The 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer reveals continued and increasing trust in the UAE’s leadership, with the country ranking second globally for trust overall, at 76 per cent, just below China at 83 per cent. The Government has emerged once again as the most trusted institution, at 87 per cent, representing a seven-point increase since 2021 and reinforcing the UAE’s position as one of the most trusted governments in the world.
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Government also ranked as a strong unifying force and was also seen as highly effective in taking a leadership role to solve societal problems as well as successfully executing plans and strategies that yield results. The report highlights that Businesses too, are seen as a trusted source, witnessing a double-digit increase from 2021, from 67 per cent to 78 per cent.
The pandemic continues to have a major impact on people’s priorities as well societal concerns that need to be addressed, specifically job losses (90 per cent) and climate change (75 per cent). As the second most trusted institution, Business and by extension CEOs, are expected to play a leading role in addressing challenges that extend beyond their business goals. In the UAE, Businesses are embracing an expanded mandate, where respondents look forward to CEOs leading on issues from job security, technology, automation, sustainability, and wage inequality.
This year saw Trust in all four institutions rise in the UAE, indicating high economic optimism in the country, up six points compared to 2021. In contrast to a decline in optimism across western democracies around the world, 78 per cent of respondents in the UAE believe that they and their families will be better off in five years’ time, which is testament to how the government and businesses work alongside each other to solve societal concerns and demonstrate tangible progress.
Omar Qirem, CEO, Edelman Middle East, said: “In stark contrast to what we are seeing globally, trust in the UAE Government has significantly increased year-on-year. The past year has been marked by global uncertainty around key issues such as climate change and rising commodity prices, but we are seeing an increase in economic optimism in the UAE - people trust they will be better off in five years' time. As a result of the public-private sector collaboration and clear leadership, trust in both Government and Business has surged. This continued collaboration between the two institutions and focus on purpose-driven goals we expect will enable all institutions to not only retain, but further increase trust in 2022 as leaders take tangible actions towards meeting key societal needs”.
The 2022 Trust Barometer is Edelman's 22nd annual trust and credibility survey. The research, conducted by Edelman Data & Intelligence (DxI), surveyed a sample of more than 36,000+ respondents in 28 markets.
Other key findings from the 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer: UAE include
- Employer communications are among the most believable source of information, along with the National Government
- My employer is trusted around the world (85 per cent) and grew + 10 points over last year
- CEOs are expected to be the face of change, where 85 per cent believe that CEOs should be personally visible when discussing public policy with external stakeholders
- 81 per cent see CEOs as a trusted societal leader – a double digital increase compared to 2021
- 68 per cent of respondents want CEOs to speak publicly about controversial social and political issues that they care about
- 72 per cent worry about false information or fake news, reaching an all-time high
- 45 per cent of respondents tend to distrust until they see evidence of something trustworthy
- Information quality is the most powerful trust builder across Government, Business, NGOs and Media