Trust runs the world - Greiner Session at the European Forum Alpbach

The aim of the session was to find out why trust in the media, politics, institutions, companies or in other people is often lacking and how it can be (re)established once it has been destroyed. An expert panel - consisting of Beatrix Praeceptor (CEO Greiner Packaging), Ron Ivey (Harvard University) and Nic Newman (Oxford University) - discussed this with around 70 EFA participants. Journalist Damita Pressl (NZZ) moderated the panel discussion.

Trust from different perspectives

In the interactive panel discussion, the speakers explained the topic from various perspectives. Beatrix Praeceptor shared her views as a manager and CEO of Greiner's packaging division. For a globally active company like Greiner, trust is essential to maintain business relationships and operate successfully. Successful business and trust therefore go hand in hand. Within the company, managers play a key role in creating trust. According to Beatrix Praeceptor, trust can be established through transparency, empathy and authenticity.

Trust is also essential for social coexistence and differs from country to country. Ron Ivey explained that trust is lower in the USA than in Nordic countries, for example. Nic Newman added that a similar picture also emerges about trust in the media.

Opinion on site

The audience was also asked to give their point of views during the 90-minute session: participants were able to repeatedly express their agreement or disagreement with questions using ‘yes’ and ‘no’ cards. This showed that the audience tends to generally trust other people. A positive picture also emerged with regard to trust in colleagues and managers. According to the vote, there was still room for improvement when it came to trust in companies. Trust in politics was predominantly rated negatively by the audience.

Artificial intelligence as a game changer

The role of artificial intelligence (AI) in relation to trust was also discussed on the panel and with the audience. According to Nic Newman, artificial intelligence will have an even greater impact on the media world in the future. Beatrix Praeceptor added that AI brings both opportunities and risks in everyday business life. Ron Ivey emphasised that social interaction is also increasingly being changed by the technological developments. After all, we are currently experiencing not only a crisis of trust, but also increasingly a crisis of loneliness, with some people replacing their social contacts with AI.

All participants agreed on one thing: regardless of whether it is the media, politics or companies - there are people behind it all - and these people can break trust, but they can also (re)establish it.