Article at a glance:

The trust gap between consumers and corporations

• Business executives and consumers overwhelmingly agree that corporate obligations to shareholders must be balanced by contributions to the broader public good, according to two McKinsey surveys.
• Consumers, however, are less positive than executives about the social contributions of large global companies.
• Consumers and corporate leaders prioritize different sociopolitical issues, and consumers have no qualms about taking business to task for what they perceive as failures to meet its social obligations.
• The surveys suggest that companies need to develop methods for tracking and interpreting public opinion and should work to address key social issues.