Virtual launch of the 2021 Digital Inclusion Benchmark

Private Sector’s role in achieving digital inclusion

Digital technology companies have a significant role in advancing digital inclusion, given their command of capital and technological expertise and their ownership of digital infrastructure across the world, from data centres and submarine cables to the platforms that have become indispensable to daily life.

The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the consequences of digital exclusion on employment as more people continue to rely on the internet to telecommute, health outcomes, education, and incomes, demonstrating the many ways the growing digital divide is hindering the achievement of sustainable development.

To hold the digital sector accountable, we ranked and scored the world’s most influential 150 digital technology companies, including those in Information Technology (IT) Services, Hardware and Telecommunication sectors on their actions towards digital inclusion. This is the second iteration of the Digital Inclusion Benchmark (DIB) findings, which was first launched in December 2020.

This launch at the 2021 United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) focuses on the progress made by the technology companies in advancing digital inclusion. During the launch session, WBA will discuss key findings from the Benchmark research which is relevant for IGF’s 2021 focus areas: Economic and social inclusion and human rights; Universal access and meaningful connectivity. The discussion may also touch on emerging and cross-cutting areas, including inclusive Internet governance ecosystems and digital cooperation, trust, security, stability.

The companies have been assessed on four measurement areas; Enhancing universal access to digital technologies; Improving all levels of digital skills; Fostering trustworthy use by mitigating risks and harms; Innovating openly, inclusively, and ethically.

How to join the launch session

1. Register on IGF website. You can find the quick guide on how to register and attend IGF sessions
2. Once you are registered and logged in on IGF website, go to the IGF 2021 schedule, select Launches and Awards where you will find WBA’s session titled Corporate action on digital inclusion: progress and prospects.
3. On the right side of the session page, click on the blue button ‘add this session to my schedule’
4. Select ‘open my schedule to join my sessions’
5. A day to the event, kindly log in on the IGF portal, go to your personal schedules, and register to attend. The ‘Register and Attend’ link is only available 1 day before session start time.
6. The guide on IGF Platform and Zoom can be found here
7. Zoom is required to attend the session. Here are the recommended Zoom versions to download