On June 24, 2025, the Global Network Initiative (GNI) and the Council on Ethics for the Swedish National Pension Funds (“Swedish CoE”) co-hosted a high-level session on the Role of Investors in Tech Governance on the sidelines of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Oslo, Norway. The session brought together representatives from the UN B-Tech Project, civil society organizations, and the investment community to explore how investors can play a more meaningful role in promoting and protecting human rights in the tech sector.
Participants emphasized the importance of aligning technology investments with internationally recognized human rights frameworks, including the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the GNI Principles on Freedom of Expression and Privacy. A key concern was the growing set of downstream human rights risks—those that arise once products and services enter the market—such as the spread of disinformation, privacy violations, and impacts on children’s rights. Despite some progress, stakeholders agreed that these issues are often insufficiently addressed and require more proactive attention from both companies and investors.
The discussion highlighted how investor engagement on topics like freedom of expression and privacy has increased, but also noted persistent barriers, including limited access to technical expertise and challenges in communicating effectively with companies. Multistakeholder collaboration, particularly with civil society, was recognized as essential for identifying and addressing systemic risks in the tech ecosystem. Participants underscored the value of trusted platforms like GNI in facilitating informed, rights-based dialogue and supporting accountability mechanisms.
This dialogue reflects GNI’s ongoing efforts to expand its Investor Constituency and strengthen collaboration across sectors in support of responsible and rights-respecting tech governance.