Corporations Employ New Ways to Build Public Trust

U.S. Chamber Booklet Highlights Best Practices

WASHINGTON, DC-Corporations have recognized the importance of building public trust and have taken innovative new steps to achieve it, according to a new publication from The Business Civic Leadership Center (BCLC), an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

"Corporations no longer believe the public's trust is earned by simply complying with government regulations," said Stephen Jordan, BCLC vice president and executive director. "Today businesses are seeking to build trust with the public in every facet of their operations and through multiple forms of communications and outreach."

The publication, Values Matter, examines the subject of increasing trust in the business sector and chronicles the trust-building activities of several of today's best-known companies, including Chiquita Brands International, Google, Johnson & Johnson, KPMG, Southwest Airlines, Xerox, and others.

Among the steps companies are taking to build trust include developing corporate ethical practices and establishing stakeholder relationships to pro-actively build confidence in customers, employees, investors, and other important constituencies. Corporate leaders believe such efforts include increased productivity, community acceptance, consumer preference, and reduced transaction costs, according to the publication.

The report also noted that while 94% of business leaders surveyed by BCLC believe that ethical practices are critical or very important for their company, the public remains skeptical of corporate behavior and intentions.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Business Civic Leadership Center (BCLC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing better business-society relations and improving long-term social and economic conditions. The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

NOTE: A PDF of the report is available online at www.uschamber.com/bclc/media.

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07-15