Every Great Story Has an End: Looking Back at the VERITY Journey
VERITY Team | 20 November 2025
3 years of rigorous research, 7 dedicated partners across 6 countries, 22 Advisory and Impact Board members, countless hours of collaboration, and one ambitious goal: to understand and enhance trust in science.
We have reached the end of our VERITY journey!
Our challenge was monumental: to strengthen the public’s confidence in science in an age of rising disinformation and eroding institutional trust.
By adopting an interdisciplinary approach and engaging all types of relevant actors, from citizens and researchers to policymakers and the media, we committed ourselves to fostering a more constructive and productive relationship between science and society.
Our core achievements: A protocol for change
VERITY’s most significant achievement is the creation of the VERITY Protocol of Recommendations for Fostering Trust in Science. This structured, evidence-based, and co-created framework translates 3 years of research into actionable guidance:
100 targeted recommendations: Developed through scientific literature review, stakeholder engagement, and validation involving over 500 participants.
Six strategic areas: The Protocol is organised around six key strategies for building trust:
Trustworthy Science,
Public Engagement,
Education & Awareness,
Science Communication,
Supportive Policy Frameworks,
Cross-Sector Collaboration.
The Ecosystem of Trust: We successfully explored the “Ecosystem of Trust,” recognising that Stewards of Trust (SOTs), including influencers, companies, and peers, share responsibility for maintaining confidence in science. We produced eight tailored briefs for different Stewards roles.
Tools for uptake: We launched the VERITY Online Interactive Tool and Scenario-Building Training to ensure the Protocol is user-friendly and easily applied within diverse institutional and societal contexts.
VERITY in numbers
Between our kick-off and closure in August 2025, we achieved significant results:
22 Advisory and Impact Board Members
>500 Participants involved in validation and co-creation activities.
3,000 views and >1,800 downloads of the VERITY Protocol on Zenodo.
- 25 internally organised events and more than 35 participations in external events.
Strategic Policy Impact: Our findings actively shaped policy, including input into the World Science Forum 2024 Declaration and contributions to DG R&I Thematic Reports and the Science Summit UNGA79.
- Sustainable community on more than 900 followers and 200.000 impressions in the project Social Media Channels
- 2 Policy Briefs published by VERITY and 1 joint pocily brief with the Sister Projects POIESIS and IANUS.
Thank you to our Stewards of Trust!
This success would not have been possible without the dedication of our partners, the invaluable expertise of our ADIM Board members, and the active participation of all stakeholders who generously shared their insights on the dynamics of trust and mistrust.
A special thank you the VERITY Consortium, to our ADIM Board Members and to our community. Your commitment, transdisciplinarity, and passion for making a real difference are the foundation of this legacy.
The Future of Trust
While the project is concluded, our impact is designed to be sustainable. Through the VERITY Ambassador Toolkit and Roadmap, we have empowered our partners and engaged Stewards of Trust to continue advocating for open, ethical, and inclusive research practices. Our open-access resources on Zenodo, the Embassy of Good Science, and the Interactive Online Tool will remain available for researchers, policymakers, and citizens worldwide.
We hope you will continue to engage with our findings and use the VERITY Protocol to build stronger bridges between science and society.
See you soon, maybe at a conference shaping the next era of responsible research and innovation!!!
Warm regards,
The VERITY Team.
Contacts: agata.gurzawska@trilateralresearch.com.
