Irish people are looking to their employers for guidance and CEOs to provide leadership on change at an unprecedented level on moral issues, according to a new study by Edelman PR.

The 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer surveyed 1,150 people in Ireland to gauge respondents’ trust levels in and attitudes towards business, NGOs, the media and the political system.
 
The study shows that the Irish general population now expects that CEOs should take the lead on change rather than waiting for government to impose it. The findings also show that CEOs can create positive change on issues such as equal pay, the ending of discrimination, improving the environment and job training. The belief that companies should benefit society as well as being profitable is now ‘the new normal’ for businesses.
 
This year’s Irish findings show that trust levels in traditional media remain high at 62%, while at the same time trust in social media remains low at 27%. Overall, the 2019 Trust Barometer shows far higher levels of news engagement than in 2018, as concerns over the use of fake news and disinformation remain prevalent.
 
Speaking this week, Managing Director at Edelman Ireland, Joe Carmody said, "The 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer clearly shows that Irish people expect their CEOs to provide leadership and to effect positive change on a range of societal issues. There has been a massive shift in the past year among Irish people about the role of business, with the vast majority of the public now expecting companies to do good as well as being profitable."

He added, "The reward for employers and business leaders who are aligned with the public’s view is also considerable, with staff acting as powerful advocates for employers."

Source: www.businessworld.ie