4 August 2021 -- The Association for Geographic Information (AGI) has pledged to promote the ethical use of location data by signing up as a Locus Charter supporting organisation.

Together with its members, the AGI will contribute to the Charter’s on-going evolution by providing input and thought-leadership, applying case studies, and incorporating best practices to strengthen its Founding Principles.

Denise McKenzie, AGI Chair and collaborating author of the Locus Charter said: “Our mission is to be a thriving geospatial community that actively supports a sustainable future. As geographers and geospatial professionals, we have an amazing opportunity to use our tools and expertise to achieve this, but we recognise that our contributions must meet the highest ethical standards.”

“The AGI is therefore proud to join the founding Locus Charter supporter group and is committed to providing a collaborative platform to help ensure a responsible future for the geospatial profession.”

The Locus Charter was publicly launched in March 2021 after a multi-year strategic partnership between the American Geographical Society’s EthicalGEO and the Benchmark Initiative, hosted at Ordnance Survey’s Geovation. The charter was developed in collaboration with location data and data ethics experts from across the globe and has received support from Omidyar Network, Henry Luce Foundation, and Ordnance Survey. 

The AGI joins the American Geographical Society (AGS), Environmental Information Systems Africa (EIS - Africa), the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI - Mexico), Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC), PLACE, Radiant Earth Foundation, the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) (RGS-IBG), and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) as a founding supporting organisation.

To find out more, visit www.agi.o rg.uk