9 GHP Biotechnology & Lifesciences Awards 2026 “Public trust is not about asking people to accept all innovation equally. It is about making sure technologies are discussed in their proper context, with clear information on applications, evidence, risk assessment, trade-offs, and consumer choice.” Launched in December 2023, the B-Trust Project was born from the recognition that many trust barriers surrounding biotechnology are not purely technical but also rooted in fears of unintended consequences, a sense that technologies may be unnecessary, and the feeling that decisions are being made over the heads of consumers, farmers, and other end-users. In response, the project aims to create a more inclusive process for understanding these barriers. B-Trust brings together a multidisciplinary European consortium including Flanders’ FOOD, coordinating the project, Food & Bio Cluster Denmark, FOOD+i, flanders.bio, VIB, Alice down the rabbit hole and LAMA, combining expertise in agri-food and biobased innovation, life sciences, co-creation, social innovation, communication and evaluation. Since its inception, B-Trust has been on a mission to develop a transparent and inclusive governance model for applying biotechnology in the bio-based and agri-food sectors, with a clear focus on consumer and environmental safety, stakeholder engagement, and the exchange of good practice. The project is currently working towards answering one of the most important questions in biotechnology today: not simply whether innovation is possible, but under what conditions it becomes trustworthy, transparent, and socially robust. “B-Trust’s distinctive strength is that it approaches biotechnology through trustworthiness rather than persuasion,” Sofia told us. “It starts from the premise that trust is not something you can demand from the public. It has to be built through transparency, participation, evidence, and good practice.” This ethos is evident in all that B-Trust does, especially within the development of its co-creation programme. Rather than treating trust as a communication issue alone, the project has translated its learning into a structured and usable approach that helps actors engage relevant stakeholders early, identify trust barriers, and work towards more transparent and inclusive implementation. The programme follows four phases – Explore, Involve, Assess, and Co-design – moving from risk-benefit mapping and stakeholder analysis to the identification of trust barriers and, finally, to the joint development of practical responses such as guidelines, good practices, and implementation measures. It is designed to support Though biotechnology has demonstrated considerable benefits in boosting the economy, creating jobs, and contributing to public and environmental health, there remain significant obstacles in terms of consumer perceptions and concerns. The B-Trust Project is a Horizon Europe project aiming to strengthen trust in biotechnology by developing a structured co-creation programme. We heard more below from Sofia Ros, Project Manager for the FOOD+i Cluster and spokesperson for the B-Trust Project. Best Biotechnology Trust & Co-Creation Governance Initiative 2026 – Europe both broader technology areas and very specific applications, making it a flexible resource for policymakers, researchers, industry, and other stakeholders. The team has also developed the B-Trust Forum, a practical space for continued stakeholder exchange and access to project resources. Users can access recordings from previous webinars and masterclasses, articles and project updates, the B-Trust learning module, podcast content, and opportunities to connect with other stakeholders. It extends the value of the B-Trust Project beyond individual events, creating a more lasting space for knowledge-sharing and dialogue. B-Trust approaches its conclusion in May 2026, and the focus has shifted to legacy. Now, Sofia shared: “The most important question is no longer simply what the project has explored, but what it leaves behind for stakeholders.” One of the project’s lasting contributions is its co-creation programme, which was designed to identify the hurdles limiting acceptance and market uptake before translating them into workable responses. In addition to general biotechnology, this programme can also be deployed for specific technologies, applications, or cases. In this sense, B-Trust leaves behind not only a set of findings, but a practical way of working. The work conducted by B-Trust has demonstrated that trustbuilding should begin by separating applications, clarifying evidence, acknowledging uncertainty, comparing real alternatives, and making transparency and choice visible to affected actors. This approach has proven useful, allowing B-Trust to leave a legacy that includes a clearer public-interest framework for discussing biotechnology. Far more than studying attitudes, B-Trust has shown how dialogue, co-creation, and evidence can be turned into a more credible and transparent approach to innovation governance, cementing its status as Europe’s Best Biotechnology Trust and Co-Creation Governance Initiative 2026. B-Trust is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme under Grant Agreement No. 101134847. Contact: Sofia Ros Company: B-Trust Project Web Address: www.btrustproject.eu
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