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The Coronavirus pandemic?caused?a seismic shift?in the trust of our institutions, with government, businesses,?NGOs?and?news-media?rising?in esteem.?But not everyone?is coming?out?unscathed: Verdicts in the court of public opinion?are?tipping?in the wrong direction for?senior leaders of the world¡¯s corporations.?This?news comes from?a new??survey by the?global communications firm?, which also provides recommendations for how we can adapt to the shifting landscape on trust.??

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Why?trust in?major institutions is on the rise?

Edelman¡¯s survey?conducted this?year?in North America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East,?shows that?governments have become the world¡¯s most trusted institutions?for the first time in 20 years.?Governmental institutions?surged 11 points since January,?with 63%?of respondents indicating strong trust, and trust in government leaders themselves rose by 13 points.??

The survey makes it clear?why?governments are gaining:?¡°The speed and scale of the lockdowns, the brave performance of the public health services and the extent of public expenditure to support the private sector have shown government taking quick decisive action,¡± explains?Richard Edelman, the firm¡¯s CEO.?¡°This is a stunning turnaround for government,?which has always languished at or near the bottom of the trust hierarchy.¡±?

Other beneficiaries?from the changing trust landscape?include businesses and non-governmental organizations,?which are?right behind government,?each?with?matching?trust ratings?of 62%. The?news-media?rose?to 55%?¡ªa substantial change for an institution that dipped below 50%?several times throughout the last?15 years.??

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Warning signs?for?business?leaders?¡ª?and how they can rise to the occasion??

These?are among the indicators?of the way forward for businesses, which?can take three major actions to?fortify trust during the pandemic and beyond:??

• Put employees first:?Business leaders need to?regularly communicate?with employees about measures to keep them safe,?and?to?protect their income and?positions?to the degree possible. Once?this is being done?sufficiently,?these moves should be?communicated?with customers, partners, and the broader public.??

• Clarify your mission?and support?for?the community:?Many companies have a broader purpose?than?profit, yet?large portions of the public?may?not?be?aware or?believe?those missions?are?merely?slogans.?In addition to clarifying and amplifying corporate missions, now is?also?the time?for those?who can afford it?to?assess financial support for community organizations, including?nonprofits?that help?those?hit?hardest?by the pandemic.?Edelman¡¯s survey confirmed the public¡¯s?wide-ranging?concern for societal inequities?that?impact those with less education and financial?advantages,?which are?amplified by the?pandemic.??

• Make leadership visible:?Edelman¡¯s survey reveals?an enormous?opportunity for CEOs and other top business leaders?to?speak?to the public?more assertively and frequently,?especially?at a time in which?the foundations of society?have been?shaken. When they speak, they must address the expectation?that business leaders?will innovate, collaborate, and invest?to repair?the communities in which they?operate.?Just as business leaders report quarterly and annual?results?to shareholders and?others, they should also regularly report to the larger?public?how their organizations are?improving, year-over-year, in?helping others.?Sixty-five percent?of those surveyed?by Edelman?said a brand¡¯s response to the crisis will include future purchase decisions.??

We are in an era of fast, often jarring,?change. The pandemic has amplified existing concerns about the place of our institutions. Those of us in the business community?have a responsibility to put our employees and communities first, and to explain how we are turning?those responsibilities?into action. The world is watching.??

To learn more, watch???