Survey design and technical documentation supporting the 2021 OECD Survey on Drivers of Trust in Government Institutions

The inaugural OECD Survey on Drivers of Trust in Public Institutions carried out in 2021 (“Trust Survey”) is a novel measurement tool supporting OECD governments in reinforcing democratic processes, improving governance outcomes, and, correspondingly, strengthening people’s trust in their democratic government. This paper provides the technical details of the surveying process for the inaugural OECD Trust Survey, including its coverage and sample design. The paper also reviews the methodological aspects of the survey to provide an account of the progress made in measuring trust in public institutions cross-country, with respect to previous projects and recommendations included in the OECD Guidelines for Measuring Trust. Finally, it proposes the continuation of the survey in the future, highlights potential areas for improvement in cross-country comparability and for continued cooperation with National Statistical Offices.