Open Call: Join the Digital Trust Label Expert Committee

Nicolas Zahn • March 2022

Over the past two years, the Swiss Digital Initiative has worked together with partners such as EPFL and a dedicated Label Expert Committee on the Digital Trust Label (DTL). The Digital Trust Label is a combination of an organic label and a nutritional value table for digital services. It shows that relevant criteria on digital responsibility are fulfilled by a digital service in 4 categories: Security, Data Protection, Reliability and Fair User Interaction. The Label gives users more information and transparency for empowered decision-making, and acts as a clear signal for digital responsibility.

For the continuous development of the Digital Trust Label, we are looking for

New Members for the Label Expert Committee

The Label Expert Committee (LEC) is dedicated to working on the label catalogue criteria and formulates Label recommendations to the SDI Board. For the LEC, we are looking for experts from Civil Society & Consumer Protection, Public Sector and International Organisations, Technical & Academic experts as well as representatives from the Private Sector. Experts are welcome with a Swiss as well as international background.

Download the Two-Pager for the Open Call here or read on.

Mandate of the Label Expert Committee

The LEC is responsible for the development of the DTL catalogue. It brings together experienced, passionate and influential individuals representing the different stakeholder groups, who can help create and implement an effective scheme:

  • Shaping the DTL criteria catalogue and enhancing the DTL framework by proposing new criteria or criteria categories
  • Providing an expert platform for information exchange among the various stakeholder groups of the DTL and discussing the received feedback on the label catalogue of the DTL
  • Providing constructive criticism and inputs when discussing potential development and adjustments to the label catalogue

Reasons to join the LEC

As the governance body most directly responsible for the continuous development, membership in the LEC puts you in the driver seat to shape the Label criteria going forward. This gives you a direct stake in a pioneering project.

As a member of the LEC you’ll have access to a growing community of experts on digital auditing and digital responsibility.

All members of the LEC are also featured in the communication of SDI from our website and social media to our Annual Report.

Each LEC member is compensated with a fixed sum of CHF 1’000 per year. This remuneration will be reviewed and adjusted as the Label scales. Once selected for the LEC, we are expecting a commitment to the mandate for at least 1 year with the preference of a mandate validity for 3 years.

The working language will be English and meetings will be held online.

Preliminary Meeting Schedule 2022

The members of the LEC meet regularly at the direction of the LEC President.

  • Kick-Off in May 2022
  • After the Kick-Off, we expect a meeting of each 2 hours in September, November and December 2022
  • December 2022 - January 2023: Drafting of recommendations based on collected feedback
  • January 2023: Report with recommendations for adapting the Label to the SDI Foundation Board

Between meetings, regular communication is retained with LEC members and other stakeholders on all important matters relating to setting, revision, implementation.

Once a year a report containing recommendations for changes to the Label will be drafted by the LEC and presented to the Board of SDI.

Selection Criteria

The SDI is looking for the following qualifications:

  • Clear mission-driven motivation and time commitment to advance and develop the Digital Trust Label
  • Proven track-record and experience in at least one of the following fields (either through academic or professional experience)
    1. Data Privacy
    2. IT Security
    3. Service Reliability
    4. Automated Decision Making and Fair User Interaction

In addition, the following qualifications are considered desirable:

  • Extensive network of experts in the above-mentioned fields
  • Experience with auditing or the development of digital services
  • Previous involvement with similar initiatives as SDI and the Digital Trust Label
  • Background in humanities

When selecting suitable candidates, SDI will pay close attention to equal representation and diversity.

Selection Procedure

  • Please send your complete application dossier to nicolas@sdi-foundation.org
    • CV / LinkedIn Profile
    • Motivational statement
    • Supporting documentation, e.g. relevant publications & past activities
  • Timeline:
    • Applications are open from March 15, 2022
    • Applications will close on April 14, 2022
    • The first meeting - the Kick-Off - will be held in early May 2022.