About the data
The WBA Digital Inclusion Benchmark measures and ranks the world's most influential companies on their efforts to advance digital inclusion, tracking how companies are expanding access to digital technologies, improving digital skills and literacy, and ensuring safe and inclusive digital environments for all. The 2026 edition assessed 200 companies across key sectors of the digital economy including telecommunications, software, hardware, and digital platforms. The benchmark is developed in close collaboration with an Expert Review Committee and partners including GRI, ITU, and the Alliance for Affordable Internet, with a methodology designed to incentivise companies to understand where digital exclusion risks are highest and act to bridge the digital divide, while keeping human rights and social impacts at its core.
More information can be found here.
More information can be found here.
Methodology
The emergence of frontier technologies, particularly AI, has immense potential for solving some of the world's greatest challenges, but it also presents many risks. These include reducing the need for human intervention, threatening job security, posing dangers to privacy and enhancing potential for discrimination.
AI can play an important role in achieving the SDGs. But it also carries huge human rights and other risks that can cause serious harms if it is developed without careful scrutiny, transparency and commitment to responsible principles. In 2023, 28% of ICT firms used AI, higher than any other sector.xxvi Holding digital technology companies accountable for the way they develop and use AI has become more critical than ever.
Research Guidance:
Thecompany shows alignment with at least one recognizedregional or internationalethical AIframework, via a formal commitment orwithinrobust AI governance documentation.
Acceptable frameworksarethe EU AI Act, The Council of Europe Framework Convention on AI, UN General Assembly Resolution ‚Seizing the opportunities of safe, secure, and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems for sustainable development‚, UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, OECD AI Principles, G20 AI Principles, ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics, the IEEE Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems,,Information technology-Artificial intelligence-Overview of ethical and societal concerns,US Executive Order on AI,Continental AI African Union Strategy, AI Ethics Code by AI Alliance Russia.,Continental AI African Union Strategy.
This element requires a company to make a commitment in aformal, publicly disclosed governance document. Acceptable examples include, but are not limited to, astandalone policy,code of conduct,corporate governance statement,businessprinciples,dedicated webpage, or being asignatory to a formal initiative suchas the AI Pact.WBA does not accept a commitment found in a report (e.g. an annual or sustainability report that is updated annually) even if the company explains that it is company policy and/or it is approved by the highest governing body. This requires the company to make a commitment using strong language such as, but not limited to ‚We respect‚,‚We commit to respect‚,‚We adhere to‚,‚We uphold‚,‚We are committed to‚ .
AI can play an important role in achieving the SDGs. But it also carries huge human rights and other risks that can cause serious harms if it is developed without careful scrutiny, transparency and commitment to responsible principles. In 2023, 28% of ICT firms used AI, higher than any other sector.xxvi Holding digital technology companies accountable for the way they develop and use AI has become more critical than ever.
Research Guidance:
Thecompany shows alignment with at least one recognizedregional or internationalethical AIframework, via a formal commitment orwithinrobust AI governance documentation.
Acceptable frameworksarethe EU AI Act, The Council of Europe Framework Convention on AI, UN General Assembly Resolution ‚Seizing the opportunities of safe, secure, and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems for sustainable development‚, UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, OECD AI Principles, G20 AI Principles, ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics, the IEEE Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems,,Information technology-Artificial intelligence-Overview of ethical and societal concerns,US Executive Order on AI,Continental AI African Union Strategy, AI Ethics Code by AI Alliance Russia.,Continental AI African Union Strategy.
This element requires a company to make a commitment in aformal, publicly disclosed governance document. Acceptable examples include, but are not limited to, astandalone policy,code of conduct,corporate governance statement,businessprinciples,dedicated webpage, or being asignatory to a formal initiative suchas the AI Pact.WBA does not accept a commitment found in a report (e.g. an annual or sustainability report that is updated annually) even if the company explains that it is company policy and/or it is approved by the highest governing body. This requires the company to make a commitment using strong language such as, but not limited to ‚We respect‚,‚We commit to respect‚,‚We adhere to‚,‚We uphold‚,‚We are committed to‚ .
License
Topics
Framework Mappings
Value Type
Category
Options
Yes
No
Not Applicable
Assessment
Steward Assessed
Report Type
Aggregate Data Report