How an Edelman EVP approaches trust repair in crises

Gerry Rodriguez is a communications executive and purpose-driven strategist with more than 15 years of experience advising boards, C-suite leaders and global organizations on brand trust, enterprise risk, stakeholder engagement and public affairs.

As U.S. head of brand purpose and impact at Edelman, Rodriguez leads the firm’s North American advisory practice, helping organizations embed sustainability, equity and social impact into their business operations. He serves on Edelman’s U.S. Operating Committee and Global Impact Leadership Team, and leads the firm’s OutFront Taskforce, advising clients on LGBTQ+ issues and inclusive leadership strategies.

You help organizations integrate purpose into the core of their business. What’s a moment in your career when you realized purpose wasn’t just “nice to have,” but essential to business survival?

I started my career in politics, working on political campaigns and going to Washington, D.C., with a “let’s save the world” mindset. I was very bright-eyed and optimistic. I quickly realized it takes a long time to effect change that way. It’s contentious and polarized, as we’re seeing right now, arguably the most extreme it’s been in a long time. What I did realize while working in that space was the power of business. Business doesn’t have to wait for policy change to take effect overnight.

This was around the time before the Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage, in the early 2000s and 2010s. Companies were already offering benefits to same-sex spouses, whether through civil unions or other arrangements. It was powerful to see global companies able to do that without waiting for the U.S. to follow along. What I saw wasn’t just something essential to business survival, but a competitive advantage. That drew me into the business world and the idea that companies could advance social issues and social causes in that way. You could change a policy overnight and affect tens of thousands of people.

I did a lot of work with global banks, and it was clear how policies affected talent. A top performer in New York might not be able to relocate to Malaysia or Southeast Asia with her wife because she didn’t feel safe there. That puts a ceiling on a top-performing employee simply because she wants to live authentically.

That led to working with companies to protect employees and use advocacy to drive change, enable protections and, ultimately, help move policy forward around the world. People then want to work for you.

Edelman research shows that Black professionals are seven times more likely to want to work for companies with LGBTQ protections, and Asian professionals are five times more likely. This study, done in partnership with GLAAD, shows inclusive policies don’t just support one group. They create trust across groups. If you’re willing to protect one group, people trust that you’ll protect them, too.

Those who understand this get ahead, and those who don’t get left behind. I believed that early on, and I still believe it today. Despite what we’re seeing, companies that stand in their values are coming out stronger.

When you think about leadership in your journey, what’s one lesson that you learned the hard way and shaped the way you lead today?

Early in a career, we’re always looking for the answer or the solution. What did so-and-so do? How do we copy that? What’s the roadmap? How do we navigate through? But there’s this concept of the map versus the compass style of leadership. Early on, I was always looking for the map—how do I get from A to B? But with a compass, you know generally where you need to go and navigate your own path. What does this mean for you? It’s realizing it’s not necessarily about the strategy or the tactics, but about the why. Why are you doing it? Why does it matter? How does it impact people?

If you could rewrite the typical crisis comms playbook for today’s broken trust era, what’s the first chapter that you would like to change?

I think it’s controlling the narrative. Control is just an illusion. The starting point is earning the right to be heard. The world is automatically skeptical, especially Gen Z. They know where the receipts are and where to look for them. That means acknowledging the impact and taking accountability when needed. It also means showing your work publicly. Silence feels like an action, too.

In this AI cycle of rumors and misinformation, what’s one practice organizations can adapt today or tomorrow?

Being as transparent as you can. Telling your story first is powerful. It also means understanding where employees are actually getting information. Are they on the intranet, or are they on LinkedIn, Facebook or other social media? How you use those channels as internal communications tools matters. They allow employees to re-share information and become champions of it.

What is the best piece of advice that you’ve gotten from a mentor that you still rely on today?

You have to pass the test before you can change the test. That means understanding the world you’re working in and who the stakeholders are, rather than bulldozing in with your point of view. Sometimes it’s a symptom, not a cause, and you have to address the root cause.

What’s a book, film, or cultural moment that has shifted how you think about leadership or impact?

“The Activist Leader” by John Miller. It reframes what corporate activism looks like, from street protests to behind-the-scenes bridge building. It always comes back to values-led decision-making. I also think about Janet Jackson at the Super Bowl—who got blamed, why, and how that would have been different if it were someone else. Those moments always stick with me.

To learn how to lead through crisis in today’s broken trust era, join Ragan’s Crisis Communications Virtual Conference on Wednesday, Jan. 28. Gerry Rodriguez, EVP and U.S. Head of Brand Purpose and Impact at Edelman, will lead a session on The Broken Trust Era: How AI Has Accelerated Decline — and How to Fix It, sharing practical guidance on rebuilding employee trust amid AI-driven misinformation, economic uncertainty and rising skepticism.  Register here. 

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.