A Populus Perspective
TRUST & REPUTATION 2015
One Day Conference, 2 July 2015, London
Businesses are operating in a climate of mistrust – trust in big business amongst consumers and increasingly amongst regulators is at an all-time low following high profile media coverage of issues as varied as corporate taxation, supply chain hygiene, data security, workforce exploitation and executive remuneration. Corporate reputations are vulnerable to sustained attack when a business is seen to be operating in a way that contravenes public opinion, even if it does not contravene the law – damaging profits, share price and operational effectiveness. Organisations which have a good reputation are demonstrably more able to weather a media storm – the need to (re)build a good reputation from the inside out, to prepare for and manage reputation crises, to project corporate reputation effectively and earn the trust of consumer and stakeholders is now at the top of most Boardroom agendas.
This Populus Perspective on Trust & Reputation is designed to provide a clearer understanding of the landscape of opinion in which British business is operating and to create an opportunity for those responsible for managing, defending and projecting reputation to share best practice. The one day agenda will provide ideas and tools for improving and delivering an effective, integrated approach to reputation management.
Chair: Rita Clifton CBE
Chair, Populus and BrandCap
08:30 Registration
09:00 Welcome
09:15 Keynote: Reputation and Leadership
A board room perspective on how reputation management should sit at the heart of the organisation. How can business leaders identify and integrate the values that will earn trust - what are the potential obstacles and how can they be overcome?
Graham Beale, CEO, Nationwide
09:45 The Trust & Reputation Landscape
New research produced by Populus in partnership with Reputation.com, providing a better understanding of the many faces of corporate reputation. From a consumer segmentation analysis based on attitudes to business practice and corporate reputation, learn more about the trigger factors or tipping points that could impact upon reputation.
Laurence Stellings, Associate Director, Populus Politics & Reputation

10:15 The Trust in Business Zeitgeist
Our morning panellists provide their perspective on changing attitudes to business practice and expectations of responsible capitalism.
Panel chair: Andrew Cooper, Lord Cooper of Windrush, Founder & Director, Populus
Panellists:
Simon Walker, Director General, Institute of Directors
Stephen Howard, CEO, Business in the Community
Ruth Sunderland, Associate City Editor, Daily Mail
Mark Pendlington, Anglian Water Group Director & Chair of New Anglia LEP
Lornia Tilbian, Executive PLC Director, Numis Securities
11:00 Refreshments
11:30 Rebuilding the Triangle of Trust
Focusing on the trust relationship between business and the media and business and government, Sir Nigel will share findings from two previous DLA Piper studies tracking a breakdown in trust and, from work with the SAID Business School, will propose solutions for rebuilding a more constructive relationship
Sir Nigel Knowles, Global Co-Chairman, DLA Piper
11:50 Identifying Triggers for Reputational Risk
A panel discussion including the legal, investor relations, public affairs and communications’ perspectives.
Oliver Parry, Senior Corporate Governance Adviser, Institute of Directors
Jonathan Refoy, Director of European Corporate Affairs, CH2M Hill
Lesley Smith, Director Public Policy, UK & Ireland, Amazon
Rebecca Reilly, Head of Corporate Communications, Sainsbury's
Anthony Browne, CEO, British Bankers’ Association
12:45 Lunch
14:00 Building Trust in the International Charity Sector
Sir Brendan will share the challenges of building trust with many different communities, governments and within the charitable world. He will focus on the landscape of trust for NGOs amongst government and the public, learning lessons from Rwanda and from the Disasters &
Emergencies Committee’s priorities and challenges and the role of strong leadership in the NGO sector.
Sir Brendan Gormley, KCMG, MBE, Chair, CDAC & Chair, INGO Accountability Charter
14:30 Understanding Trust: Rebuilding McDonald’s Reputation
Nick has been at the centre of McDonald’s trust strategy over the last decade and will share what he has learned about consumer and stakeholder trust, how you lose it and how regaining can have an immediate impact on the bottom line. His presentation will focus on the action-led recovery plan which focused on all areas of the business.
Speaker:
Nick Hindle, Senior Vice President, Chief Communications Officer, McDonald’s
15:00 Afternoon refreshments

15:30 Understanding the Role of Communication in Building Reputation
Results from a new international research study by MHP, powered by Populus
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Understanding how consumers in the UK and across Europe view key industry sectors
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How do consumers perceive business’s recognition of their responsibility to society, their role as employers and the requirement to behave ethically
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Understanding attitudes to regulation and the relationship between government and big business
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Which communication approaches build reputation and earn trust?
Gavin Devine, CEO, MHP Communications
15:55 Building Reputation from the Inside Out
David Wheldon, Chief Marketing Officer, RBS
16:20 Closing Keynote: The New Reputation Economy
Businesses know that they need to put in place an online reputation management strategy, but is
UK business ready for the future impact of changing online behaviour? What is there to learn from the new business models so successfully developed by the likes of Uber and Airbnb? How much should business leaders also focus on their personal reputation online? Our keynote speaker is an internet entrepreneur who has pioneered online reputation management and authored the New York Times’ bestseller list “The Reputation Economy” – his closing keynote will provide eye opening insights.
Michael Fertik, CEO, Reputation.com
16:45 Chair’s Summing Up
17:00 Close of Conference