Digital Inclusion Benchmark 2020

 https://assets.worldbenchmarkingalliance.org/app/uploads/2020/12/DIB2020-Synthesis-report.pdf

In 2020 the World Benchmarking Alliance’s first Digital Inclusion Benchmark ranks 100 of the world’s most influential technology companies on four areas of digital inclusion: 

1) Enhancing universal access to digital technologies. 

2) Improving all levels of digital skills. 

3) Fostering trustworthy use by mitigating risks and harms. 

4) Innovating openly, inclusively, and ethically. 

The global pandemic has highlighted the urgency of digital inclusion, as we increasingly rely on digital technologies to stay connected, purchase daily necessities, and access healthcare and education. However, this accelerated digitalisation is accompanied by widening digital divides that lock billions of people out of the digital economy. Furthermore, trust in technology is fraying as citizens and governments wake up to the risks and harms of its unexamined and unrestrained applications. 

The Digital Inclusion Benchmark results show that commitment and contribution towards digital inclusion is highly uneven across industries in the digital sector, measurement areas, and markets of operation. While a few leading companies comprehensively demonstrate best practices, most have yet to embrace digital inclusion as a core responsibility. 

Table ‎1.2: Top ten companies in the benchmark

Rank	Company	Headquarters	Founded	Industry	Revenue US$ billions (FY19)	Score	Score (%)
1	Telstra	Australia	1975	Telecom services	19	1.73	0.87
2	Telefonica	Spain	1924	Telecom services	54	1.62	0.81
3	Orange	France	1941	Telecom services	47	1.59	0.80
4	PLDT	Philippines	1928	Telecom services	3	1.52	0.76
5	Nokia	Finland	1865	Hardware	26	1.51	0.76
6	Cisco	United States	1984	Hardware	52	1.47	0.74
7	Deutsche Telekom	Germany	1947	Telecom services	90	1.37	0.69
8	NTT	Japan	1952	Telecom services	109	1.32	0.66
8	HP	United States	1939	Hardware	59	1.32	0.66
10	Samsung	Republic of Korea	1969	Hardware	198	1.30	0.65

ICT sector

The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Sector is formally defined in the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC). It consists of different industries including manufacturing, trade and services. 

ICT SECTOR CLASSIFICATION
ISIC	ICT MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES
2610	Manufacture of electronic components and boards
2620	Manufacture of computers and peripheral equipment
2630	Manufacture of communication equipment
2640	Manufacture of consumer electronics
2680	Manufacture of magnetic and optical media
	ICT TRADE INDUSTRIES
4651	Wholesale of computers, computer peripheral equipment and software
4652	Wholesale of electronic & telecommunications equipment and parts
	ICT SERVICES INDUSTRIES
5820	Software publishing
61	Telecommunications
6110	Wired telecommunications activities
6120	Wireless telecommunications activities
6130	Satellite telecommunications activities
6190	Other telecommunications activities
62	Computer programming, consultancy and related activities
6201	Computer programming activities
6202	Computer consultancy and computer facilities management activities
6209	Other information technology and computer service activities
631	Data processing, hosting and related activities; web portals
6311	Data processing, hosting and related activities
6312	Web portals
951	Repair of computers and communication equipment
9511	Repair of computers and peripheral equipment
9512	Repair of communication equipment

Source: United Nations. 2008. International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC). Rev. 4.
 https://unstats.un.org/unsd/publication/SeriesM/seriesm_4rev4e.pdf.

Despite the formal classification, there is no international database with detailed data on the ICT sector. The European Commission Prospective Insights in ICT R&D" (PREDICT) database features harmonized ICT sector statistics for 28 European Union (EU) members and 12 non-EU major economies including the US and BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China). https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/predict/ict-sector-analysis-2019/data-metadata

Some countries have published ICT sector satellite accounts or provide a breakdown of national accounts allowing for a 2 digit ISIC approximation of the ICT sector (i.e., ISIC codes 26, 61, 62 and 63). 2 digit breakdowns are also available from Eurostat and OECD including data for some non-members. (See below)

Trends in the evolution of the ICT sector are discussed in the UNCTAD Digital Economy Report 2019 (https://unctad.org/en/pages/PublicationWebflyer.aspx?publicationid=2466) including the top ten economies by the largest share of the ICT sector in GDP. UNCTAD notes:

In terms of the share of the ICT sector’s value added in GDP and its distribution by subsector, four of the top five economies are in East Asia and have notable ICT manufacturing industries, with Taiwan Province of China in the lead (figure III.3). Ireland is second, with its ICT sector’s value added accounting for 10 per cent of GDP, mainly due to large United States computer services MNEs using Ireland as a regional base for tax reasons. India ranks tenth, with computer services constituting more than 70 per cent of its ICT sector’s value added.