WEF 2022: Swiss Digital Initiative takes the Digital Trust Label to the international level
Nicolas Zahn • May 2022
In January 2022, the Swiss Digital Initiative (SDI) launched the first Digital Trust Label. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, the SDI announced that since then, the Label was awarded to five Swiss companies and their digital services and fourteen more are committed to get the Label in 2022. On top of that, UNICEF Switzerland and Liechtenstein is the first non-profit organisation, which will add another layer of trust to its online donation process with the Label. With the customer app of the German company wefox, the Digital Trust Label will – for the first time – be awarded outside of Switzerland. With the Label pilot for a German company, the Swiss Digital Initiative opens the Label application process for European organisations committing to digital responsibility. The Label is the result of a two years multistakeholder-process led by the Swiss Digital Initiative, which has been created in 2020 under the patronage of Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer
Doris Leuthard, President Swiss Digital Initiative
Davos, 23 May 2022 – Protection and trust must become a prerequisite in the digital space. Users are increasingly aware of digital risks and demand more digital transparency and accountability. The Digital Trust Label indicates the trustworthiness of a digital service or an app in a clear, visual and non-technical language that everyone can understand. Created in Switzerland in a participatory and inclusive way, the Swiss Digital Initiative provides a solution that enables companies to convey their commitment to digital responsibility. Similar to the organic label and a nutrition facts table, the Digital Trust Label acts as a seal of trust in the digital world.
Martin Vetterli, President EPFL
The Digital Trust movement is picking up: 19 organisations already on board
Launched in January 2022, the Digital Trust Label has been awarded to five Swiss companies and their digital services. The first digital trust pioneers are Swiss Re, Swisscom, and Credit Suisse and two Startups, PeopleWeek and Credit Exchange AG. Fourteen more organisations are committing to digital responsibility and will get the Digital Trust Label in 2022. Their digital services are audited based on 35 criteria along four dimensions: Security, data protection, reliability and fair user interaction. The criteria catalogue was created by a dedicated Label Expert Committee, under the leadership of École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and further developed based on feedback from several public consultations.
Julian Teicke, CEO wefox
wefox, UNICEF Switzerland and Liechtenstein and Coop: Pioneering digital trust and responsibility in Europe and beyond
wefox, the innovative insurtech company, will soon be the first non Swiss-based company, which will apply the Label for their customer app. At the SDI Media Conference at WEF Annual Meeting 2022, Julian Teicke, CEO of wefox, said: «As a digital-first insurance provider, we know that trust needs to be earned in the digital sphere. We are proud to be among the first to receive the Digital Trust Label. We will partner with the Swiss Digital Initiative to make digital trust not only a priority, but a movement from Europe to the world.»
UNICEF Switzerland and Liechtenstein is the first non-profit organisation, which will start the labelling process for their online donation process. Bettina Junker, Director of UNICEF Switzerland and Liechtenstein: «It is a key concern for us that supporters of UNICEF Switzerland & Liechtenstein can count on their data being handled in a secure manner and that our donation process meets the highest standards of digital responsibility.»
Also in Switzerland, companies are making digital responsibility a top priority. With Coop.ch, the first Swiss retailer has committed to undergo the audit process and to make their service even more user-centric. Philipp Wyss, CEO Coop: «Coop stands for highest sustainability and quality levels. We put our customers first, and this also applies to the trustworthiness of our digital experience.»
André Helfenstein, CEO Credit Suisse Switzerland
Label application process is now open for organisations all over Europe
With the first Label pilot for a German company, the Swiss Digital Initiative opens the Label application process for companies all over Europe committing to digital responsibility. Doris Leuthard, former Federal Councillor and president of the Swiss Digital Initiative: «We are proud to gain UNICEF Switzerland & Liechtenstein, as the first non-profit organisation, and wefox, as the first European use case, for the Digital Trust Label. The leaders of the future are organisations that live and breathe digital responsibility.» Niniane Paeffgen, Managing Director of the Swiss Digital Initiative adds: «The Label acts as a soft-law instrument and enables organisations to go the extra mile regarding digital responsibility.They walk-the-talk by putting principles into practice.»
Amb. Benedikt Wechsler, Head Digitalisation FDFA
The 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 more digital responsibility. Benedikt Wechsler, Ambassador and Head of the Digitalisation Division of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA): «It is of utmost importance that trust will find its way into the digital sphere. With its long history on the international stage, Switzerland is the perfect place to debate and push ahead concrete solutions and tools to foster digital responsibility and trust.»
Digital Trust Pioneers
Swiss Re: Magnum Go
Credit Suisse: CSX Onboarding Journey
Swisscom: Electronic Seal
Credit Exchange AG: CredEx Platform for Mortgages
PeopleWeek: PeopleWeek HRIS
Committed and in the process to be awarded the Digital Trust Label