Why is public trust in business declining?

Northumbria University, City Campus East, Room 403

Monday September 30

Rachael Saunders, Institute of Business Ethics

Why is public trust in business declining?

For over two decades, the Institute for Business Ethics has surveyed the British public's attitudes toward business ethics. The survey explores public perception of how ethically business behaves compared to other institutions - politicians, media and charities, along with key ethical issues that business most needs to address.

This year's findings reveal a concerning trend as public trust in all these institutions continues to decline

 Rachael will present the survey outcomes.

About our speaker

Rachael is Deputy Director of the Institute and is responsible for our research programme, and our advisory and training services. She is most interested in how research can generate insights that inspire action.

Rachael has collaborated with senior leaders across business, charities, communities, local and central government. After gaining her first degree in Politics and History from the University of Durham, and a Masters in Gender and Social Policy from the London School of Economics, Rachael worked in Westminster, then for Carers UK, for UNISON, the public sector trade union, and for the TUC, on skills policy. She was at Business in the Community for over ten years, as an expert in workplace diversity and then in education business partnerships. As a Director at BITC, she worked closely with the Department for Work and Pensions, the then Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and business leaders from Aviva, Barclays, Nationwide, UBS, McKinsey and many more.  Her most recent role was on the SLT of Speakers for Schools as it scaled its delivery of opportunities for young people.

She has held a number of trustee roles including on the board of the Rich Mix Cultural Foundation, the Bromley by Bow Centre and East End Homes. She is currently chair of a charity called Sister System.  She was an elected local councillor for ten years and served as leader of the Labour Group on Tower Hamlets Council. In 2019 Rachael gained an MSc from Birkbeck,  University of London, in Business Ethics and Corporate Governance, with a dissertation focussed on how boards communicate their community engagement.