The Bay Area’s Purpose Dividend? Why Americans Want Business to Lead with Values

The latest Bentley Gallup Business in Society Report offers striking confirmation of what many purpose-driven professionals have long sensed: Americans now see business as a moral actor in society, one with both the power and the responsibility to make life better.

In 2025, 65% of Americans say business has a positive impact on people’s lives, a ten-point rise since 2022. Trust in the private sector now exceeds trust in the federal government by a full twelve points. And when asked what they want from companies, Americans consistently point to values, not just value.

Across industries and generations, people are asking for something deeper from the economy: meaning, fairness, sustainability, and care.

A New Mandate for Business

According to Gallup’s national survey, nearly nine in ten Americans believe that businesses have the power to improve lives, but fewer than two-thirds believe that power is being used effectively.

That gap defines the challenge of our time. People want business to lead, but they expect that leadership to show up in tangible ways through how companies treat workers, source materials, support communities, and steward the planet.

The findings reveal where the public’s priorities lie:

• 96% say companies should offer quality healthcare.
• 95% believe they should support their local communities.
• 91% want them to operate sustainably and provide mental health support.
• 90% say businesses should actively improve the world around them.

These are not marginal issues anymore. They are the new baseline of legitimacy in the marketplace. Companies that meet these expectations are not just “doing good”; they are doing what most Americans now define as good business.

Trust, Reimagined

Trust has become the currency of modern commerce.

In an era when institutions falter, businesses have emerged as more trusted than government to act in the public’s best interest. Yet the survey shows that trust is not unconditional. It must be earned through transparency, empathy, and consistent follow-through.

The companies that succeed in the coming decade will be those that combine business performance with moral intelligence, understanding that credibility is built not through slogans but through the daily discipline of aligning profit with purpose.

Speaking Up, Showing Up

One of the most revealing shifts in the 2025 report is how Americans view corporate voice. After two years of decline, a majority (51%) now say businesses should take public stances on social and environmental issues, up 13 points from 2024.

The strongest support is for issues that touch daily life and human dignity:

• Free speech (58%)
• Climate change (58%)
• Mental health (57%)
• Diversity, equity and inclusion (56%)
• Healthcare (55%)

These numbers signal a cultural recalibration. Americans do not expect silence; they expect sincerity. They want companies to act and speak in ways that reflect shared values, not partisan divisions.

That balance, conviction without polarization, is emerging as the defining skill of effective corporate leadership.

The Local Thread

While national trust may fluctuate, one constant remains: people still believe in the power of local enterprise.

The survey’s section on “Buying American” reveals a subtle truth. Although only 39% of consumers consistently consider a product’s origin, the top reasons they value U.S.-made goods are deeply personal: supporting jobs, strengthening communities, and sustaining the economy.

In practice, that means people want to see their spending do more than fill a cart. They want it to build something lasting where they live. The rise of local, sustainable, and ethical business is not a fad. It is a quiet act of civic renewal taking root in neighborhoods across the country.

Technology, Humanity, and the Next Frontier

The report also tracks the uneasy optimism surrounding artificial intelligence. While trust in businesses to use AI responsibly has grown to 31% (up 10 points since 2023), most Americans remain concerned about job loss and accountability.

This tension speaks to a broader truth. Technological change will only inspire confidence when it serves human wellbeing. Innovation that amplifies empathy, not just efficiency, will define the next generation of purpose-driven business.

A Culture Ready for Better Business

The 2025 Bentley Gallup findings confirm that Americans are not cynical about business. They are aspirational. They want companies to succeed, but to succeed in ways that leave people, communities, and the planet better off.

For leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals building the next era of impact-driven enterprise, the takeaway is clear: the culture has caught up to the mission. The market is ready for ethics, trust, and authenticity, not as differentiators but as expectations.

The question is no longer whether purpose has a place in business.
It is how fast the rest of business can catch up.

Read the full report here: 2025 Bentley Gallup Business in Society Survey