BBB National Programs’ Center for Industry Self-Regulation Publishes Principles and Protocols for Trustworthy AI in Recruiting and Hiring

McLean, VA – June 8, 2023 – BBB National Programs’ Center for Industry Self-Regulation today released self-regulatory Principles for Trustworthy AI in Recruiting and Hiring, which serve as a global baseline standard for the use of AI applications in recruitment and hiring, providing practical and actionable guidance for employers and vendors seeking to leverage AI technology responsibly and equitably.

The Independent Certification Protocols for AI-Enabled Hiring and Recruiting Technologies, also released today, supplement the Principles by providing employers and vendors a framework for self-certifying compliance with the Principles.

The Principles and Protocols were developed in BBB National Programs’ Center for Industry Self-Regulation Incubator in collaboration with senior legal and privacy representatives from more than a dozen global employers, including Amazon, Allegis, Dentsu Americas, Koch Industries, Microsoft, Qualcomm, and Unilever.

This Working Group, led by Eric D. Reicin, President and CEO, BBB National Programs in tandem with Robert J. O’Hara, an attorney at Epstein Becker & Green P.C., developed the AI Principles and Protocols with a focus on the following objectives:

• Ensuring systems are valid and reliable
• Promoting equitable outcomes, with harmful bias managed
• Increasing inclusivity
• Facilitating compliance, transparency, and accountability
• Striving for systems that are safe, secure, resilient, explainable, interpretable, and privacy-enhanced

The core objective of the Principles and Protocols is to promote positive change in recruiting and hiring processes. Algorithmic systems using AI technologies, when responsibly designed, deployed, and monitored can mitigate partiality and foster inclusivity by reducing the potential for bias that may exist in human-led decision-making during the recruiting and hiring process.

“It was rewarding for such a diverse array of companies representing multiple industry sectors to come together within our Center for Industry Self-Regulation Incubator to work on these AI Principles and Protocols,” said Reicin. “The resultant Principles serve as a valuable tool for companies to evaluate the potential benefits and manage societal risks associated with their use of artificial intelligence systems.”

“The Principles are meant to inform best practices when advanced, adaptive algorithms are used as part of the employment selection process; they do not supersede or replace national or local laws, regulations, or established standards,” added O’Hara. “The Protocols establish a baseline framework for the development of a program for a company’s independent certification to the Principles.”

The Center for Industry Self-Regulation invites leading employers, along with vendors in the HR technology space, to access and learn more about the Principles and Protocols by visiting our website.

About CISR: The Center for Industry Self-Regulation (CISR), BBB National Programs’ 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation, was created to harness the power of independent, industry self-regulation to empower U.S. business accountability. CISR is dedicated to education and research that supports responsible business leaders developing fair, future-proof best practices, and to the education of the general public on the conditions necessary for industry self-regulation. To learn more, visit industryselfregulation.org.

About BBB National Programs: BBB National Programs, a non-profit organization, is the home of U.S. independent industry self-regulation, currently operating more than a dozen globally recognized programs that have been helping enhance consumer trust in business for more than 50 years. These programs provide third-party accountability and dispute resolution services that address existing and emerging industry issues, create a fairer playing field for businesses, and a better experience for consumers. BBB National Programs continues to evolve its work and grow its impact by providing business guidance and fostering best practices in arenas such as advertising, child-and-teen-directed marketing, data privacy, dispute resolution, automobile warranty, technology, and emerging areas. To learn more, visit bbbprograms.org.

About Epstein Becker Green: Epstein Becker & Green, P.C., is a national law firm with a primary focus on employment, labor, and workforce management; health care and life sciences; and litigation and business disputes. Founded in 1973 as an industry-focused firm, Epstein Becker Green has decades of experience serving clients in health care, financial services, retail, hospitality, and technology, among other industries, representing entities from startups to Fortune 100 companies. Operating in locations throughout the United States and supporting domestic and multinational clients, the firm’s attorneys are committed to uncompromising client service and legal excellence. For more information, visit www.ebglaw.com.