Trust is in the spotlight once again. In survey after survey, people say they are increasingly scrutinising what they see, what they read and what they believe, impacting how they feel and behave towards companies, their brands and leaders. Here’s one example from the 2025 Accenture Life Trends study of nearly 25,000 people across 22 markets: 62% now prioritise trust when choosing to engage with a brand—up from 56% last year.
Trust is a fundamental part of humanity – it’s what allows us to form connections and meaningful relationships. Without trust, progress and purpose are elusive, if not impossible to achieve. This is not new information, and yet here we are in 2025, and trust is at the forefront.
In my last Shifting Sands column (In the Driver’s Seat), Shruti Bose, head of Global Campaigns at Roche told me “we’re operating in a ‘no trust’ environment…the level of cynicism is off the charts.” Misinformation and disinformation are rampant.
AI is at the center of some of this discussion. Questions, about if, how, and could AI replace us or empower us are swirling. Will AI take our purpose (NYT, April 2024)? Can the info we get from AI be trusted?
On the other hand, there is agreement, indeed excitement, about the efficiency of AI and its ability to shape the content discovery process, assuming it is fed quality content to shape its algorithms. Many communications practitioners – including myself – are learning fast and putting new practices in place. Indeed, a long-time friend and respected communications leader recently said to me that the entry level position for comms functions and consultancies will soon be ‘AI prompt engineer.’
Yet, already, most of us have a story or anecdote about an AI info mishap. One I read a few weeks ago was when Apple AI announced the winner of a world darts championship 24 hours before the final as though it had already happened. That the guy AI said won, in fact, did win was beside the point because but he hadn’t at the time it was announced!
It’s no surprise the role of trust emerges during times of change and uncertainty. Companies and business executives that act swiftly with thought and empathy strengthen relationships, foster a sense of stability and are the ones stakeholders (and the public!) believe in. Consider Microsoft and the actions of CEO Satya Nadella – whose writing and leadership I regularly look to — during the COVID 19 pandemic. Microsoft quickly adapted to remote work arrangements, prioritised employee health and well-being and maintained open and transparent communications with customers. Letters to employees were public, the CEO was visible. Stakeholders felt safe with the actions being taken.
Today, right now, in 2025, given the shifts we’re seeing and those we can’t see yet but feel are coming, what can communications practitioners do to build, maintain and grow trust, whether for themselves, our industry, the companies we work in, and the clients we support? Here are a few actions I’m taking and recommend – most of which are just perennially good business practices:
- Stay current – on the news of the world, in your market, in your industry and other industries, which often stimulate new thinking and new ideas. Watching, learning about and trying new technologies and platforms fits here.
- Go deep – truly understand what everyday life is like for stakeholders, customers, employees and people in the community, the country and the world impacted by your company. Do the homework to ‘walk in their shoes.’ It will powerfully impact the way you help your company communicate and be trusted.
- Communicate facts with honesty, clarity, empathy and authentic personality. Regular readers of Reputation Today and I hope this column (!) are well versed in the importance of these.
- Opinions you help amplify (and sometimes articulate) in Op-Eds, speeches, employee communications, videos, among other platforms, should be thoughtful, well-researched, and reflect the lives (frustrations, challenges) of stakeholders and people touched by the company as well as the POV of the author. They should be grounded in the company’s mission and values.
- Uphold the integrity of our discipline every day– there is still misunderstanding about PR, what we do and what we don’t do. It still tends to be ‘news’ when communicators are embroiled in messy stories (one example here in the US where I live is the litigation and he-said, she- said publicity linked to the movie, “It Ends With Us”).
Trust is non-negotiable in 2025 as ever. Communicating with trust requires practitioners to always do the homework, have the courage, look to instincts that make them most proud. A little charisma always helps, too.
The views and opinions published here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.
Sandra Stahl has created and led communications solutions for many of the world’s leading pharma, biotech, diagnostic, device and consumer healthcare brands over a 30+ year career. Her skills as a strategist and developer of compelling narratives have enabled organizational-and market- readiness, powered investment, enhanced profiles, amplified landmark data, built reputations and influenced opinion. She is a recognized thought leader regularly published in industry, national and international media, and author of the award-winning book, The Art & Craft of PR (LID 2018). Additionally, Sandra is founding faculty in the PR track in the Branding + Integrated Communications master’s degree program at The City College of New York, now in its 10th year, has delivered lectures at university communications programs around the world including Columbia University in New York and Xavier Institute of Communications in Mumbai, India.
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