As Edelman’s 15th annual Trust Barometer indicates, trust has hit an unprecedented low. With any great challenge comes opportunity, and now, more than ever before, companies need to look internally to elevate and amplify those voices whom consumers and stakeholders want to hear from most: Employees. For more information, please visit: ee.edelman.com

1. BUILDING
TRUST
TAPPING INTO THE INTERNAL
TRUST SURPLUS TO BOLSTER
CREDIBILITY

2. 2
EDELMAN’S 15th Annual
TRUST BAROMETER METHODOLOGY
Informed Public
• 500 respondents in U.S.
and China, and 200 in
other countries
• Ages 25-64
• College-educated
• In top 25% of household
income per age group in
each country
• Report significant media
consumption and
engagement in business
news and public policy
• 15 years of data
General Online Population
• 1,000 respondents per
country surveyed
• Ages 18+
• 4 years in 25+ markets
Online Survey in 27 Countries
• 33,000 respondents
• 7 years in 20+ markets
• 10 years in 10+ markets

3. 3
THE BOTTOM LINE: TRUST NEEDS A TURNAROUND
Trust has declined
across nearly every
sector, in almost every
geography
More than 80% distrust
business, government,
or both
CEO credibility continues
to fall
More than 60% distrust
media

4. 4
However, companies
continue to have an internal
“Trust Surplus” that they
can tap into to help bolster
credibility.

5. 5
A COMPANY’S EXPERTS AND “A PERSON LIKE
YOURSELF” REMAIN HIGHLY CREDIBLE
70%
68%
63%
54% 55%
53%
46%
37%
70%
67%
63%
56%
53%
49%
43%
38%
Academic or
Industry Expert
Company
Technical Expert
A Person Like
Yourself
NGO
Representative
Financial or
Industry Analyst
Regular
Employee
CEO Government
Official or
Regulator
2014 2015
More Trust Less Trust
Q130-143. [TRACKING] Below is a list of people. In general, when forming an opinion of a company, if you heard information
about a company from each person, how credible would the information be—extremely credible, very credible, somewhat
credible, or not credible at all? (Top 2 Box, Very/Extremely Credible) Informed Publics, 27-country global total.
Informed
Public
When speaking about a company’s overall
strategy, experts and peers outrank traditional
spokespeople
CREDIBILITY OF SPOKESPERSONS, 2014 VS. 2015

6. 6
• Listens to customer needs and feedback
• Treats employees well
• Places customers ahead of profits
• Communicates frequently and honestly
21%
31%
29%
23%
29%
47%
34%
30%
23%
31%33%
22%
29%
34%
26%
22%
27%
37%
34%
31%
14%
23%
13%
19%
15%
OperationsPurposeProductsIntegrityEngagement
EMPLOYEES RANK AMONG MOST
TRUSTED INFLUENCERS
COMPANY’S EMPLOYEECOMPANY CEO ACTIVIST CONSUMER ACADEMIC MEDIA SPOKESPERSON
MOST TRUSTED INFLUENCER TO COMMUNICATE EACH TOPIC
• Has ethical business practices
• Takes responsible actions to address an
issue or crisis
• Has transparent, open business practices
• Has highly-regarded and widely-admired
top leadership
• Ranks on a global list of top companies
• Delivers consistent financial returns to
investors
Informed
Public
Q197-201(Global Summary). We would now like you to think about different types of information you may read,
see or hear about a company. For each topic, please select which person you trust MOST to provide you with
credible and honest information about a company. Informed Publics, 27-country global total.
Employees ranked most credible for Engagement, Integrity and
Operations

7. 7
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
CEO Regular Employee Company Technical Expert
Automotive, tech, entertainment
and consumer electronics among
the largest gaps
ACROSS INDUSTRIES, IN-HOUSE TECHNICAL
EXPERTS SURPASS CEOS AS CREDIBLE SOURCES
23 pts
Q130-143. [TRACKING] Below is a list of people. In general, when forming an opinion of a company, if you heard information about a company from each person,
how credible would the information be—extremely credible, very credible, somewhat credible, or not credible at all? (Top 2 Box, Very/Extremely Credible) General
Population, 27-country global total. Q43-60. [TRACKING] Please indicate how much you trust businesses in each of the following industries to do what is right. Again
please use the same nine-point scale where one means that you “do not trust them at all” and nine means that you “trust them a great deal.” (Top 4 Box, Trust)
General Population, 27-country global total.
Informed
Public
24 pts
23 pts 23 pts
MOST TRUSTED INFLUENCER TO COMMUNICATE EACH TOPIC AMONG
PEOPLE WHO TRUST EACH INDUSTRY

