Swiss Digital Initiative

The Swiss Digital Initiative is intended to encourage companies worldwide to adopt ethical codes of conduct. As Switzerland is both innovative and known for legal certainty and stability, it is predestined to support such an objective.

The Swiss Digital Initiative (SDI) sees itself as a long-term and sustainable process for securing ethical standards in the digital world. In particular, it aims to strengthen confidence in digital technologies and in the players involved in the ongoing digital transformation. The initiative is under the patronage of former Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer and was launched by digitalswitzerland.

From the Swiss Global Digital Summit to the Swiss Digital Initiative Foundation

The SDI was launched on 2 September 2019 at the first Swiss Global Digital Summit in Geneva, where former President Ueli Maurer discussed an initial policy paper on the SDI with the top representatives of globally active companies and Swiss scientists invited to the event.

The SDI was subsequently developed further based on the discussion findings. The SDI was officially launched on 21 January 2020 by decision-makers from the business community, academia and political circles at the WEF 2020 Annual Meeting.

The SDI is supported by the Swiss Digital Initiative Foundation, based in Geneva. The purpose of the foundation, which is organised under private law, is to promote ethical standards and conduct in dealing with digital information and technologies at the global level. It is under the patronage of former Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer and is chaired by former Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard. The foundation is financed by digitalswitzerland and, on a project basis, by other foundations and contributions from the Confederation and other institutions.

Further information on the SDI is available at: https://www.swiss-digital-initiative.org.

The world's first Digital Trust Label for digital applications

To be able to reap the full benefits of the digital transformation, digital projects must not fail due to a lack of trust. The Digital Trust Label, the SDI's first major project, aims to promote the trustworthiness of digital applications. The label shows that a digital application meets mandatory criteria and thus a certain standard. It also creates more information and transparency for users regarding four aspects of the application: security, data protection, reliability of the application and fair user interaction (use of artificial intelligence). The Digital Trust Label developed in Switzerland is the first of its kind in the world.

Digital Trust Label

Benefits for all stakeholders

1 – Compliance with a specific standard: The digital application meets 35 different criteria in four aspects.

2 – More transparency and information: Users understand what happens with their data and whether an algorithm makes a decision.

3 – Responsible companies: The label shows that a digital application provider takes its responsibilities towards users seriously.

Further information on the Digital Trust Label is available at: https://www.digitaltrust-label.swiss.

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Last modification 14.02.2024

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