Richard Edelman, CEO of the Edelman public relations groups, said business needs to “step into the void” left by a lack of trust in traditional sources of information.

“Business has to step into the void left by lack of quality information,” Edelman told Steve Clemons, editor-at-large of The Hill, in an interview Tuesday.

“The media is seen as politicized. Government is seen as episodic. And so whether you're a corporation or you're a brand, you have a duty to inform your employees, who then can share that information more broadly,” Edelman added.

Edelman said that trust in businesses is contingent on the perception that their commitment to solve problems during the recession is greater than their will to make profits. He named companies such as Starbucks and Sodexo that have found ways to continue operations amid the pandemic.

“You also have an obligation to be in the business of solutions and not selling,” he said. “You should be seen as somehow helping this country get back on its feet, to keep as many people as you can employed, to include small businesses in the supply chain.”