PERITIA · Project

Tools to Measure and Build Public Trust in Expert-Driven Policy Decisions

otherPrototypeTRL 3Thin data (2/5)

Imagine you're a government official announcing a new climate policy based on scientific advice, but half the public doesn't believe the scientists. Why? PERITIA gathered philosophers, psychologists, and media experts from 9 countries to figure out what actually makes people trust — or distrust — experts. They found that emotions and values matter just as much as credentials when people decide who to believe. The end goal was practical: create indicators and tools that organizations can use to measure trustworthiness and communicate more effectively with skeptical audiences.

By the numbers

consortium partners across disciplines

countries represented in cross-cultural research

total project deliverables produced

universities contributing research expertise

pilot studies completed

The business problem

What needed solving

Organizations across sectors — from energy companies communicating climate policy to governments rolling out health measures — face growing public distrust of expert-driven decisions. This skepticism can derail product launches, policy implementation, and corporate reputation. Most organizations respond with more data and credentials, but research shows that emotional and value-based factors are equally important in whether people decide to trust experts.

The solution

What was built

PERITIA produced 43 deliverables including 2 completed pilot studies, trust measurement indicators, and trust-enhancing narrative strategies. The project investigated social, ethical, and psychological factors that determine public trust in experts, using climate science as its primary test case. Outputs include empirical research findings, conceptual tools for assessing trustworthiness, and applied methods for building warranted trust between the public and decision-makers.

Audience

Who needs this

Strategic communications firms advising regulated industries on public trustESG and sustainability consultancies helping clients communicate climate commitmentsGovTech companies building citizen engagement and e-democracy platformsPublic sector bodies designing science communication campaignsCorporate affairs departments managing expert credibility in public debates

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Public Affairs & Communications Consulting

mid-size

Target: PR and strategic communications firms advising governments or regulated industries

If you are a communications consultancy helping clients navigate public skepticism around science-based policy — PERITIA developed trust indicators and trust-enhancing narrative methods tested across 9 countries. These tools can strengthen your advisory offering by giving clients evidence-based strategies for rebuilding credibility with the public, moving beyond guesswork to measurable trustworthiness signals.

Corporate ESG & Sustainability Reporting

any

Target: ESG consultancies and sustainability rating agencies

If you are an ESG advisory firm struggling to help clients communicate climate commitments credibly — PERITIA used climate science as its primary test case for understanding what drives public trust. Their findings on emotional and normative factors in trust decisions can help you design sustainability communications that actually resonate, rather than triggering skepticism among investors and consumers.

GovTech & Civic Engagement Platforms

SME

Target: Technology companies building citizen engagement or e-democracy platforms

If you are a civic tech company building platforms for public consultation or policy feedback — PERITIA produced social indicators of trustworthiness and empirical data on how citizens evaluate expert opinion. Integrating these indicators into your platform design could improve participation rates and the quality of citizen-government dialogue on technical policy issues.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to access or license PERITIA's trust measurement tools?

Based on available project data, PERITIA was a publicly funded Research and Innovation Action, so its published findings, indicators, and methodologies are likely available through open-access publications. Commercial licensing terms for any proprietary tools would need to be discussed directly with University College Dublin as the coordinating institution.

Can these trust indicators work at industrial scale across different countries?

The consortium spanned 9 countries (including Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and UK), suggesting the research was designed for cross-cultural applicability. However, the project produced pilot studies rather than commercial-grade software, so scaling would require further development and validation.

Is there intellectual property or patents from this project?

Based on available project data, PERITIA was primarily a social science research project producing 43 deliverables including pilot studies and academic outputs. No patents are indicated. IP would likely reside with University College Dublin and consortium partners under standard Horizon 2020 rules.

How does this help with regulatory compliance around public communication?

PERITIA's findings on how emotional and normative factors shape trust in expert advice are directly relevant to organizations required to communicate risk or policy decisions transparently. The trust indicators could support compliance with emerging regulations around corporate sustainability reporting and public consultation requirements.

What was actually tested and validated during the project?

The project completed 2 pilot studies and ran both theoretical and empirical research phases. Climate change and climate science served as the primary test case for exploring social, ethical, and psychological indicators of trustworthiness. The 43 total deliverables suggest substantial empirical work, but outputs remain at the research stage.

Can these tools integrate with existing CRM or communications platforms?

Based on available project data, PERITIA produced research methodologies, social indicators, and narrative strategies rather than plug-and-play software modules. Integration into existing business tools would require a development phase to translate the academic outputs into usable features or APIs.

Consortium

Who built it

PERITIA's 11-partner consortium across 9 countries is heavily academic: 7 universities, 1 research organization, and 3 other entities (likely NGOs or civil society groups), with just 1 SME and zero industrial partners. This 0% industry ratio is typical for governance and social science research but signals that commercial translation was not a priority. The geographic spread — from Ireland and Western Europe to Armenia and Poland — gives the trust research cross-cultural depth, which is valuable for any business operating across European markets. For a company looking to apply these findings, the lack of industry partners means you would be among the first to commercialize the outputs, which is both an opportunity and a risk requiring additional development investment.

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, DUBLINCoordinator · IE
STRANE INNOVATIONparticipant · FR
POLSKA AKADEMIA NAUKparticipant · PL
UNIVERSITETET I OSLOparticipant · NO
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA FOUNDATIONparticipant · AM
ALL EUROPEAN ACADEMIES (ALLEA) e.V.participant · DE
UNIVERSITEIT UTRECHTparticipant · NL
CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRSparticipant · FR
KING'S COLLEGE LONDONparticipant · UK
UNIVERSITA VITA-SALUTE SAN RAFFAELEparticipant · IT

How to reach the team

University College Dublin, National University of Ireland — reach the research team through the PERITIA project website or UCD's School of Philosophy

Order a report on this consortium See UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, DUBLIN profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to turn PERITIA's trust indicators into a competitive advantage for your communications or consulting practice? SciTransfer can arrange an introduction to the research team and help you scope a collaboration.

Order a report on this topic More in other