Social Impact Report 2019

A society cannot thrive without justice and transparency, which require trusted information and the people who have the courage to defend it. Every day around the world, there are affronts to the rule of law and freedom of the press. We are proud to work to create the necessary foundations for access to justice and transparency in everything we do. We partner with our employees, customers and communities to create opportunities for innovation, community impact and sustainable corporate citizenship.  

In 2019, we launched a suite of innovative programs for our employees, the Thomson Reuters Foundation and our partners. We examined the legal sector’s capacities and duties in promoting peace, justice and strong institutions while bringing our customers and partners to the table with the United Nations Global Compact and the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s TrustLaw group.

We also brought media literacy and press freedom front and center through partnerships with the  National Association for Media Literacy Educators and the Reporter’s Committee for Freedom of the Press, which built on the strong work of the Reuters news team in stemming the flow of misinformation worldwide through accurate, objective journalism and fact-checking. Lastly, we continue to partner with our customers and employees to examine how we can continue to strengthen the foundations of justice and transparency through our knowledge, skills and expertise.

The greatest strength of our company is our people. Diverse and inclusive workforces drive innovation and connect communities. In 2019, Thomson Reuters achieved 100% on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index for the 8th year in a row. Volunteerism continues to be a hallmark of our employee culture. Our people showed huge passion for their communities, investing over 116,000 volunteer hours this past year.

The resilience of our planet is no less important. In 2019, we achieved full carbon neutrality while engaging thousands of our employees in sustainability efforts around the globe. In 2020, we choose not to stand still. We will source renewable energy for 100% of our global energy needs and have set science-based carbon reduction targets, aligning with the 1.5 degree pathway.

We are proud to report robustly on our commitment to the principles that are deeply embedded in our DNA — and strengthening their connection to the work of our customers, our employees, and the issues that matter most in the communities where we work and live.

We invite you to read about our progress in our annual social impact report and accompanying datasheet, and to contact us with your reflections and ideas.