Companies Consider Adding Chief Trust Officer Role

An opinion article published by Fortune argues that companies should appoint a Chief Trust Officer to manage trust as a strategic business function. The piece states that responsibility for trust currently spreads across communications, legal, compliance, HR, government affairs, and security departments.

It says this structure produces inconsistent actions and messaging when decisions face public pressure.

The article claims trust drives revenue growth because consistent behavior builds customer retention and advocacy over time. It states that companies without established trust face greater risk during contentious moments.

Edelman research cited in the article shows 70 percent of people worldwide hold an insular trust mindset. The piece reports that confidence in neighbors and coworkers rose while confidence in government leaders and major news organizations declined.

The article notes a 31-point gap in Canada, 29 points in Germany, and 29 points in Japan between trust in domestic versus foreign-headquartered companies.

The article states that 53 percent of consumers assume a brand staying quiet on societal issues is hiding something. It reports that 73 percent of respondents said brands reflecting surrounding culture build more trust than those focused only on products.

The piece concludes that companies need someone accountable for aligning decisions, policies, and communications across stakeholder groups before issues reach public testing.