Foundation News

It's all about Trust...

Amid the rubble of an earthquake zone, villagers read text messages informing them where they can find food and medical care. In emerging markets, companies get free legal advice on good governance. In developing countries across the globe, reporters receive free training in independent, impartial journalism.

Welcome to the world of Trust.org, a new gateway into the activities of the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

More than a web portal, Trust.org is a place for people who are passionate about making a difference. It's where we take the principles and skills that make Thomson Reuters employees tick and put them at the service of those who need them most. It's where we bring together the projects at the heart of the Foundation's core mission:

• Increasing trust in the rule of law
• Increasing trust in standards of journalism
• Saving lives through trusted information

"The Foundation builds on the company's information expertise to empower people in need and give them the means to act. To that end, we're mobilising the professional communities we're so deeply involved with," said Thomson Reuters Foundation CEO Monique Villa.

"It's about engaging our own staff and helping our clients find the best outlets for their pro bono efforts. It's about galvanising our network of 6,000 alumni of Foundation journalism training courses. It's helping our 400 aid agency partners. Trust.org is where these communities come together."

A year after Thomson and Reuters merged to become the world's leading supplier of intelligent information, an expanded Thomson Reuters Foundation reflects the broader scope of the combined company.

Trust.org is the face of that bigger, better Foundation.

Building on more than a quarter of a century of work by the old Reuters Foundation in pioneering media development and humanitarian information services, the site underlines our commitment to harnessing knowledge and professional services for social good.

TrustLaw, a groundbreaking pro bono legal project to be launched later this year, is at the vanguard. Imagine a global hub for matching those in need of legal expertise with those willing to offer skills and insight, as well as providing a forum for best practice and experience.

Dedicated to improving transparency and trust in the rule of law, TrustLaw promises to be of tremendous benefit to governments, NGOs and companies around the world. It will also be a boon to judges, legislators, accountants and journalists who will find in one place all the information they need about good governance.

On the humanitarian side, the Foundation is developing an Emergency Information Service (EIS) for survivors of earthquakes, cyclones and other natural disasters.

People in disaster zones need practical, verified information in local languages - everything from public health advice to trustworthy updates on relief efforts. Working alongside governments, local media and aid groups, EIS will help fill critical gaps in the information chain.

EIS will be part of a beefed-up AlertNet, the Foundation's award-winning humanitarian news website. Set up in the aftermath of the 1994 Rwanda genocide to help raise awareness of underreported emergencies, AlertNet has become an indispensible service for aid workers, journalists, teachers, policymakers and members of the public.

Trust.org gives you a sneak preview of the look and feel of a completely revamped AlertNet site now in development. Watch this space for more details.

We're also working hard to widen the reach and range of our Trust Media journalism training programmes. Trust Media will be a one-stop shop for journalists to find training information and resources, to network with colleagues and to find out the latest information about the news industry.

This goes hand in hand with ambitious plans at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University, set up in 2006 with core funding from the Foundation. At a time of seismic changes in the media sector, the institute's research has never been more valuable.

Thomson Reuters Trust Principles are central to everything we do, and it's no coincidence that the idea of Trust forms the very identity of the new Foundation.

Trust.org reflects the unique range of skills and expertise Thomson Reuters has across its business. Through it, the Foundation seeks to catalyse action around a common purpose.

Ultimately, it's about people. Whether you are a Thomson Reuters employee, a client, a Foundation partner or an interested member of the public, consider this new website an open door to getting involved.