About BASIS
ICC launched the Business Action to Support the Information Society (BASIS) in 2006 after the UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS Geneva 2003, Tunis 2005) at the request of companies that saw the importance of global business coordination on Internet and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) policy issues.
Activities
BASIS advises governments and
other concerned parties on how to put in place investment and business friendly
frameworks, which include conditions such as rule of law and pro-competitive
policies.
BASIS assures and coordinates participation from business at meetings such as
the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), WSIS follow-up and implementation
activities. BASIS also contributes to other UN forums, such as the Commission on
Science and Technology for Development (CSTD), which assesses post-WSIS
activities and development issues. In addition, BASIS promotes partnerships and
facilitates exchange of information between different stakeholders on Internet
governance issues in these forums.
BASIS hosts in-house meetings for members, teleconferences and business
briefings held at the IGF and other events, as well as meetings with government
officials and other stakeholders.
Structure
BASIS members are companies and
business associations from across sectors and from both developed and
developing countries. Members must be completely privately held entities, with
no governmental or other interests involved, and retain their membership
through annual contributions.
BASIS is chaired by Subramanian Ramadorai, Vice Chairman of Tata Consultancy
Services (TCS). Mr Ramadorai provides strategic direction for BASIS, while
policy and logistics for the special project are run by a dedicated team based
at the ICC Secretariat in Paris.The team consists of Ayesha Hassan, Senior
Policy Manager, Constance Weise, Assistant Policy Manager, and Lizzie Cairns,
Executive Assistant.