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2026 Edelman Trust Barometer: Trust at Risk Today

The latest Edelman Trust Barometer reveals a startling trend where societal grievances have turned into insularity, indicating a significant decline in global trust levels. As we enter 2026, findings show that a staggering 70% of respondents express reluctance to trust individuals with differing values, backgrounds, or information sources. This contraction of trust is notably pronounced in developed markets, where an alarming 90% in Japan and 81% in Germany admitted to such hesitations. Other developed countries, such as the UK and Canada, also report significant levels of insularity, at 76% and 73%, respectively.

Understanding Insularity

The rise in insularity is tangled in various complex social issues, driven by four major factors:

1. Economic Anxiety: As many as 66% of employees worry that trade policies threaten their job security. Furthermore, 54% of low-income and 44% of middle-income individuals fear that the benefits of emerging technologies, like generative AI, will bypass them.

2. Collapse of Optimism: Only 32% of the global population believes that subsequent generations will fare better. This disheartening sentiment is particularly low in countries like France (6%) and Germany (8%).

3. Erosion of Institutional Trust: A stark divide exists in perceptions of institutional competence. Low-income individuals perceive institutions as significantly less competent when compared with their high-income peers, with an average differential of 18 points on perceptions of capability and 15 points in ethical standpoints.

4. Information Crisis: A pervasive concern permeates society regarding misinformation infiltrating national media, with 65% of individuals fearing manipulative narratives crafted by foreign actors. Yet, only 39% of respondents regularly consume news from ideologically opposing sources.

The Emerging Crisis of Trust

Richard Edelman, the CEO of Edelman, articulates this alarming trend as a shift toward a new crisis of trust behavior. Over the past five years, the dynamic has deteriorated from fear to polarization and now to pronounced insularity. He emphasizes that people are retreating from productive discussions, proactively choosing the comfort of familiarity over the potential risks associated with change. The societal shift manifests in a growing preference for individual nationalism, with people leaning towards personal gain compared to collective progress.

As trust concentrates among close relationships—such as belief in My CEO (66%), My fellow citizens (64%), and My neighbors (64%)—a cloud of suspicion looms over institutional leaders, with nearly 70% of respondents fearing that these leaders are misleading the public.

Business Implications of Insularity

Corporate entities are grappling with the ramifications of heightened nationalism and insularity. Trust in local businesses overshadows that in foreign companies—an intensified sentiment experienced particularly in Canada (31 points), Japan (29 points), and Germany (29 points). More than a third of participants demand fewer foreign businesses in their markets, even at the expense of increased costs and reduced choices. Additionally, 42% are reluctant to invest in companies that do not align with their values.

Employees also display a preference for working under management that mirrors their own values, with 42% stating they would consider transferring departments rather than reporting to a conflicting manager.

My Employer: The Trust Broker

To address rampant insularity, My Employer emerges as a vital figure in rebuilding trust within communities. Identified as the most trusted institution, possessing a 78% trust rate among employees—14 points above businesses and 25 points more than governments—employers are crucial in facilitating connections across social divides. Expectations of CEOs are high, with 73% anticipating leadership in this trust-brokering process. Such efforts should leverage input from diverse values and backgrounds in decision-making and enhance constructive engagement with critics within the company.

Key Insights from the 2026 Trust Barometer

• - Mass-Class Divide: The trust gap has widened from six points in 2012 to 15 points in 2026, predominantly observable in the U.S. (29 points) and Indonesia (26 points).
• - Trust Influencers: Factors diminishing trust include inflation, misinformation, pandemic repercussions, and generative AI's expanding role.
• - Trust Evolution: Institutional leaders have faced significant trust declines, contrasting against local figures like coworkers and neighbors, who have gained in trust levels.
• - Ethics Shift: Notably, business now surpasses NGOs in terms of perceived ethical behavior.

This extensive overview from the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer sheds light on a critical shift in societal trust structures, emphasizing the urgent need for proactive dialogue and engagement.