The Data Quality Excellence Pledge creates a framework calling on market research industry organisations to uphold rigorous data quality standards, such as implementing documented processes to verify participant consent and identity, maintaining robust technology and operational procedures and making sure surveys are secured from entry to exit.

The pledge also commits adherents to provide transparency over the class of sample used, relevant data quality metrics and the methodologies or standards, such as ISOs or internal SOPs, that they use.

Signatories will also need to pledge to protect participant experience and rights, such as adhering to national and international ethical codes, complying with local and global privacy regulations such as GDPR, and following best practices in questionnaire design.

There is also a requirement to regularly review standards across the entire value chain, actively train employees and partners, and contribute to industry best practices, as well as maintaining membership in at least one industry association, support GDQ data requests and volunteer contributions, and committing to using consistent, industry-approved data quality terminology.

The GDQ was set up in 2023 as a coordinated effort to address both ongoing and emerging risks to data quality across market and social research, consumer insights and analytics.

Members of the GDQ include the Market Research Society (MRS), Esomar, The Insights Association, Qualitative Research Consultants Association, SampleCon, The Research Society in Australia, the Canadian Research Insights Council, The Association of Market Research Austria (VMÖ), the International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication, and the Global Research Business Network.

Debrah Harding, managing director at MRS, said: “By uniting under this common pledge, we are paving the way for innovation and accountability throughout the industry.

“This initiative reinforces our commitment to rigorous standards and ethical practices, ensuring that the insights we deliver are as reliable as they are impactful.”

Melanie Courtright, chief executive officer at the Insights Association, said: “This is a powerful statement of commitment from companies worldwide to raise the bar for data quality across the ecosystem.

“The Data Quality Excellence Pledge is more than a symbol – it’s a promise that every organisation can make to build trust and drive transparency in every interaction with data.”

Rachel Alltmont, president at SampleCon, added: “For the first time, we’re seeing competitors put aside differences to collectively combat fraud and establish universal quality standards.

“This collaborative approach demonstrates our industry’s maturity and commitment to self-regulation, proving that together, we can protect data integrity more effectively than any single organisation can alone.”

Jane Frost, chief executive at MRS, said: “In the context of current AI developments, a laser focus on quality is even more important to allow us to exploit the technology’s full potential while avoiding its pitfalls – ultimately poor data in will always mean shoddy results out, even using the most mature AI models. 

“This is why we’re pleased to be working with global companies and associations to form the Data Quality Excellence Pledge and to help address the need for quality assurance for buyers of research.”