Edelman Trust Barometer 2025

Alex Thompson, President, Global Practices & Sectors, Edelman, and Julia Fisher, Executive Vice President, Edelman Smithfield, and NACD NJ director, presented a discussion the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer and its implications for boards, management teams and businesses.

The 25th anniversary edition of the Edelman Trust Barometer: Trust and the Crisis of Grievance has revealed a profound shift to acceptance of aggressive action, with political polarization and deepening fears giving rise to a widespread sense of grievance.

This level of grievance has led to an erosion of trust in all institutions, and most alarmingly, four in 10 respondents – including 53 percent of those aged 18-34 – approve of one or more forms of hostile activism to bring about change, which includes attacking people online, intentionally spreading disinformation, threatening or committing violence, and damaging public or private property. Unless institutions can prove they benefit common people, innovation will be rejected, the social fabric will fray, and business will face ever-increasing pressure.

Business will have an opportunity in the coming months to work with the new governments in major democracies on important issues such as trade, energy supply and reskilling. CEOs have permission to take action where they can make a difference and improve company performance.