America's Most Trusted Companies 2022

Trust is something that seems to be in short supply in the world right now.

- By Nancy Cooper. Photographs by Claudia Totir, Getty, Tesla, Patrick H. Corkery, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Cal Bingham, American Express, Stephan Mering, Sonos and ADT

A recent international study of trust in different institutions by Edelman Research, for instance, referred to a “cycle of distrust” fueled by a widespread lack of faith in government and media. Non-governmental organizations and businesses were generally considered more trustworthy.

Trust is as crucial for any business as employees, capital and customers. If customers, employees and investors feel they can't rely on a company to be honest and fair with them, that company can't function for long. And in recent years, particularly through the pandemic, trust has taken on more meaning for businesses than just square dealing and avoiding scandal. Increasingly, consumers, employers and investors also want to know that a company shares their beliefs and values before they'll come aboard.