Watch in full: the launch of the very first Digital Inclusion Benchmark
To hold the digital sector accountable, WBA has ranked and scored digital technology companies on their actions towards digital inclusion. We measured which of the 100 most influential tech companies lead in improving access to technology, enhancing digital skills, fostering trustworthy use, and innovating openly and ethically and which ones lag behind.
On 1 December, the Digital Inclusion Benchmark (DIB) was launched. We hosted two launch events, enabling our growing global community in the different time zones to join.
Event 1 December: Ranking the 100 most influential tech companies on digital inclusion: 2020 results
The 1 December event was co-hosted with the UN Foundation and featured special remarks from the UN Under-Secretary-General Fabrizio Hochschild. Lourdes Montenegro, our Digital Sector Transformation Lead, further explained the benchmark and how it aims to inspire change. She unveiled the ranking and shared the key findings.
A panel, monitored by Megan Roberts – Director of Policy Planning, United Nations Foundations, shared their insights on digital inclusion, what their role could be, and how the Digital Inclusion Benchmark can inspire to leave no one offline. The panel included:
- Jeff Campbell– SVP, Government Relations and Public Policy, CISCO (#6 in the DIB ranking)
- Albert Antwi-Boasiako – National Cybersecurity Advisor, Republic of Ghana
- Michele Malejki– Global Head of Social Impact, HP (#8 in the ranking)
- David Cumming– Chief Investment Officer, Aviva Investors
Event 2 December: Corporate action on digital inclusion: who is leading in the tech sector?
On 2 December, we co-hosted the event with the Asian Development Bank. Bambang Susantono – Vice-President for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development at the Asian Development Bank, shared his valuable opening remarks and Lourdes Montenegro, our Digital Sector Transformation Lead, explained the benchmark and how it aims to inspire change.
On Wednesday, the following people took part in the panel:
- Max Cuvelier – Global Head of Mobile for Development, GSMA
- Lyndall Stoyles – Group General Counsel & Group Executive Sustainability, External Affairs and Legal, Telstra (#1 in the DIB ranking)
- Karin Hulshof – Regional Director for East Asia and the Pacific, UNICEF
- Professor Tan Eng Chye – President, the National University of Singapore
- Elizabeth Tchoungui – Executive Director CSR, Diversity and Philanthropy. Deputy Chair for the Orange Foundation
- Jenn-Hui Tan – Global Head of Stewardship and Sustainable Investing, Fidelity International
Dr. Eduardo Araral – Associate Professor, National University of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, moderated the panel.
