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
Development of digital goods and services needs to be inclusive to meet the needs of diverse global users. Yet, women and other vulnerable groups remain underrepresented in the digital sector. As digital technologies increasingly underpin how we work and live, it becomes equally crucial for underrepresented groups to have a voice in shaping and creating these technologies, to ensure these do not perpetuate bias and discrimination. Digital technology companies are influential towards achieving digital inclusion of underrepresented groups through the employment they provide, the R&D they undertake and the products and services they deliver globally.
For a digital technology company, representation of minority groups is even more important in the tech teams that build products and services. Increasing the number of underrepresented groups (beyond gender) involved during the design process leads to more innovation in the development of digital products and services.
Companies need to exhibit leadership in diversifying their technical workforce, moving past the common lament that those with requisite skills are not available. If the educational system is failing, companies need to take concrete actions to preserve their resilience and adaptability in a changing world.
Research Guidance:
The company discloses a programme or initiative aimed at supporting the technical or professional development of employees from at least one underrepresented group, such as women, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, etc.
The programme must be embedded in the company‚s business operations, not a one-off event or ad hoc support, and must have run at least once during the reporting period of interest. The focus should be on advancing career growth, technical skill development, or professional leadership for underrepresented groups.
Acceptable forms of support include: mentorship or sponsorship programmes, technical training, leadership or career coaching, peer learning communities, internal/external networking initiatives, scholarships, grants, partnerships with external organisations or institutions (e.g. non-profits, universities) that help deliver these programmes.
The initiative must go beyond self-guided learning or access to general content platforms (e.g. Coursera). It should include structured engagement, tailored content, and a clear goal of improving equity in professional development outcomes.
For a digital technology company, representation of minority groups is even more important in the tech teams that build products and services. Increasing the number of underrepresented groups (beyond gender) involved during the design process leads to more innovation in the development of digital products and services.
Companies need to exhibit leadership in diversifying their technical workforce, moving past the common lament that those with requisite skills are not available. If the educational system is failing, companies need to take concrete actions to preserve their resilience and adaptability in a changing world.
Research Guidance:
The company discloses a programme or initiative aimed at supporting the technical or professional development of employees from at least one underrepresented group, such as women, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, etc.
The programme must be embedded in the company‚s business operations, not a one-off event or ad hoc support, and must have run at least once during the reporting period of interest. The focus should be on advancing career growth, technical skill development, or professional leadership for underrepresented groups.
Acceptable forms of support include: mentorship or sponsorship programmes, technical training, leadership or career coaching, peer learning communities, internal/external networking initiatives, scholarships, grants, partnerships with external organisations or institutions (e.g. non-profits, universities) that help deliver these programmes.
The initiative must go beyond self-guided learning or access to general content platforms (e.g. Coursera). It should include structured engagement, tailored content, and a clear goal of improving equity in professional development outcomes.
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Assessment
Steward Assessed
Report Type
Aggregate Data Report