Launch of the Digital Trust Label

Nicolas Zahn • January 2022

Launch DTL

After two years of hard work, we are very proud to celebrate a major milestone for the Digital Trust Label. With an online media conference with our partners and with the attendance from over 35 journalists from around the world, we have launched the Digital Trust Label! With the launch of the Digital Trust Label, users can better identify trustworthy digital services. Providers of digital services can now declare their digital responsibility in a systematic and credible manner. Swisscom and Swiss Re are the first pioneers to have one of their digital services tested and successfully labelled. Credit Suisse is in the labeling process. Seven other companies have committed to follow suit by having one of their digital services labeled.

While we initially planned several events at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, we were very happy to assemble a high-level panel to present not only the development and background of the label but also first experiences from organisations using the label for one of their services. We are also planning to organise events at WEF 2022 in May where we will share first insights from using the Digital Trust Label

From vision to reality

Awareness of digital risks and demand for more digital transparency and accountability are in full force. Adopting digital responsibility and embracing digital trust are among the new requirements for companies to stay competitive. The leaders of the future are companies that live and breathe digital responsibility. They walk-the-talk by putting principles into practice.

Created in Switzerland in a participatory and inclusive way, the Digital Trust Label was designed from a user perspective and offers organisations a unique opportunity to convey their commitment to digital responsibility for the first time.

A clear commitment to digital responsibility

The Digital Trust Label indicates the trustworthiness of a digital service, such as a website or an app, in a clear, visual and non-technical language everyone can understand.  Watch our explanation video here:

Digital services are audited, based on 35 criteria along four dimensions: Security of the digital service, data protection, reliability of the digital service and fair interaction with the users, which includes notifying users about the use of automated decision-making. The criteria catalogue was created by a dedicated Label Expert Committee under the leadership of École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and further developed on the basis of feedback from several public consultations. The designed criteria serve as a basis for an independent auditing.

Pioneering digital trust: Swiss Re and Swisscom become first digital trust champions

The first Digital Trust Champions include Swiss Re and Swisscom, which have already gone through the auditing process for a Digital Trust Label and have been granted the label for one of their digital services. Credit Suisse is in the auditing process. Another seven companies have already registered for the labeling process and will soon begin the audit: Atos, Booking.com, Cisco, Credit Exchange, Kudelski IoT, UBS Switzerland AG and wefox.

A strong backing for Swiss Digital Initiative

Michael Hengartner, President of the ETH Board, and André Kudelski, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Kudelski Group join the SDI Foundation Board. Michael Hengartner is replacing Martin Vetterli, President EPFL, as representative from academia, while André Kudelski brings his expertise in cybersecurity and the private sector to the organisation. The Swiss Digital Initiative reiterates its commitment to a multi-stakeholder approach and gives experts even more weight for the continued development of the Label.

Statements on the Digital Trust Label from our partners and users

“Financial services require greater trust in digital services than ever before. We support and believe in the Digital Trust Label as a driver towards greater transparency and accountability,” says Moses Ojeisekhoba, Chief Executive Officer Reinsurance and Member of Group Executive Committee, Swiss Re.

Urs Schaeppi, CEO Swisscom adds: “The digital world is fast and easy, but also anonymous. Which digital services can I rely on, which provider can I trust, are the questions critical to success. Swisscom supports the Digital Trust Label and the underlying independent audit process because it creates transparency and builds trust in the digital world.”

The topic of digital trust is also relevant for the banking sector. André Helfenstein Chief Executive Officer Credit Suisse (Switzerland) Ltd:Client trust and security are natural cornerstones of Swiss banking. This also applies in the digital world. Credit Suisse supports the piloting of the Digital Trust Label, as it increases transparency with regard to data flows and security in digital processes.”

The Digital Trust Label is an example of a practical contribution to bring Swiss traditions and values to the digital world and acts as a starting point for a global movement towards digital responsibility. “There is no better place to pioneer and experiment new tools for digital trust and responsibility than Geneva. A Label can be a good way to convene all international stakeholders working on the issue to find a global consensus,” says ​​Benedikt Wechsler, Ambassador and Head of Digitalisation Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.

Digital Services as of January 18, 2022 (for up-to-date information see our website)

awarded the Digital Trust Label

Swisscom: Electronic Seal

Swiss Re: Magnum Go

currently in the audit process:

Credit Suisse: Onboarding CSX Offering

will undergo the labeling process:

Atos: Under evaluation

Booking.com: Under evaluation

Cisco: Cisco Webex

Credit Exchange AG: CredEx

Kudelski IoT: keySTREAM

UBS Switzerland AG: Under evaluation

wefox: wefox Customer App

Media Releases

Please find the mediakit here and below our media releases:

Media Release in English
Media Release in French
Media Release in German
Media Release in Italian

Presentation of the media conference