USeC Meeting: The Role of Businesses in Rebuilding Trust in a Fragmented World

USeC Meeting: The Role of Businesses in Rebuilding Trust in a Fragmented World

In a context marked by social fragmentation, polarization, and distrust of institutions, the conversation about trust is no longer just about reputation. Today, it is structural.

In this context, Carolina Altschwager, a founding partner of Almabrands, served as a panelist at the “Coffee with…” event organized by the Social Union of Christian Entrepreneurs (USeC), where a key challenge was addressed: what role organizations should play in rebuilding social ties.

The event, titled “Beyond the Island: Building Bridges in a Fragmented World,” also featured Renzo Corona, Senior Partner at PwC and Director of ICARE, and Carolina Palacios, General Manager of Edelman Peru, who previewed some findings from the Trust Barometer study.

In his opening remarks, Enrique Cruz, President of USeC, noted that a company that claims to put people first and, at the same time, wants to be highly productive must address all aspects of its employees’ lives, including their spiritual well-being. He added that “when employees know that employers are committed to creating spaces for dialogue, all performance indicators improve.”

At Almabrands, the perspective was clear: companies are not just economic actors; they are one of the few places where true diversity exists today.

Before entering the workforce, people typically grow up in environments that are relatively homogeneous in terms of their social, educational, and cultural contexts. It is within organizations that—often for the first time—they encounter different perspectives, stories, and ways of viewing the world.

And that’s no small matter.

“Companies have a unique opportunity to serve as spaces for connection and the building of social capital, because they don’t need to go out and seek diversity—they already have it within their ranks,” Carolina said.

But that opportunity doesn’t come automatically.

Trust isn’t something you declare or impose. It’s built over time, through genuine, sustained, and often uncomfortable conversations. There are no shortcuts.

In an environment dominated by what Edelman calls a “crisis of grievance”—the widespread feeling of being overlooked by the system—organizations face a dual challenge: managing their own internal tensions while also helping to rebuild the social fabric.

“Island status hinders progress, and companies must address it. If left unaddressed, these unmanaged differences will hinder workplace productivity, weaken CEO leadership, and create greater resistance to innovation” (Carolina Palacios)

“Island status hinders progress, and companies must address it. If left unaddressed, these unmanaged differences will hinder workplace productivity, weaken CEO leadership, and create greater resistance to innovation” (Carolina Palacios)

This means taking responsibility for something that isn’t always on the strategic radar: the quality of dialogue.

Because conversation is not about persuading or negotiating. It’s about being willing to listen, to open oneself up to other perspectives, and to build upon our differences. And that is a skill that, as a society, we have not yet fully developed.

That’s where organizations can make a difference.

Not only by fostering more inclusive cultures, but also by creating real spaces for interaction that allow us to rebuild trust through everyday life.

At Almabrands, we have been working for years to understand trust not as an intangible concept, but as a system that can be assessed, managed, and strategically leveraged.

Because in a fragmented world, competitive advantage lies not only in what you do, but also in the ability to forge connections that sustain those actions over time.

The question, then, is: Are our organizations operating as islands… or as bridges?