GeSI Human Rights Good Practice Guide on Product Integration

GeSI Good Practice Guide: Embedding Privacy and other Human Rights Considerations into New Product and Service Development

This Good Practice Guide sets out an aspirational approach for the integration of privacy and freedom of expression (PFE) into the development of new products and services.It ties together good practices established by GeSI members, other information and communication technology (ICT) companies, corporate leaders, and key stakeholder expectations. Annex I highlights a sample of examples of how some GeSI Members are integrating wider human rights considerations into product development as well. The products and services provided by the global ICT industry are among the most important instruments for respecting and protecting PFE the world has ever seen. At the same time, these products and services if used incorrectly or abused can compromise PFE.
GeSI Members increasingly view that PFE cannot be managed by legal, privacy, ethical, compliance, or corporate responsibility teams alone. Good practice builds PFE considerations into product development from conceptualization, through R&D, to commercialization.
The Guide suggests the policies, processes, and procedures that ICT companies should consider adopting in order to meet good practice expectations in integrating PFE considerations into new product development. The Guide defines three stages of development:
   Stage I: Getting Started
   Stage II: Developing Experience
   Stage III: Establishing Leadership
The Guide is meant for both telecommunications operators and for ICT manufacturers. As such, certain processes discussed will be more relevant for the latter and others more relevant for the former. GeSI Members should not view the Guide as a requirement but as a diagnostic tool to help evaluate their own progress and approach and as a resource for continuous improvement. GeSI Members can use the guide to assess whether gaps exist in their approach and what steps to take to improve performance. Members can refer to the stages to determine what level of maturity fits their current context. The Guide should not be viewed as a fixed standard or as a
compliance process.
The Guide assumes familiarity with definitions of PFE, and human rights and the expectations and standards for human rights in business. Appendix I provides references for Members to learn more about human rights in business.

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