Biometrics Institute announces updated mission statement and new Board members

The Biometrics Institute has updated its mission statement to add support for the ethical use of biometric technology to its goals, and announced the addition of three new directors to the group’s Board. Raoul Cooper of British Airways, Jill Fitzroy of Australia’s VicRoads, and John Kendall from Unisys have been appointed to the international Biometrics Institute Board of Directors, bringing valuable expertise in creating seamless travel experiences and identity for citizens, and providing technology and policy insights to the organization.

“It is becoming increasingly evident that the Biometrics Institute is well placed to provide expert guidance and develop good practices for biometrics,” says Chairman and Director Andrew Rice, “with particular focus on balancing privacy, security and convenience.”

The Biometrics Institute’s mission statement had been unchanged since 2001, and with the confirmation of the new strategy by members, now focuses on connectivity, knowledge transfer, and thought leadership in an international and independent multi-stakeholder community, according to the announcement. The ethical use of biometrics is added to the goal of promoting responsible use, and the Board will oversee and support management in the new strategy’s implementation. The Biometrics Institute’s pivot toward a greater focus on ethics was confirmed earlier this year in an announcement after meetings of members and stakeholders at Biometrics Congress and related events.

“The expert and sector groups bring together the very experienced members within the Institute to help develop policy and guidance where standards and legislation often cannot keep pace with the adoption of biometrics,” says Isabelle Moeller, Chief Executive of the Biometrics Institute, “they are an important resource for the broader member and stakeholder community.”

Discussions supporting a range of Biometrics Institute initiatives will be held at the ID at Borders & Travel conference on April 11 and 12, 2019, in Vienna.

Current Biometrics Institute projects include collaboration with the United Nations Counter Terrorism Executive Directorate (UNCTED) on second phase of the “United Nations Compendium of Recommended Practices for the Responsible Use and Sharing of Biometrics in Counter Terrorism.”

The Institute also recently held a joint webinar with IOM, the UN Migration Agency, focused on the main principles of successfully implementing biometric systems, and published a guide to good practices for enterprises.

Article Topics

best practices  |  biometrics  |  Biometrics Institute  |  Board of Directors  |  ethics  |  Unisys