Public trust key to charities' reputation

The result is based on a national survey of Australians attitudes to charities conducted by corporate reputation research company RepTrak.

The company ranked 40 charitable organisations as part of its Charity Reputation Index, which uses a scoring system measuring areas such as trust, admiration, respect, and overall esteem.

The top five charities in this year’s Index were:

• Royal Flying Doctor Service
• Surf Life Saving Australia
• National Breast Cancer Association
• Fred Hollows Foundation
• St John Ambulance

Results of the Index are no longer publicly released by RepTrak.

The RFDS confirmed the top five rankings after repeated attempts by the Community Advocate to engage with RepTrak and obtain basic information failed.

The acting executive director of the RFDS, David Alley, said it was interesting to observe that despite the nation’s increased focus on issues such as the cost-of-living, the environment and climate change, the top five leading charities each had a strong focus on the physical health and well-being of Australians.

“A patient’s trust in their medical services is always vital, particularly if they are living in rural and remote parts of this large continent that don’t have easy access to health services enjoyed in our cities,” said Alley.

“The RFDS is humbled that we continue to have the public’s trust in the provision of vital emergency medical and primary health care services to rural and remote Australia.

“It gives our staff great pride that communities and families rely on us – and we are honoured to do such work.”

Surf Life Saving Australia

The president of Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA), John Baker, said the organisation was proud to be ranked Australia’s second most reputable charity.

He said SLSA's reputation score of 94.2 was the organisation’s highest recorded on the index since tracking began in 2011 and represents an improvement of three places since the previous survey.

Baker said the second-place ranking could be attributed to the meaningful contribution the organisation and its members make to local communities around Australia, and he praised the efforts of volunteers across the nation.

“Reputation and ‘brand health’ are key indicators of a vibrant and sustainable movement and we are both proud and humbled by this result,” said Baker.

“This report isn’t just about a number or a ranking. It’s about the selfless volunteers who give up their time to patrol, train and teach, and their willingness to put the safety of a stranger before that of their own.”

Over the past 12 months volunteer surf lifesavers conducted more than 1.4 million patrol hours, performed 8,857 rescues and took almost 2.5 million preventative actions.

“Thank you to our volunteers, supporters, and partners who make this movement what it is. This achievement belongs to all of you,” Baker said.

St John Ambulance

St John Ambulance CEO Gordon Botwright said the organisation’s ranking among the top five most reputable Australian charities reflected the dedication of the organisation’s volunteers, staff and supporters in delivering life-saving services to the community.

This included the positive impact of St John’s work, from providing first aid and emergency medical support to educating communities and responding in times of crisis.

“Trust is at the heart of everything we do at St John,"said Botwright.

“To be recognised once again as one of the most trusted charities in Australia is a testament to the dedication of our people and the incredible work, they do every day to serve the community.”

He said a key factor in this year’s top five ranking was the overwhelmingly positive experiences shared by those who have interacted with the organisation.

These ranged from receiving first aid care at public events to attending training courses and engaging with St John online – interactions that helped reinforce the organisation’s reputation as trusted and reliable.

“Whether it’s our volunteers stepping up in emergencies, our trainers equipping people with life-saving skills, or our teams supporting major events, we remain committed to making a real difference,” said Botwright.

“This ranking is not just an honour – it’s a reminder of the responsibility we carry to uphold the trust the community has in us.”

Regulator says trust can’t be taken for granted

Meanwhile, the charities regulator has highlighted a fall in public trust in charities and not-for-profits.

The commissioner of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), Sue Woodward, said that while charities are traditionally viewed among our most trusted institutions, this trust can’t be taken for granted.

“Trust is the foundation upon which the charity sector is built. It underpins donor confidence, volunteer engagement and the overall effectiveness of charity activities,” said Woodward in her latest ACNC newsletter column.

Woodward said recent insights from the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report revealed a “slight but somewhat concerning decline in public trust” across business, government, media and non-government organisations (a category that includes not-for-profits and charities).

The survey has been conducted for 25 years in more than 28 countries, and the latest one attracted more than 33,000 respondents.

“In Australia, the overall trust level across all sectors has shifted from “neutral” to “distrust” since the 2024 report came out,” said Woodward.

“This is not a trend specific to charities and other not-for-profits, but rather a timely reminder that people are becoming more distrustful of leaders and institutions in general."

Woodward said since the creation of the ACNC in 2012, those involved in the charity sector had repeatedly proven determined to do the right thing are very compliant. She said that most non-compliance was low level and did not stem from bad intent.

“While the ACNC plays a pivotal role in regulating and supporting the sector, maintaining public trust is a shared responsibility,” said Woodward.

“Not only must charities commit to ethical conduct, effective governance, and transparent operations, they must actively demonstrate that to the public and their broader stakeholders.”

Woodward said the decline in trust highlighted by the Edelman report served as a call to action for charities.

“As a sector, we must continually reinforce our dedication to integrity, accountability and excellence.

“Through these collective efforts, we can maintain and enhance public confidence, ensuring that Australia’s charities continue to thrive and make a meaningful difference in our communities.”