different categories. These areas are corporate governance, finance, leadership, innovation, interaction, products & services, workplace, and responsibility. These areas have a significant impact on the formation of stakeholder support and trust. The study used a five-point rating scale (1–5).
The study shows that, on average, public sector organizations are considered to be strongest in the areas of accountability and financial management. The area perceived as their weakest is innovation, which reflects the organizations’ agility and ability to adapt.
Figure: Strengths and weaknesses in the reputation structure of public administration. The figures are based on a basket of 25 organizations compiled by T-Media. The basket includes the 25 best-known public administration organizations measured in the study.
For more information:
Harri Leinikka, CEO
harri.leinikka@reptrust-staging.fi-p.seravo.com, 040 505 5001
Riku Ruokolahti, Director of Development
riku.ruokolahti@reptrust-staging.fi-p.seravo.com, 0400 512 200
