What does good endorsement look like?

In 2021, the Digital Principles Organizational Self-Assessment was released to all endorsing partners to assess  their respective use of the Digital Principles according to basic activities of engagement, adoption, and integration. Survey responses slated endorsers to one of three tiers, based on the different activities that they engage in:

Learn more about the assessment, and see which endorsers made the Gold standard.

Discover other ways you can measure good use of the Digital Principles at your organization through the Common Metrics Indicator Library and Digital Principles-Focused Evaluation.

How can I endorse?

Endorsing the Principles for Digital Development means that an organization, at the highest levels, agrees to put the Digital Principles into practice through its policies, processes and activities. It is a formal and public acknowledgement that an organization is committed to designing technology-enabled tools that can reach more people, achieve greater impact and produce stronger and more sustainable outcomes by actively living out the Digital Principles.

Formal endorsement is quite easy, and only requires the following:

1. Endorsement  Letter: We ask that endorsing organizations share a letter with the signature of an executive or senior-level leader formally endorsing the Principles for Digital Development. The letter should include the following statement:

“As an endorser of the Principles for Digital Development, we will seek to embody the concepts of the Digital Principles, represented in our work culture and in the policies and processes guiding our international development activities.”

There is not a formal endorsement form that needs to be completed; an organization can simply draft their own letter with the above statement included. Letters are also helpful to learn more about organizations and how they envision the Principles fitting into their work.

2. Logo: Organizations should share a high-resolution version of their logo for inclusion on the Digital Principles website and promotional materials. View all current endorsers here.
3. Point of Contact/Advocate: Organizations should identify at least one person who will serve as the Digital Principles point of contact (POC) or advocate. This person will serve as the liaison between the steward of the Principles for Digital Development, DIAL, and the endorsing organization. He or she will serve as an internal champion to increase awareness and support the integration of the Digital Principles in the policies and practices of the endorsing organization. To assist him or her, DIAL will share new guidance materials as they are released, make connections to other endorsing organization advocates and provide details on upcoming events and workshops. The POC will receive targeted information on opportunities to engage in reviewing new content under development to ensure they align with endorsing organizations’ needs.
4. Participation in the Digital Principles Forum: The advancement of the Principles for Digital Development is dependent on an active and engaged community group. We ask that endorsers, as public champions and leaders of the Digital Principles, participate in the Digital Principles Forum. The forum serves as a platform for digital development practitioners to come together to address challenges, celebrate achievements and discuss the evolution of the Digital Principles and the digital development sector.

Embracing the Principles of openness and collaboration, we also hope that organizations will share their successes in implementing the Digital Principles in their own work. We have developed a case study template to make it easier for organizations to share experiences back with the community.

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If you have questions, or would like to endorse the Principles for Digital Development, please send an email to PrinciplesAdmin@digitalimpactalliance.org.