The Edelman Trust Barometer shows us that trust is eroding in society and that we are more likely to trust business than other entities of authority. This position has also put stakeholder pressure on organizations to take stands on societal issues, where speaking out and silence can be reputational risks. The 2023 Global Communication Report conducted by the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations compares this time to maneuvering a Rubik’s Cube. Like solving a Rubik’s Cube, each move impacts somewhere else, and your actions can either build equity or erode trust. 

Reputation is currency for an organization but achieving brand equity with all stakeholders that you can take to the bank requires a shift in thinking. This becomes even more challenging in a polarized environment where brands are trying to attract younger audiences, be responsive to social issues, and even become brand activists. Then, throw in the level of revolutionary change that organizations are undergoing; reputation must be architected, accelerated, maintained, and defended in real-time where stakeholder values and interests may either be in sync or vastly different.  

This session will be interactive as we discuss the current global reputation trends and case studies, learn how to conduct a reputation risk assessment, and develop proof points for influencing leadership to prioritize reputation. At the end of the session, you’ll walk away with the tools you need to create a decision tree for guiding your leadership around taking a stand. Like the Rubik’s Cube, every move must align, and we’ll discuss the strategies that can put you on your way to solving this elusive puzzle. 

About Bonnie Caver

Bonnie Caver is the Founder and CEO of Reputation Lighthouse, a global branding, reputation, change management, and training consultancy with offices in Denver, Colorado and Austin, Texas. The firm, which is 20 years old, focuses on leading companies to create, accelerate, and protect their corporate value. 

Bonnie is a lifelong learner. She is a certified strategic change management professional (Kellogg School of Management), a certified crisis manager (Institute of Crisis Management), and one of few in the world to hold an advanced certification for reputation through the Reputation Institute (now the RepTrak Company). 

She is a past chair of the global executive board for the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). She has served on the board director for the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, where she led the Global Alliance initiative #WorldPRCommsMonth, which celebrates and advocates for the public relations and communication profession globally. Bonnie currently serves on the board of directors for the Global Communication Certification Council (GCCC) and leads the IABC Change Management Special Interest Group, which has 1,300+ members. In addition, she is heavily involved in the global conversation around the ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence in the public relations and communications profession and led the Global Alliance’s efforts in creating Ethical and Responsible AI Guidelines for the global profession. 

Bonnie is passionate about the communication profession and the Global Standards that guide professionals. She has traveled the world to meet with business leaders and educators to advocate for the Global Standards for the Communication Profession and the use of ethical and responsible AI within the profession. She enjoys mentoring young communication professionals and speaks frequently on branding, reputation, M&A, the future of communication and business trends, change management, ethics, and thought leadership topics.