Trust and Changing Mindsets towards Social Progress

Published by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), “Changing Mindsets to Realize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” explores how governments and public institutions can promote new mindsets, capacities, and behaviors among public servants to effectively implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Building trust is not only a moral imperative in governance but also a practical foundation for advancing social progress. Achieving the SDGs requires a profound shift in how institutions, leaders, and societies operate—one centered on trust, transparency, and collaboration.

The quality of governance is inseparable from the trust citizens place in their institutions. Leaders who act with integrity, uphold the rule of law, and embrace transparency foster public confidence. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, people instinctively turned to governments for unified action. This revealed both the necessity of effective institutions and the fragility of public trust, calling for solidarity, inclusion, and environmental responsibility.

Certain mindsets are critical for cultivating trust and driving social progress. An open and transparent mindset emphasizes communication and information-sharing, ensuring that citizens can hold institutions accountable. A personal accountability mindset highlights responsibility and ownership of actions, while an ethical mindset calls for adherence to values and moral standards that prevent corruption. Together, these mindsets create a culture where institutions are seen as reliable and fair, reinforcing social cohesion.

No single sector can tackle the complex challenges of today’s world. Effective progress depends on multi-stakeholder collaboration, which thrives only when grounded in trust. Building and maintaining trust must be a priority in governance models, with leaders investing in it from the outset and throughout the lifecycle of partnerships. Whether in policy design, service delivery, or global cooperation, trust acts as the glue binding diverse actors to common goals.

Trust is not static; it is built through repeated acts of accountability, inclusion, and responsiveness. When governments adopt agile mindsets, valuing outcomes over rigid rules, embracing change, and encouraging participation, they strengthen trust while ensuring more resilient and people-centered governance. In turn, this trust becomes a form of social capital, enabling societies to withstand crises, negotiate differences, and advance toward shared prosperity.

For the 2030 Agenda to succeed, fostering trust must be seen as a strategic investment. It is the bridge between citizens and their institutions, between governments and civil society, and between local and global actors. By embedding trust-building into governance, societies can create the conditions for lasting social progress, where no one is left behind and collective aspirations for peace, justice, and sustainability are realized.

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