- New London Data Charter framework drawn up by Pinsent Masons will guide data sharing and collaboration for both the public and private sector
- BT, BP, Microsoft, UK Power Networks, Thames Water, Uber and more sign up, along with GLA and London Office for Technology and Innovation (LOTI)
- Work underway to explore how data can unlock Electric Vehicle charging points across the capital
London First, the capital’s leading business lobby organisation, has today announced the launch of the London Data Charter, setting out seven key principles to help the public and private sector make the most of one of the capital’s most valuable but under-used assets.
Launched on the first day of London Tech Week, the London Data Charter drawn up by Pinsent Masons provides the framework for businesses like Microsoft and public-sector organisations like Transport for London to share data to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing the capital, including meeting the Mayor’s net-zero goals and addressing digital exclusion.
London produces more data in a single day than ever existed up to the year 2000, but it is fragmented across institutions and often inaccessible. Work is already underway – with Uber, UK Power Networks and more seeking to understand where placing EV charging points will make the biggest difference for drivers on the Uber app, mapping traffic levels and existing power networks.
Companies already committed to the London Data Charter include Arup, BP, BT, FTI Consulting, Grant Thornton, Lloyds Banking Group, Microsoft, Oliver Wyman Forum, Pinsent Masons, Thames Water, Uber, and UK Power Networks, with many more expected to endorse the Charter in the coming months.
David Lutton, Executive Director for Connectivity at London First, said:
“The London Data Charter is a huge milestone – it is the first time London’s major businesses have together agreed to collaborate on the sharing anonymised and secure data, for the benefit of the capital. The pandemic has shown the vital role data can play in coordinating responses at a city-level — the potential for data-led projects to positively impact our lives is limitless.
“This Charter has clear principles on privacy and data sharing, which is critical to boosting confidence and harnessing the economic and social benefits that data-led transformation can bring.”
Theo Blackwell, London’s Chief Digital Officer, said:
“The London Data Charter is a critical part of the infrastructure needed to realise the Mayor’s ambition of unlocking data to meet the capital’s biggest challenges. Signatories to the Charter create a community of data experts and data owners who London’s government will consult and work with on new data collaborations that benefit London and Londoners.”
Andrew McMillan, head of technology & digital markets at Pinsent Masons said:
“The secure and selective sharing of data is critical in advancing opportunities for societal, economic and environmental good, but many organisations – for a variety of reasons – are not yet doing so. This is why the London Data Charter is so important – it provides organisations across the City with a framework of shared principles that can underpin their sharing of data. By ensuring private and public sector organisations start from a shared understanding, we can facilitate and accelerate the creation of collaborative solutions to tackle some of the major challenges facing London.”
To help take the next step and create a data ecosystem that can improve millions of Londoners’ lives, the London Data Charter has been created to set out the guiding principles for private and public sector data collaborations. Its seven key principles are:
- Deliver benefit for Londoners – making better use of the vast amount of data and analysis held by the private and public sector, to create social and economic opportunities to benefit businesses, local authorities, charities, citizens, and many more
- Drive inclusive innovation – through facilitating its sharing among different organisations of all sizes with local authorities and government agencies, to foster opportunities across sectors
- Protect privacy and security – by ensuring any personal and sensitive information is protected and secure
- Promote trust – transparency, ethics, and accountability – all are important for the public’s faith and the success of any data sharing initiative
- Share learnings – organisations that sign up to the Charter and engage in data-sharing will be encouraged to share what they learn
- Create scalable and sustainable solutions – the knowledge gained by data sharing must be shared with other businesses, local authorities and the wider public – promoting scalability through an open, collaborative, and trustworthy approach
- Be as open as possible – while ‘open by default’ may be an appropriate measure in the context of public sector data, a more nuanced approach is needed to facilitate engagement with and within the private sector, alongside the issues of regulatory and legal compliance
Taken together the London Data Charter aims to put data at the heart of policy-making to accelerate our economic recovery.
The London Data Charter was borne from the work of the London Data Commission, which focused on the key challenges facing London where data-sharing could make a positive contribution to policy decision-making or public service delivery. It mapped the opportunities, risks, and barriers to data-sharing and considered the legal and ethical implications concerning the sharing of data relating to individuals and groups.