The 2012 Trust Barometer’s deep dive into the 16 attributes of trust found that the factors responsible for shaping current business trust levels are largely tied to business competence and that those that will build trust in the future, involve engagement behavior and societal imperatives.

Listening to customer needs, treating employees well, placing customers ahead of profits, and having ethical business practices are all considered more important than delivering consistent financial returns — and indicate that the path forward means continuing to do the basics well while also adopting a broader, societal view.

The chart below shows the shift that business must make from license to operate to license to lead.

For more information, read the Executive Summary or the Global Results Presentation.