DAVOS, Switzerland — January 19, 2026 — New global research released today at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting finds that economic impact is the number one expectation people have of business worldwide, yet confidence that companies can deliver remains substantially lower.
The 2026 Page–Harris Poll Confidence in Business Index, based on a survey of more than 15,000 adults across 14 global markets, measures how important key societal issues are to the public and how confident people are in business’s ability to make a positive impact on those issues. The findings point to a growing gap between expectations and confidence — with important implications for business leaders operating in an increasingly fragmented, GenAI-driven information environment.
“The world is sending a clear message: economic impact people can feel is the most important expectation of business globally,” said Rochelle L. Ford, Ph.D., APR, CEO of the Page Society. “Yet confidence that companies can deliver remains low because most people don’t see or understand what businesses are doing or why it matters. Leaders must close that gap by demonstrating action and communicating context — and in today’s environment, that also means showing up with authority in search and generative AI as well as traditional channels. This is where the role of the chief communications officer is essential in helping organizations connect strategy to visible impact and build confidence through clarity and action.”
While 61% of respondents say it is very important for leading companies to create economic impact for everyone, only 31% express high confidence that companies can do so. Key findings from the 2026 Confidence in Business Index include:
The research also highlights the extent to which the information environment has shifted. Search engines now dominate both usage and trust globally, while trust in generative AI tools is rising rapidly — reshaping how people form views about companies and their impact.
Conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Page Society, the Confidence in Business Index provides a global benchmark for understanding public expectations of business and confidence in companies’ ability to make a positive impact across key societal issues.
The full 2026 Page–Harris Poll Confidence in Business Index is available at https://bit.ly/PageHarrisCIB2026.
About Page Society
Page is the premier global professional association for senior strategic communication leaders. The organization brings together the world’s best communicators to become stronger leaders by learning together, helping each other, imagining a better future for corporate communication and bringing that future to life.
This elite community includes the chief communication officers of leading global companies, non-profit organizations, and government agencies; the CEOs of public relations firms and other companies that serve the strategic communication function of major corporations; and distinguished educators at leading business and communication schools. Membership is selected through peer nomination only, with strict nomination criteria. For more information, visit www.page.org.