A lack of faith in societal institutions triggered by economic anxiety, disinformation, mass-class divide and a failure of leadership has brought us to where we are today – deeply and dangerously polarized.
People now fear for their economic future without a trust safety net. Only 40% of respondents say they and their families will be better off in five years, a 10-point decline from 2022.
Very few would help, live near, or work with someone who disagreed with their point of view:
would help them if they were in need.
would be willing to live in the same neighborhood.
would be willing to have them as a coworker.
Even among those who see their country as polarized, my employer is the only trusted institution.
While people want business to do more on social issues, it risks being politicized when engaging on contentious issues.
Richard Edelman, CEO
2022 was supposed to have been the year when the world emerged from the pandemic, with a promised return to normal life and an economic boom.
Dave Samson, Vice Chairman, Global Corporate Practice and U.S. Chief Operating Officer
Over the past three years, four institutions – business, media, government and NGOs – have been profoundly tested as they responded to a world careening from crisis to crisis.
As the most trusted institution, business should leverage its comparative advantage to inform debate and deliver solutions on climate, DEI, and skill training.
Business and government can build consensus and collaborate to deliver results that push us towards a more just, secure, and thriving society.
Invest in fair compensation, training, and local communities to address the mass-class divide and the cycle of polarization.
Be a source of reliable information, promote civil discourse, and hold false information sources accountable.
Business has increased its ethics score for the third straight year, rising 20 points since 2020. It is the only institution viewed as both competent and ethical.
Globally, there is an 11-point gap between trust in business and trust in government: 62% trust business, while only 51% trust government.
Those in the top quartile of income are more trusting than those considered low income. Double-digit trust inequality exists in 21 of 28 countries surveyed.
On Wednesday, January 18, 2023 we launched the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer Report: Our panelists included David Miliband, the President & CEO, International Rescue Committee; Rt. Hon. Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand & Former Administrator of UNDP; Yoshito Hori, the Founder & President, GLOBIS University; Founding Partner, GLOBIS Capital Partners; Hanneke Faber, President, Nutrition, Unilever; Jane Sun, CEO, Trip.com Group; Lorenzo Simonelli, Chairman & CEO, Baker Hughes and Richard Edelman, CEO of Edelman; and moderator Thorold Barker, of The Wall Street Journal, Editor, EMEA.
