The challenge is: Trust is hard-won, easily lost, and even harder to rebuild. Especially in the world today.

It’s clear we’re grappling with a trust issue – here in Australia and across the globe

⛈️ The recently released 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer reports on a shift from distrust to grievance across the world. In Australia, 62% of respondents held a sense of grievance against government, business and “the rich”. On a global scale, fears that leaders lie to us and that we will experience prejudice, discrimination or racism were reported at an all-time high.

⛈️ The 2024 OECD Trust Survey found that trust in the Australian federal government was 46% in 2023. Overall trust in Australian public services is 58%, according to the 2023-24 Survey of Trust in Australian Public Services.

⛈️ Perceptions of government integrity are low in most countries, according to the 2024 OECD Trust Survey. Only 25% of respondents in Australia find it likely that government would refuse a corporation’s demand that could be harmful to society as a whole, lower than the average across OECD countries (30%).

For people working with communities, building trust is part of the job. Research and experience show that done well, community engagement can help bridge the trust gap. Done poorly, it can create further distrust and division.

So how do we do it?

How do we build and rebuild trust?

And what can we do when trust is difficult?

To rebuild trust, consider going back to basics

Strive for:

• CONNECTION – be present in-community to build relationships and understand and address concerns and issues, elevate the community voice within your organisation, and be accountable to all stakeholders
• CARE– genuine care, honesty and kindness in what you say and what you do
• CONSISTENCY – keep at it day after day, month after month, year after year as trust takes time and effort to build

Wondering where to start?

Rebuilding trust calls for a brave CONVERSATION – with ourselves, and the people in our organisation and our communities.

We have lean into the tension that comes with mistrust, to be able to move through it.

If you’re wondering how to get started, check out my know, think, feel, say, do reflective framework to start rebuilding trust (pdf).

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This is no small task… especially given the worldwide trend toward increasing levels of distrust and polarisation.

The 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer suggests that not only have trust levels at their lowest levels in Australia, but our social fabric is weakening and we are on a path to polarisation. Business is the only institution that is seen as competent and ethical; 75% of respondents saying they trust their employer to ‘do what is right’ – more than any other institution including government, NGOs and media. Australians also expect business leaders to take a stand on social issues (eg treatment of employees (91%), climate change (78%)) and meet their obligations (eg pay a fair wage (89%), pay fair corporate taxes (83%), ensure their home community is safe and thriving (79%)).

Developing trusting stakeholder relationships requires a level of vulnerability by all parties. For example, when discussing a project proposal, companies are vulnerable to the reaction of stakeholders to the information they share about the project; whilst communities are at the mercy of the quality of a company’s communication and engagement process. Importantly here – as the owner of the project, the company holds almost all the cards. To develop stakeholder trust in this situation, we need to address the inherent power-imbalance so that all parties feel some comfort around their vulnerabilities.

So, how can we address this power imbalance to build stakeholder trust?

Here are three strategies to consider.

1. Tell them everything

All projects have negative impacts and risks. And potentially impacted people have a right to know and understand how they may be affected. It’s our responsibility to respect the rights of the communities that host projects by addressing the tough topics and having the tough conversations as uncomfortable and risky as it may seem. Done well, stronger relationships will result.

Half-truths, omissions, disinformation and rumour undermines credibility and leads to community angst and opposition. Without credibility, you won’t have trust. The antidote: Radical transparency.

Carefully consider your communication strategy and move toward full disclosure, delivered in a way that not only equips people with all the information that they need to understand the project but also contributes to healthy debate and discussion.

2. Listen and take positive action

Really take time to listen to the issues and concerns of your host community. Understand that these are legitimate points that are important to them, and seek to fully appreciate the matter at hand without judgement or agenda. Consider: if you were in this situation, how would you feel?

When responding, rather than simply reassuring or justifying, consider what else can be done to remedy or address the issue. Some actions may be big and some may be small, but some kind of action is always possible. You have the power to make a positive difference on issues and concerns affecting your community – when people feel heard, understood, and see their concerns are taken seriously, trust grows.

3. Give some of your power away

Many aspects of your project may be fixed and not up for negotiation with external stakeholders. There are likely to be some aspects, however, that are flexible or where you are open to ideas, suggestions or direction from others. Get clear on these negotiables as early as possible, and consider how you can genuinely involve stakeholders and the community in the related decisions. The International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) Public Participation Spectrum is one framework for thinking about this.

Stakeholders and communities that have greater say in the decisions that affect them are more likely to accept the decisions that are made, and those decisions are more likely to provide lasting community benefit. Relinquishing some of your decision-making powers is a small price to pay for such an outcome.

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