2023 Edelman Trust Barometer
Social fabric weakens amid deepening divisions.
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.
Business is the only institution seen as competent and ethical. Fifty-three percent of respondents globally say that their countries are more divided today than in the past. CEOs are obligated to improve economic optimism and hold divisive forces accountable.
Distrust breeds polarization.
Great expectations result in heightened risk for business.
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.
The Way Forward
Business is expected to act.
As the most trusted institution, business should leverage its comparative advantage to inform debate and deliver solutions on climate, DEI, and skill training.
Collaborate with government.
Business and government can build consensus and collaborate to deliver results that push us towards a more just, secure, and thriving society.
Restore economic optimism.
Invest in fair compensation, training, and local communities to address the mass-class divide and the cycle of polarization.
Advocate for the truth.
Be a source of reliable information, promote civil discourse, and hold false information sources accountable.
The Report's Methodology
The 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer is the firm’s 23rd annual trust and credibility survey. The research was produced by the Edelman Trust Institute and consisted of 30-minute online interviews conducted between November 1st and November 28th, 2022. The 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer online survey sampled more than 32,000 respondents across 28 countries.
Top Findings
1. Business is seen as competent and ethical.
Trust is based first on economic prosperity, evidenced by the fact that developing countries have higher trust levels than developed countries. Innovation can drive growth for all levels of society, resulting in higher trust in institutions.
2. Institutional imbalance.
Globally, there is an 11-point gap between trust in business and trust in government: 62% trust business, while only 51% trust government.
3. Mass class divide on trust.
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.
More findings from the 2023 report
- Business leads government by 53 points on competence and 30 points on ethics, after a 20-point rise in ethics over three years.
- Economic optimism fell from 50% to 40% globally.
- Spain is one of six countries classed as severely polarised, alongside the US, Colombia, Argentina, South Africa and Sweden.
- Top fears: job loss (89%), climate change (76%), inflation (74%), nuclear war (72%) and food shortages (67%).
- 72% say CEOs must defend facts and expose questionable science; 71% say they should pull advertising from platforms that spread misinformation.
Economic optimism collapses.
Download the report, explore the findings and learn how we can help your company bridge the gap.
More Edelman Reports
The Edelman Trust Barometers includes data on trust in businesses, media, government and NGOs in Portugal and globally — an essential reference for any corporate communication strategy.