In terms of trends, we have seen numerous changes during the 11 years we have been conducting the Trust Barometer study. To provide some examples, in 2001 we began to see the rising influence of NGO's, followed swiftly by the loss in trust in the 'celebrity' CEO. Prior to the financial crash of 2008, we found that businesses were more trusted than both the government and the media - yet just two years later it was suggested that businesses would need to partner with government to regain the trust which was subsequently eroded. Since that time it has become very clear that trust is now a critical factor driving corporate reputation.

Some might suggest that avoiding public crises and the negative publicity this generates would be the most obvious way. However, it is often not the crisis itself which erodes trust, but the way a corporation responds to it. On the whole, people can accept mistakes and misjudgments will occur in human endeavours. Being transparent and honest is key to preserving trust in the midst of a crisis. Likewise, the current media landscape means that one voice is rarely enough when it comes to communicating during and after a crisis. While trust in the CEO is on the rise, their voice alone is seldom enough to mitigate loss of trust, with Canadians also eager to hear from technical experts or third parties.

As discussed in my answer to the first question, we have seen shifts in trends that drive reputation. Financial performance used to be near the top, now it is openness and transparency with financial performance at the bottom.

Certainly we saw different results in Canada than we did in several other western countries. For example, while trust in US business recorded an 8 point drop, Canada's numbers remained stable. Likewise, trust in Government in Canada also remained strong while the US again saw a drop (6 points). Meanwhile, trusting governments in both China and Brazil scored impressively - achieving 14 point and 46 point rises respectively. Perhaps the most interesting statistic in terms of Canada differences was in the area of trust in banks. After a couple of years of turmoil in the financial world globally, Canada actually saw a slight increase by one per cent in trust in this area to 52 per cent, with trust in banks in the UK and US plummeting by 30 and 46 points respectively.

This year represents the 11th year of the Edelman Trust Barometer, which has grown to become a globally recognized and respected insight into people's perceptions of what drives trust in media, NGOs, businesses and governments. By better understanding perceptions we can better advise our clients of the best ways to protect and enhance their reputations.