Edelman Trust Barometer reveals that business is now viewed as the only global institution to be both competent and ethical.

Business now holds a staggering 53-point lead over government in competence and is 30 points ahead on ethics. Its treatment of workers during the pandemic and return to work, along with the swift and decisive action of over 1,000 businesses to exit Russia after its invasion of Ukraine helped fuel a 20-point jump on ethics over the past three years. Business (62 per cent) remains the most and only trusted institution globally.

However, CEOs are expected to use resources to hold divisive forces accountable: 82 per cent expect CEOs to act on climate change, 72 per cent believe CEOs are obligated to defend facts and expose questionable science being used to justify bad social policy; 71 per cent believe CEOs are obligated to pull advertising money out of media platforms that spread misinformation; and 64 per cent, on average, say companies can help increase civility and strengthen the social fabric by supporting politicians and media outlets that build consensus and cooperation.

The Trust Barometer deems nearly one quarter of the countries surveyed as severely polarised, including the US, Colombia, Argentina, South Africa, Sweden and Spain. When divisions become entrenched, polarisation ensues, and respondents believe their differences can no longer be overcome. Globally

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