Trust is now one of the most important assets a company holds. But that trust is neither automatic nor secure. While business remains more trusted globally than government or media, that advantage is increasingly conditional and fragile. Edelman research shows 61% of people globally now hold a grievance mindset, believing institutions serve narrow interests while making their lives harder. In that environment, trust is not a permanent advantage. It’s an asset companies must continuously earn and actively protect.
Most companies understand trust matters. Few manage it with clear ownership. Responsibility is spread across communications, legal, compliance, HR, government affairs, and security, each operating with different incentives and time horizons. The result is inconsistency between what companies say, what they do, and how stakeholders experience them. That gap becomes visible when decisions are tested under pressure.
