"Investor Statement on Corporate Accountability for Digital Rights", 15 January 2019

The undersigned investors call on internet, mobile, and telecommunications (ICT) companies to respect human rights and refer to the Ranking Digital Rights (RDR) Corporate Accountability Index as a tool to help them improve their governance systems and performance on salient human rights risks related to privacy and freedom of expression.

Enhanced digital rights governance, performance and disclosure by ICT companies aids them in meeting their human rights and fiduciary responsibilities, and helps investors
identify and assess digital rights risks in their portfolios. In 2018, the RDR Index found that many companies in the sector disclose little or no information on due diligence or board oversight of risks affecting online privacy and expression. In the absence of evidence of appropriate due diligence and oversight, we are concerned that risks are not being appropriately identified and addressed by ICT companies...

...Risks to digital rights, including the right to privacy and freedom of expression, are especially salient and material for ICT companies with business strategies that rely on the management, processing or protection of digital content and personal data. Companies that do not adequately consider human rights increasingly risk reputational harm, financial loss including significant fines, shareholder lawsuits, and dissatisfaction among employees, customers and users. They can also face regulatory penalties...

...We believe that the ICT sector has a vital role to play in realizing human rights and in achieving the vision laid out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Doing so requires that digital rights be considered an integral part of ICT companies’ human rights due diligence, oversight, and accountability mechanisms. This also represents an opportunity for ICT companies to create long-term shareholder value, reduce regulatory uncertainty and re-build trust with their users, customers, and other key stakeholders such as regulators and companies using their services...