Call-to-Action for an IT Partner Bill of Rights

Banking, Education, Defense and Aerospace, Energy and Utilities, Healthcare, Infrastructure -- it reads like a list of our country’s most important issues and it is. But more importantly it’s a list of the kind of clients that the fraud-engulfed Indian outsourcing firms in the news lately touch on a daily basis. This isn’t uncommon. Technology firms are entrusted with critical organizational functions and assets by businesses around the world. Now for the good of our industry we must take steps to ensure that this trust is not called into question on a widespread basis.

While it’s easy to point fingers, the reality is that this is not a company-specific issue or even just an India issue. It’s an issue of the perceived viability, accountability and credibility of technology partners and business partners everywhere. We have seen first-hand in the financial sector how several ill-informed decisions can create instabilities in the broader global system and we’re not willing to let history repeat itself in our industry.

With that in mind, and in light of recent events, we have an opportunity to take steps to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again, at least not in the technology space. Now is the time to create new rules of engagement for IT outsourcing firms; a new set of universal best practices that demand accountability and transparency and ensure the stability of individual projects, companies and the system under which we operate.

Now is the time to adopt an IT Bill of Rights that not only defines the rights of both clients and IT firms, but more importantly protects them by documenting consistent and concrete expectations that the entire industry can agree upon and adhere to. We know that this is no easy task; but the difficulty does not make it any less important. That’s why we have taken to the first step and drafted an IT Partner Bill of Rights.

We put this out with the clear expectation that these are the building blocks for what may ultimately become the final ten inalienable rights of our IT brethren. We encourage conversation and we demand input. This is just too important an issue to sit idly by. The global technology community consists of some of the most dynamic minds in the world. Let us put our collective heads together and come up with something brilliant. Below is our draft. Please sign it to demonstrate your support and comment on it to help us get to an even better place. The credibility of our industry depends on it.

Sincerely,

John Castleman
President and CEO, Alliance Global Services