GENEVA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Commons Project, a 501(c)(3) non-profit public trust dedicated to unlocking the full potential of technology and data for the common good, today announced the establishment of its Global Board of Trustees representing each major region of the world.
The 62 Global Trustees from 24 countries will provide overall governance for The Commons Project and serve as strategic advisors for its initiatives.
The Commons Project was established with support from The Rockefeller Foundation to build digital platforms and services for the common good. Its first service is CommonHealth, the privacy-preserving Android app for people to collect, store and share their personal health information securely.
“We believe that everyone should enjoy the full benefit of technology and data while maintaining control over their digital lives,” said Paul Meyer, CEO of The Commons Project. “We have established a new kind of entity—a public trust—to meet the needs of our times, building and operating the shared platforms and services that neither governments nor tech companies are well positioned to create.”
The Commons Project is also collaborating with the World Economic Forum and a broad coalition of public and private partners to launch CommonPass, a standard global framework enabling people to document and present their COVID-19 status to facilitate international travel and border crossing while protecting individual data privacy.
The Global Trustees include:
- Rajiv Shah, MD, President, The Rockefeller Foundation (U.S.)
- Ángel Cabrera, PhD, President, Georgia Institute of Technology (Spain)
- James Kondo, Chairman, International House of Japan
- Julie Gerberding, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Patient Officer, Merck and former Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
- Leslie Maasdorp, Chief Financial Officer, New Development Bank (South Africa)
- Ninie Wang, DrPH, Founder and CEO, Pinetree Care Group (China)
- Aneesh Chopra, President, CareJourney and former U.S. Chief Technology Officer
- Arturo Condo, President, EARTH University (Costa Rica)
- Muna AbuSulayman, Partner, Arabic Digital Reform Institute (Saudi Arabia)
- Jaime de Bourbon de Parme, Senior Advisor for Strategic Partnerships, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Netherlands)
“In times of uncertainty, like the one we are living through brought by the global pandemic, new systems and institutions emerge,” said Tim Brown, Executive Chair of IDEO and a Global Trustee. “The Commons Project is one such institution, now delivering on its mission by building digital tools for public good in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“The Commons Project is working closely with the East African Community as they prepare for reopening land, sea and air border crossings. In recognition of the global nature of travel, the EAC is prepared to take the lead in adopting a harmonized standard for travelers to present their COVID-19 status,” said Jean Philbert Nsengimana, Global Trustee and former Minister of Information & Communications Technology, Rwanda. “The mission of The Commons Project is perfectly suited for this moment – to help lead the world in re-starting economies through safe data sharing that respects individual privacy.”
About The Commons Project
The Commons Project is a non-profit public trust building global digital services and platforms for the common good. Founded with support from The Rockefeller Foundation and based in Switzerland, it was established to build and operate the shared platforms and services that neither governments nor tech companies are well positioned to create. The Commons Project’s public trust governance structure is designed to ensure that people’s interests are served above all. Learn more at thecommonsproject.org.
