Issue Government: trust sustained by process, not delivery alone

Summary

EY describes trust as the condition that makes governing possible, supporting voluntary cooperation, data sharing, policy adoption and public tolerance for uncertainty and error. Because governments act amid contested outcomes and imperfect information, it argues that good delivery alone cannot rebuild trust. Instead trust depends on how authority is exercised. The challenge is growing, as trust in institutions keeps falling worldwide, government is often the least trusted, and many people suspect leaders of deliberately misleading them. EY therefore stresses credibility built into the process itself, through fair and transparent decisions, explainability, the ability to contest and correct decisions, independent oversight and careful stewardship of public data.