Study from Stagwell's (STGW) The Harris Poll
Highlights different generational opportunities amid rapid
technological and political change.
NEW
YORK, Feb. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A new Page
Society-Harris Poll reveals a stark deficit in public trust, with
only one in four respondents confident that businesses can
positively impact society. The study, a collaboration between the
Page Society, the premier global association for senior strategic
communication leaders, and The Harris Poll, Stagwell's (NASDAQ:
STGW) global consulting and market research firm, surveyed over
15,000 adults in 2024 across 14 global markets, including
North America, Europe, Asia,
and South America. A generational
divide is clear: Gen Z holds significantly higher expectations than
Boomers, particularly on mental health, gender, racial equality,
environmental issues, and major international conflicts.
While only 26% express confidence globally, this number dips to
14% in Japan and Italy, and rises to 48% in Saudi Arabia, suggesting varying levels of
confidence across regions.
The Index identifies six key areas where businesses must focus
to rebuild trust:
- Economic Stability and Growth: Stabilizing the economy and
securing financial well-being.
- Job Creation and Workforce Skills Development: Equipping the
workforce for the future: Urgent investment in skills
development.
- Addressing Corruption: Demanding ethical practices of
transparency and accountability and building foundations of trust
and ethics.
- Environmental Issues: Taking critical action to combat climate
change and protecting the future through sustainable
practices.
- Research and Technological Innovation: Harnessing technology
responsibly and innovating ethically for a better future.
- Mental Health Issues: Prioritizing mental well-being in the
workplace and beyond.
Note: Issues were up to respondent interpretation
The research found consistencies within the top issues ranked
per region:
- Australia, China, and the UK list corruption as the top
key issue.
- The US, Italy, Japan, Saudi
Arabia, Mexico,
the UAE, India, Germany, China, Canada, and Brazil list economic stability and growth as
the top key issue.
Of course, there are a few outliers including:
- France ranks income inequality
and gender equality as top issues of concern.
- The UAE ranks trust in key societal institutions higher
than other regions.
"This research underscores the urgent need for businesses to not
only take action on these critical issues but also clearly
communicate the context and rationale behind their efforts," said
Dr. Rochelle Ford, CEO of the Page
Society. "The findings emphasize the urgent need for CCOs to lead
the charge in rebuilding public trust. It's not enough for
businesses to simply take action; they must communicate
transparently the rationale for it and how those actions are being
taken, particularly to resonate with a skeptical public."
The study also finds that confidence is directly tied to seeing
both company action and clear contextualization. In the US,
political polarization significantly influences issue priorities,
highlighting the need for tailored communication strategies.
A parallel study of 40 Chief Communication Officers (CCOs)
revealed key risks for 2025, including "anti-woke" backlash against
ESG/DEI initiatives, polarization and low trust, potential Trump
policy shifts, and geopolitical challenges. CCOs see the greatest
opportunities in managing these risks and the responsible adoption
of AI and other technologies.
The full report, including detailed findings and
recommendations, is available at https://hubs.la/Q033Lp0f0.
Survey Methodology
The research was conducted online in 14 countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy,
Japan, Mexico, Saudi
Arabia, United Arab
Emirates, United Kingdom,
and the United States) by The
Harris Poll on behalf of The Page Society among 15,193 adults 18+
overall ( 1,006 in Australia,
1,006 in Brazil, 1,006 in
Canada, 1,018 in China, 1,020 in France, 1,020 in Germany, 1,007 in India, 1,020 in Italy, 1,007 in Japan, 1,012 in Mexico, 1,014 in Saudi Arabia, 1,006 in the United Arab Emirates, 1,005 in the
United Kingdom, and 2,046
respondents in the United States).
The survey was conducted December
17th to 23rd, 2024.
Data are weighted in Australia,
Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Japan,
Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom by age by gender, region, and
education. In Canada by age by
gender, education, region, race/ethnicity, knowledge of official
languages, household size, and marital status. In China by age, gender, region, and urban/rural
status. In India by age by gender,
and education. In Mexico by
gender, age, social class, and region. In the United States by age by gender, education,
race/ethnicity, region, household size, income, marital status, and
political affiliation. All to bring them in line with their actual
proportions in the population.
Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who
have agreed to participate in our surveys. The sampling precision
of Harris online polls is measured
by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample
data is accurate to within ±1.0 percentage points at the global
level, ±3.2 for Australia, ±3.6
for Brazil, ±3.9 for Canada, ±4.0 for China, ±3.5 for France, ±3.4 for Germany, ±3.5 for India, ±3.7 for Italy, ±3.7 for Japan, ±4.1 for Mexico, ±4.4 for Saudi Arabia, ±4.4 for United Arab Emirates, ±3.5 for United Kingdom, ±2.7 for the United States, all using a 95% confidence
level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the
surveyed population of interest.
All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use
probability sampling, are subject to other multiple sources of
error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate,
including, but not limited to coverage error, error associated with
nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response
options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments.
About Page
Page is the premier global professional association for senior
strategic communication leaders. The organization brings together
the world's best communicators to become stronger leaders by
learning together, helping each other, imagining a better future
for corporate communication and bringing that future to
life.
This elite community includes the chief communication officers
of leading global companies, non-profit organizations, and
government agencies; the CEOs of public relations firms and other
companies that serve the strategic communication function of major
corporations; and distinguished educators at leading business and
communication schools. Membership is selected through peer
nomination only, with strict nomination criteria. For more
information, visit www.page.org.
About The Harris Poll
The Harris Poll is a global consulting and market research firm
that delivers proven intelligence for transformational times.
Responsible for one of the longest-running surveys in the United States, Harris Poll provides unique
context and social insights based on having analyzed public
opinion, motivations, and social sentiment since 1963. It works
with clients in three primary areas: building modern corporate
reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and
data driven thought leadership. It is now part of Stagwell, the
challenger holding company built to transform marketing.
About Stagwell
Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) is the challenger holding company built
to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for
the world's most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving
creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and
science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our specialists in 35+
countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive
effectiveness and improve business results for our clients. Join us
at www.stagwellglobal.com.
Media Contacts:
Anabella
Tinoco
atinoco@page.org
Taylor Weeks
taylor.weeks@harrispoll.com
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