Our mission
We believe that societies around the world should be free, fair and informed. We use the combined power of journalism and law, alongside data intelligence, to counter critical threats to democracy, inspire collective leadership and help shape a more equitable world.
What we do
We work to strengthen information integrity, protect civil society and promote responsible business practices, to equip the people, organisations and systems upon which free and fair societies depend. We do this by supporting the resilience of independent media, enabling access to the law and advancing fair work and responsible AI. A free press exposes abuse of power, equitable access to the law sustains civil society, and responsible business ensures that companies thrive whilst doing no harm.
Our unique combination of media development services, legal support, and data-intelligence and AI-focused initiatives allows us to work across all three pillars of democratic resilience simultaneously.
01
Strengthening Information Integrity
Accurate and reliable information is critical to allowing citizens to hold power to account, to share a common understanding of fact and truth, to build trust in institutions, and to maintain national security. We work to strengthen information integrity by helping independent media withstand manipulation, increase resilience and provide trusted journalism in the public interest.
02
Protecting Civil Society
Access to legal support is crucial for civil society actors to carry out their vital work. We help build a vibrant and fair legal ecosystem that is accessible to all, particularly vulnerable and marginalised communities. To achieve this, we also work to empower the global legal community to use its expertise in the public interest.
03
Promoting Responsible Business
Artificial intelligence and global economic shifts are outpacing the governance frameworks designed to protect workers and society. We equip organisations with the data, knowledge and networks needed to strengthen practice and accountability, to deliver fairer outcomes for workers, businesses and society.
What makes us different
Our approach is unique and powerful. We have over 40 years’ experience supporting independent journalism globally. We run the world’s largest pro bono legal service supporting civil society organizations and independent newsrooms. We have developed the world’s largest data set on corporate AI adoption. We leverage our global footprint, combined media and legal expertise, and extensive data intelligence to equip key actors whose work strengthens democratic and institutional resilience, and social cohesion.
Our integrity, independence and freedom from bias are embodied in the Thomson Reuters Trust Principles which guide all our work.
Our diverse stakeholders
Legal Professionals
Media Professionals
Civil Society
Corporate Leaders
Investors
Policy Makers
Our work with people from across sectors and geographies allows us to respond holistically to critical issues impacting access to accurate information, the ability for civil society organisations to remain effective, and business practices that reduce societal harm.
What we offer
Capacity-building programmes
We provide journalists, media outlets, lawyers, civil society organisations, and business leaders tailored support to equip them with the information and skills they need to operate sustainably amidst systemic challenges and sustain vital work.
Pro bono legal support
We run the world’s largest pro bono legal network, TrustLaw. Working with leading law firms, we facilitate free legal support, research and resources for civil society organisations, social enterprises and independent media in almost 200 countries. By encouraging the practice of pro bono worldwide, we enable fairer access to the law to protect civic space and uphold human rights.
Our data platforms
We run the Workforce Disclosure Initiative, a leading voluntary disclosure data platform that reports on the way companies manage people across their supply chains. Companies currently disclosing to WDI represent over 8 million workers, shared with an investor coalition managing $7.5 trillion of assets.
We also run the AI Company Data Initiative – which aims to build a dataset on corporate AI adoption to drive transparency and promote responsible business practices.
Our news brand
Context was a news brand powered by the Thomson Reuters Foundation. It provided news and analysis that contextualised how critical issues and events affect ordinary people, society and the environment. Context ceased publishing in February 2026, but an archive of our award-winning reporting is available at www.context.news
The Thomson Reuters Foundation’s journalism continues to be published via the Reuters newswire and Openly
We adhere to the Thomson Reuters Trust Principles of integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.
Research
Our range of research is produced with world-leading experts to empower journalists, civil society organisations and the private sector to make informed decisions and navigate emerging risks and threats. This research ranges from guides to help individuals work safely within legal frameworks to comparative analyses of national laws that can then be used to inform legislative change. We also map trends across the media, legal and business sectors.
Events
We believe in the power of the exchange of expertise, which is why collaboration is core to our delivery. We host and support a wide range of events, spanning closed-door roundtables and workshops to high-profile public forums, convening stakeholders from across sectors and geographies to address critical issues within our areas of focus.
Where we work
We are a global organisation headquartered in the UK with regional hubs in Ireland, India , Kenya, United States, Philippines, Mexico and Argentina.
Our people
View all peopleOur global team of 145 people brings a vast range of knowledge, diversity and experience to the implementation of our work. The Foundation’s Senior Leadership Team is responsible for driving the organisation’s strategy, growth and impact.
Our values
We act with independence and integrity
Embodying the Thomson Reuters Trust Principles, we uphold independence and integrity in everything that we do, fostering trust and credibility in our work. This supports unbiased reporting, impartial legal assistance, ethical decision-making and the transparent provision of data
Our unique expertise sets us apart
Our impact is driven by our unique media, legal and data-led expertise, and this informs everything that we do. Building on our credibility and global networks, we understand, value and champion our rich skillset as it makes our offering unique, powerful and impactful.
We are a trusted partner for the people we serve
We foster collaboration with multiple stakeholders, responding to their needs and gathering and prioritising their perspectives. Our convening power, consistency and transparency make us a trusted partner, strengthening our ability to deliver impact around the world while doing no harm
We are agile and learn fast
We are not afraid to innovate and to evolve. In a rapidly changing world, we challenge our thinking and are willing to risk fast failure and learn from our mistakes. We are decisive and commit to action, and our agility encourages us to respond at pace to the emerging challenges our stakeholders face. This ensures that our work is always impactful and always relevant
We are one team
Our excellence is driven by our combined strengths. We break down silos and value a culture of collaboration, supported by clearly defined processes. With the collective goal of creating free, fair and informed societies, we learn from and value the different perspectives that our team members and partners bring to the table.
Partner with us
Our work relies on the generosity and funding from our partners – from individuals and family trusts, to businesses, foundations and institutions. If you share our drive to strengthen information integrity, protect civil society or advance responsible business practices, let’s work together.
Accreditations
The Thomson Reuters Foundation has achieved Cyber Essentials Plus certification, a UK-Government-backed scheme, demonstrating our commitment to cyber security by validating our ability to keep our data – and that of our partners, suppliers, and beneficiaries – safe from common cyber attacks.
Annual Reports and Accounts
Our annual reports highlight the impact of our work and provide an overview of our financial performance.
2025 Report
Awards
We have received a number of awards in recognition of our work.
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Careers
Join the team
Explore the latest opportunities to work with us:
Legal Projects Officer, TrustLaw, Nairobi
Mumbai or Nairobi
Social Video Journalist, LGBTQ+ News
Philippines, Manila
Civil Society Lead
Madrid, Spain
Digital Advertising Specialist, Manila, Philippines
Manila, Philippines
Digital Content Specialist, Manila, Philippines
Philippines