# From openness to insularity | Insights from Edelman's Trust Barometer on why trust is retreating and what B2B marketers must do about it

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/trust-influence-in-b2b-7231194/from-openness-to-insularity-insights-from-edelman-s-trust-barometer-on-why-trust-is-retreating-and-what-b2b-marketers-must-do-about-it
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/trust-influence-in-b2b-7231194/from-openness-to-insularity-insights-from-edelman-s-trust-barometer-on-why-trust-is-retreating-and-what-b2b-marketers-must-do-about-it.md
Podcast: [Trust & Influence in B2B](https://stenobird.com/podcast/trust-influence-in-b2b-7231194)
Published: 2026-03-10T08:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://joelharrison1.wpenginepowered.com/from-openness-to-insularity-insights-from-edelmans-trust-barometer-on-why-trust-is-retreating-and-what-b2b-marketers-must-do-about-it
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/d054b259-5d65-4ec8-8381-0d7563c03643.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/trust-influence-in-b2b-7231194/episodes/from-openness-to-insularity-insights-from-edelman-s-trust-barometer-on-why-trust-is-retreating-and-what-b2b-marketers-must-do-about-it
Duration seconds: 2227

## Resource

In this episode of Trust and Influence in B2B Marketing, Joel Harrison sits down with Andrew Mildren, MD of Edelman Business Marketing for EMEA, to dig into the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer — based on nearly 34,000 responses across 28 countries. The headline finding is sobering: 70% of people globally now hold what Edelman calls an insular trust mindset, retreating into familiar circles and becoming reluctant to trust those who hold different views or values. And yet, businesses have held the title of most trusted institution since 2021. So what's driving this contradiction — and what must B2B marketers do about it? ➡️ Andrew brings Edelman's 26 years of trust expertise to the table and offers both clear diagnosis and practical direction. He explains the concept of "trust brokering" — where businesses act not as side-takers, but as facilitators bridging divided groups — and highlights examples from Microsoft and IKEA doing this credibly. He breaks down why insularity is no longer just a societal issue but a bottom-line business problem, affecting productivity, retention, and leadership. The conversation also explores local versus global trust dynamics, AI's growing impact on how content and companies are discovered, and closes with five concrete actions B2B marketers should be taking now — including treating trust as a commercial metric and building a GEO (generative engine optimization) strategy. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to the Edelman Trust Barometer 01:16 - What You'll Learn in This Episode 02:14 - The Secret Behind 26 Years of Trust Research 04:36 - Evolving Themes: From Polarization to Insularity 07:59 - The Insular Trust Mindset: What's Driving It 10:51 - Why Business Is the Most Trusted Institution 14:56 - Trust Brokering: What It Means in Practice 17:21 -…

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