8. 8
THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMPANIES TO
LEVERAGE THIS INTERNAL TRUST SURPLUS ARE
CLEAR
Engage employees regularly on the state of the business,
with a focus on CEO transparency underpinned by storytelling
that reaffirms personal commitment by leadership
Employees with
employees
Employees with
world
Employees with
company
Tap in-house technical experts (such as engineers,
developers and scientists) to help position the company’s
overall strategic story in relatable terms
Empower employees to serve as company advocates,
especially on topics where employees are highly credible,
such as discussing a company’s ethical, customer-focused
business practices and leadership

9. 9
IN 2015, WE ALSO GAINED ADDITIONAL INSIGHTS
RELATED TO PERCEPTIONS OF INNOVATION
51% Too Fast28% Too Slow 19% Just Right
The pace of development and change in business and industry today is…
Q349-351. Below are a number of statements. For each, please think about the pace of development and change
in business and industry today and select the response that most accurately represents your opinion. (Not
Enough, Too Much) Informed Publics, 27-country global total.
Informed
Public

10. 10
24%
30%
35%
54%
66%
70%
Make the World a Better Place
Improve People's Lives
Personal Ambition
Greed/Money
Business Growth Targets
Technology
TECHNOLOGY AND MAKING MONEY ARE
PERCEIVED AS THE BIGGEST INNOVATION
DRIVERS
Q353. From the list below, what do you believe are the top three drivers of change in business and industry
today? Informed Publics, 27-country global total.
Informed
Public
DRIVERS OF CHANGE IN BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY TODAY ARE PERCEIVED TO BE:

11. 11
Due to the credibility of employees
and technical experts, these
employee groups are in a unique
and powerful position to shift
perceptions of how a company
innovates.

12. 12
To help bolster the credibility of
company leadership, companies must
cultivate these credible internal
spokespeople
to help refine and reinforce their
“Trusted Innovation” story from within.

13. 13
REINFORCING THE INNOVATION STORY FROM
WITHIN
Technical experts
within your company
Regular
employees
Front-line
employees
Three target audiences can help elevate the “how” and “why” around a company's
innovation story

14. 14
One of the most trusted overall sources of information about a company
IN-HOUSE TECHNICAL EXPERTS
• Can help underscore a company’s
innovation story by tying it back to the
overall strategy
• Can credibly articulate the
development process of new
innovations
• Can serve as trusted internal
ambassadors to help educate general
employees about a company’s
innovations – and the why and benefit
behind them – in relatable and tangible
terms
Technical experts
within your company

15. 15
Uniquely positioned to understand the role that their own company plays in the broader
picture of innovation
REGULAR EMPLOYEES
• Can serve as credible spokespeople
to discuss innovations their company is
pursuing
• Require context to understand not only
what the innovations are, but the “why”
and the benefits behind those
innovations
Regular
employees

16. 16
The first line of defense with customers
FRONT-LINE EMPLOYEES
• Can help advocate a company’s
innovation story directly to customers
and prospects
• Can serve as a trusted feedback
channel to inspire the next wave of
innovation
Front-line
employees

17. 17
Trusted
Innovation
.
..
Continue to foster the lifecycle of innovation through these trusted groups –
and harness these resources to bolster the credibility of C-suite messages
AMPLIFYING TRUSTED INNOVATION FROM WITHIN
Provide training
and support to
serve as a critical
feedback loop and
customer
ambassador
Elevate to underscore the
credibility behind the innovation
strategy, both internally and
externally
Tap as internal
advocates to tell the
“how” and “why” behind
an innovation

18. 18
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Edelman Employee Engagement helps
companies create employee connections that
deepen engagement, increase trust and accelerate
business performance.
Email: employee.engagement@edelman.com
Twitter: @EdelmanEE
Web: ee.edelman.com
Complete Trust Barometer info: trust.edelman.com