Three Key Takeaways from the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer
Posted on Oct. 5, 2026 / Subscribe 0
By Shara Clark, APR,, Ethics Director Cincinnati PRSA
Cincinnati PRSA had the pleasure of hosting three Edelman team members who work on their yearly Trust Barometer for our September meeting in conjunction with Ethics Month.
The latest study points to a striking shift in how people decide what to trust, and whom they will trust. the central theme for 2026 is “insularity”: people increasingly retreat toward familiar communities, shared values and trusted personal networks.
Trust is becoming more inward-looking
Seven in 10 people globally say they are unwilling or hesitant to trust someone whose values, facts, problem-solving approaches or cultural background is different from their own. This growing insularity can make collaboration and societal progress more difficult and can present additional challenges to those of us working in public relations.
Personal relationships are gaining ground
Trust is continuing to shift toward people closer to us. Over the past five years, respondents reported increased trust in neighbors, family and friends, coworkers and their own organization’s CEO, while trust in national government leaders and major news organizations declined. At the same time, optimism is weakening with only 32% globally stating they believe the next generation will be better off.
Employers have an opportunity to bridge divides
Because individuals are more likely to trust their own organization, employers are comparatively well positioned to act as “trust brokers.” Among employees, 58% say their employer is doing well at bridging divides and facilitating trust-building, which is higher than the performance reported for other major institutions. The report highlights shared identity, diverse teams and constructive-dialogue training as potential approaches.
The bigger picture
The 2026 Barometer suggests that rebuilding trust may depend less on finding complete agreement and more on creating credible ways for people with meaningful differences to work, communicate and cooperate.
One of the report's most interesting concepts is “trust brokering.” Rather than trying to persuade people to abandon their views, a trust broker helps people with different perspectives find enough common ground to work together.
That means listening without judgment, surfacing shared interests and translating each side's needs and realities to the other.
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