Methodology

The 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer is the firm’s 23rd annual trust and credibility survey. The research was produced by the Edelman Trust Institute and consisted of 30-minute online interviews conducted between November 1st and November 28th, 2022. The 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer online survey sampled more than 32,000 respondents across 28 countries.

Methodology

The 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer is the firm’s 23rd annual trust and credibility survey. The research was produced by the Edelman Trust Institute and consisted of 30-minute online interviews conducted between November 1st and November 28th, 2022. The 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer online survey sampled more than 32,000 respondents across 28 countries.

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From polder to polarisation

 

2023 Edelman Trust Barometer shows a Dutch society that is divided. Companies have solid duties to solve social issues.

  • Dutch society is divided. Four in five Dutch people find our country more divided today than in the past.
  • There is economic pessimism, little belief in a better future.
  • Across the four key institutions, business is the only institution in which Dutch people (61 per cent) trust and is the only one that is seen as both competent (the ability to do good) and ethical (the intention to do good).
  • The mandate for business to contribute to solving social issues is great.
  • The Dutch indicate that they particularly expect more social involvement from business on issues such as energy shortages, climate change, economic inequality, healthcare access, trustworthy information, and the retraining of workers.

 

Economic optimism collapses

 

People now fear for their economic future without a trust safety net. Only 19% of respondents say they and their families will be better off in five years, a 10-point decline from 2022.

40%

Ideology Becomes Identity

Very few would help, live near, or work with someone who disagreed with their point of view:

Only

would help them if they were in need.

Only

would be willing to live in the same neighborhood.

Only

would be willing to have them as a coworker.

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Great expectations result in heightened risk for business

 

Even among those who see their country as polarized, my employer is the only trusted institution. 

 

While people want business to do more on social issues, it risks being politicized when engaging on contentious issues.

 

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The Way Forward

 

1.

Business is expected to act

As the most trusted institution, business should leverage its comparative advantage to inform debate and deliver solutions on climate, DEI, and skill training.

2.

Collaborate with government

Business and government can build consensus and collaborate to deliver results that push us towards a more just, secure, and thriving society.

3.

Restore economic optimism

Invest in fair compensation, training, and local communities to address the mass-class divide and the cycle of polarization.

4.

Advocate for the truth

Be a source of reliable information, promote civil discourse, and hold false information sources accountable.

The Trust 10 for The Netherlands

 

01

Business is seen
as competent and ethical

01

Business has increased its ethics score for the third straight year, rising 12 points since 2020. Business is the only one trusted among the 4 core institutions, with 61 percent of respondents trusting business.

02

Institutional imbalance

02

Nationally, there is a 10- point gap between trust in business and trust in government: Sixty-one percent trust business while only 51 percent trust government.

03

Mass class divide
on trust

03

Those in the top quartile of income are more trusting than those considered low income (bottom quartile). Double-digit trust inequality exists in 21 of 28 countries surveyed, including the Netherlands.

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What does this mean for your business? 

Please reach out to learn more about the Edelman Trust Barometer.