Thomson Reuters is dedicated to uphold the Reuters Trust Principles and to preserve its independence, integrity and freedom from bias in the gathering and dissemination of information and news.
The Reuters Trust Principles:
The charter documents of the two parent companies of Thomson Reuters, Thomson Reuters Corporation and Thomson Reuters PLC, require Thomson Reuters directors, in the performance of their duties, to have due regard to the Reuters Trust Principles, by the proper exercise of their powers and in accordance with their other duties as directors.
The Reuters Trust Principles are:
- that Reuters shall at no time pass into the hands of any one interest, group or faction*;
- that the integrity, independence and freedom from bias of Reuters shall at all times be fully preserved;
- that Reuters shall supply unbiased and reliable news services to newspapers, news agencies, broadcasters and other media subscribers and to businesses, governments, institutions, individuals and others with whom Reuters has or may have contracts;
- that Reuters shall pay due regard to the many interests which it serves in addition to those of the media; and
- that no effort shall be spared to expand, develop and adapt the news and other services and products of Reuters so as to maintain its leading position in the international news and information business.
* The Reuters Founders Share Company (RFSC) agreed to support The Thomson Corporation’s acquisition of Reuters Group PLC and its subsidiaries because The Thomson Corporation, Reuters Group PLC and Woodbridge, the controlling shareholder of Thomson Reuters, agreed to take certain actions to support the Reuters Trust Principles. These included agreeing to adopt and uphold the Reuters Trust Principles in relation to Thomson Reuters and implementing certain changes to the charter documents of Thomson Reuters Corporation and Thomson Reuters PLC and the Thomson Reuters company structure.
Reuters Founders Share Company
The Reuters Founder Share Company (RFSC) exists to safeguard the Reuters Trust Principles. The directors of the RFSC are known as the "Reuters Trustees", and have a duty to ensure, in so far as they are able to do, that the Reuters Trust Principles are complied with.
Independence of Thomson Reuters
Customers across the world depend on Thomson Reuters to provide them with reliable and objective news and information.
This means that Thomson Reuters has a special need to safeguard its independence and integrity and avoid any bias which may stem from control by specific individuals or interests.
The Reuters Trust Principles were adopted by Reuters in 1941 and include the preservation of integrity, reliability of news, development of the news business and related principles.
Today these principles are fundamental to Thomson Reuters.