New technologies and the companies that build them have a potent influence over human lives, and on our collective future on Earth and beyond—with enormous power to do good but also, if not used responsibly, to do harm.
As founders, investors, engineers, policy makers and industry leaders who create, govern, and market new technologies, we are committed to an ethic of responsible innovation and accountability for the consequences of what we build. Some of us have been working this way for years; for others this is an evolution. In either case, we acknowledge a collective responsibility to shape an industry that leaves the world better than we found it, and the need to do this work with urgency and purpose. We have no time to waste.
As an industry, we cannot manage our products and businesses solely aimed at growth and profits in the near term, as critical as they are. Nor can we prioritize speed and scalability over all other considerations. Instead, we must integrate and prioritize suitable constraints, transparency, and frameworks that support sustainable growth and good. That is the essence of responsible innovation, and it requires a new focus in the way the innovation community approaches and values its work.
How we build
While each of our individual companies serves its own purpose, we have come together because we share a fundamental commitment to forming an industry that innovates for the good of all by pursuing two core approaches to responsible company-building:
1. Innovating Intentionally We must consider the impacts our technologies will have on the world, and build rigor into our operations and governance to look for and minimize negative unintended consequences. We must build with appropriate humility, about both the limitations of our own understanding and the ways that our direct and indirect users can be unfairly impacted, influenced or exploited.
2. Operating with Accountability and Transparency We must measure the impacts of our technologies on people and society, not only on our economic success, and we must be transparent about those metrics. We must be open and clear with our stakeholders about the policies and processes that govern the technology we build, and about trade-offs between societal interests and growth and profits.
Innovating Intentionally
We must consider the impacts our technologies will have on the world, and build rigor into our operations and governance to look for and minimize negative unintended consequences. We must build with appropriate humility, about both the limitations of our own understanding and the ways that our direct and indirect users can be unfairly impacted, influenced or exploited.
Operating with Accountability and Transparency
We must measure the impacts of our technologies on people and society, not only on our economic success, and we must be transparent about those metrics. We must be open and clear with our stakeholders about the policies and processes that govern the technology we build, and about trade-offs between societal interests and growth and profits.
What we value
We believe these form the core of responsible innovation and can contribute, not only to avoiding harm, but to affirmatively building a society that is more prosperous, free, healthy and fair. As we pursue responsible innovation in company building, we must be guided by values that reflect a shared understanding of what it means to build a good society and good lives. These values include:
Advancing Inclusive Prosperity. Technology reshapes how we work and who benefits from our economy. It is vital that we make a path for everyone to benefit from a more prosperous and abundant future, and that no one is left behind by what we create.
Building and Maintaining Sustainably. Innovation can contribute to building a healthier planet. Responsible businesses must be crafted with environmental sustainability from the outset. By design, our operations, products and footprints must be sustainable and in service of the wellbeing of the planet and its people.
Respecting People. Innovation should be judged by how it encourages and supports human flourishing. Every human being has value and a right to autonomy and dignity. We must build business models and products that safeguard these values, including a core respect for the time, attention, privacy, security and safety of users.
Championing Diversity. Enduring businesses cannot be built without diverse teams. Only by building organizations that are inclusive and representative of the whole society will companies be capable of seeing—and addressing—the broadest spectrum of human needs.
Promoting Healthy Societies. Companies exist within the context of society and its institutions, not in a vacuum. We pledge to build companies and technologies that are consistent with the health of core societal institutions, including functioning governments, respectful discourse, a free press, the just application of law, and free and fair elections.
Advancing Inclusive Prosperity
Technology reshapes how we work and who benefits from our economy. It is vital that we make a path for everyone to benefit from a more prosperous and abundant future, and that no one is left behind by what we create.
Building Sustainably
Innovation can contribute to building a healthier planet. Responsible businesses must be crafted with environmental sustainability from the outset. By design, our operations, products and footprints must be sustainable and in service of the wellbeing of the planet and its people.
Respecting People
Innovation should be judged by how it encourages and supports human flourishing. Every human being has value and a right to autonomy and dignity. We must build business models and products that safeguard these values, including a core respect for the time, attention, privacy, security and safety of users.
Championing Diversity
Enduring businesses cannot be built without diverse teams. Only by building organizations that are inclusive and representative of the whole society will companies be capable of seeing—and addressing—the broadest spectrum of human needs.
Promoting Healthy Societies
Companies exist within the context of society and its institutions, not in a vacuum. We pledge to build companies and technologies that are consistent with the health of core societal institutions, including functioning governments, respectful discourse, a free press, the just application of law, and free and fair elections.
Finally, we will apply these values through inclusive iteration and a process of deep collaboration among working groups of investors, employees, customers, communities and other stakeholders, building a roadmap for substantive transparency and accountability within the next year. We will develop systems that embrace a regular and deliberate review and revision of approaches over time as new technologies emerge. This will enable us to fulfill the promise of responsible innovation and to succeed in delivering the benefits of new technologies to business and society, and to future generations.
Charter Members
ATYPICAL VENTURES AVAANA CAPITAL BASE10 PARTNERS BESSEMER VENTURE PARTNERS BREYER CAPITAL CITYBLOCK HEALTH COWBOY VENTURES CRV DCVC DESIGNER FUND DETECT ELEMY ELEVATE K-12 ENERGIZE VENTURES EVOLV TECHNOLOGY FORD FOUNDATION GALVANIZE CLIMATE SOLUTIONS GENERAL CATALYST GENERATION INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT GRAMMARLY GUILD EDUCATION GUSTO HALL CAPITAL PARTNERS HUMAN CAPITAL KHOSLA VENTURES KIBO SCHOOL KINNEVIK
KNIGHTSBRIDGE ADVISORS LUX CAPITAL MAE MATCHSTICK VENTURES MULTITUDES NEAR SPACE LABS NORWEST VENTURE PARTNERS ONETEN OXFORD UNIVERSITY ENDOWMENT MANAGEMENT PIONEER SQUARE LABS PRINCETON UNIVERSITY INVESTMENT COMPANY RAPID SOS RO SAMSARA SANDS CAPITAL SAPPHIRE VENTURES SLAUSON & CO SORA SCHOOLS SPRING POINT PARTNERS SQUARE PEG THE WESTLY GROUP THRIVE CAPITAL TRANSCARENT VILLAGE GLOBAL VINTAGE INVESTMENT PARTNERS WARBY PARKER 7WIRE VENTURES
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