“This year, the Edelman Trust Barometer, a global study measuring trust in government, business, NGOs and the media, recorded the largest-ever trust gap between the informed public – educated and informed upper-quartile income earners – and the mass population. The 20-point split was the second-highest among the 27 markets Edelman includes in the survey, behind only Britain (where acute polarization is heavily influenced by Brexit, among other factors).”
“The disparity in trust tells the story of a country that feels out of balance – one where the ability to rely on and trust in institutions differs greatly depending on your level of income and education. This, in turn, drives a strong sense of injustice and pessimism among the mass population in Canada. In fact, 50 per cent of Canadian respondents feel the system is failing them, and only 34 per cent believe they and their families will be better off in five years’ time.”
“The 2019 Trust Barometer reveals that many Canadians are turning to their employers as that guiding light. Eighty per cent of the general population surveyed trust their employer (exceeding trust levels in government, business, NGOs and the media by a wide margin), and 67 per cent of employees agree it is critically important for “my CEO” to respond to challenging times. Further, 79 per cent of Canadians – an 11-point increase over last year – believe chief executives should take the lead on change, rather than waiting for government to impose it.”
The Globe and Mail. 2019: “Canada’s unprecedented trust gap: Who will build the bridge for a country divided?” by Lisa Kimmel
Global News, February 14, 2019: “Who do Canadians trust most? Their employers, apparently,” by Jane Gerster
Global News, February 14, 2019: “Are we buying it? We trust businesses way more than gov’t,” by Jamie Sturgeon
Trust Inequality Returns to Record Heights
“There is a 16-point gap between the more trusting informed public and the far-more-skeptical mass population, marking a return to record highs of trust inequality. The phenomenon fueling this divide was a pronounced rise in trust among the informed public. Markets such as the U.S., UK, Canada, South Korea and Hong Kong saw trust gains of 12 points or more among the informed public. In 18 markets, there is now a double-digit trust gap between the informed public and the mass population.”
The 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer website
The 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer Report (65 pages, PDF)