The Data Stewardship Programme equips individuals across sectors with the skills and knowledge to implement responsible data practices. Meanwhile, the Social License Lab develops frameworks for more equitable and collaborative relationships between data providers and users, ensuring that those traditionally underrepresented in data systems are given a voice and agency.

A significant example of their impact is a project conducted in partnership with the Agence Française de Développement, which focused on responsible data re-use in developing countries. By examining successful multi-stakeholder data initiatives, the project produced a set of guidelines and a toolkit to support ethical and effective data sharing practices in similar contexts.

The Data Tank’s work highlights the importance of inclusivity and data sufficiency. By involving communities in the data lifecycle and encouraging the re-use of existing data, they foster more sustainable and participatory data ecosystems that serve broad societal interests.

In April 2025, The Data Tank co‑organised a Digital Dialogue in collaboration with the International Civil Society Centre. The event brought together thought leaders and civil society representatives—including The Data Tank’s own Paulina Behluli, alongside experts from the Norwegian Refugee Council and Tanzania Data Lab—to discuss how data stewardship and responsible data reuse can deliver public value. The dialogue emphasised how civil society plays a crucial role in shaping data governance to address societal challenges.

Over the past year, The Data Tank ran two Data Stewards Bootcamps, delivered in both in-person and hybrid formats. These immersive programmes trained professionals from civil society, the public sector and the private sector—about 30 senior leaders across Europe in 2024 alone. Through peer exchange, expert talks, field visits and collaborative exercises, participants deepened their understanding of how to use data ethically and strategically for public impact. A recent week-long intensive course in Berlin gathered 14 participants from Germany’s social-sector and civic organisations for peer learning and visits to institutions such as the Global Migration Data Analysis Centre and Wikimedia Germany, facilitated with support from the Bertelsmann Foundation and Governance Lab.

Meanwhile, under the Social License Lab umbrella, The Data Tank spearheaded the NextGenData youth engagement project, which piloted a methodology for involving young people in decisions about how their personal data is reused. Conducted across Moldova, Tanzania, India and Kyrgyzstan and involving over 70 young participants, this multi-country initiative led to a practical toolkit for service providers to co-design data practices grounded in youth values and concerns.

The Data Tank’s strategy for 2025–2028, which emphasises capacity building, participatory engagement, and policy influence. Their broader work includes research, publications, and advocacy on topics such as data reuse in AI infrastructure and participatory governance models