Reuters Trust Principles

Reuters is dedicated to upholding our Trust Principles and to preserving its independence, integrity, and freedom from bias in the gathering and dissemination of information and news.

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The Reuters Trust Principles

  1. That Reuters shall at no time pass into the hands of any one interest, group, or faction;
  2. That the integrity, independence, and freedom from bias of Thomson Reuters shall at all times be fully preserved;
  3. That Reuters shall supply unbiased and reliable news services to newspapers, news agencies, broadcasters, and other media subscribers and to businesses, governments, institutions, individuals, and others with whom Reuters has or may have contracts;
  4. That Thomson Reuters shall pay due regard to the many interests which it serves in addition to those of the media; and
  5. That no effort shall be spared to expand, develop, and adapt the news and other services and products of Thomson Reuters so as to maintain its leading position in the international news and information business
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Trust Principles – the history

The Trust Principles were created in 1941, in the midst of World War II, in agreement with The Newspaper Proprietors Association Limited and The Press Association Limited (being the Reuters shareholders at that time). The Trust Principles imposed obligations on Reuters and its employees to act at all times with integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Reuters Directors and shareholders were determined to protect and preserve the Trust Principles when Reuters became a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange and Nasdaq. A unique structure was put in place to achieve this. A new company was formed and given the name 'Reuters Founders Share Company Limited', its purpose being to hold a 'Founders Share' in Reuters.

Journalistic Standards and Values

Alongside our Trust Principles, our journalists adhere to strict journalistic standards and values in everything we do, governed by accuracy, independence, integrity, and freedom for bias.

Reuters journalists are united by honesty and integrity. We often face difficult choices in the pursuit of better stories and superior images. In such situations there are several “right” answers, and the rules we use run out. We can, however, guard against damage to our reputation through a shared understanding of the fundamental principles that govern our work.

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