We are excited to announce that Northern Block has entered into a strategic partnership with Digital Governance Institute (DGI) to offer joint governance consulting services and product solutions to the digital trust ecosystem. Together, we aim to combine Northern Block’s Trust Registry Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) with DGI’s renowned ecosystem network governance services, creating a solution that provides both robust technical infrastructure and transparent, accountable governance frameworks.

Why We’re Doing This

The demand for secure, verifiable digital trust infrastructures is growing exponentially. Northern Block recognized early on that trust registries play a crucial role not only as utilities that make claims about ecosystem participants publicly available but also as market makers. Trust registries provide a platform for entities to verify identity and authority information, adding integrity during transactions. A trust registry is only valuable if the data inside it has integrity, and this integrity is primarily achieved through strong governance. Without clear governance and conformance programs built on it, the system risks becoming a “garbage in, garbage out” scenario. Our partnership with DGI ensures that our governance module and trust registry administration processes are aligned with the highest standards, safeguarding the integrity of the data.

DGI brings unmatched governance expertise to the table, having authored the only fully-formed governance toolkit for the Trust Over IP Foundation deployed in high-assurance environments such as Bhutan’s National Digital Identity Ecosystem and the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF). Their work on governance and conformance aligns perfectly with Northern Block’s mission to deliver high-assurance digital trust ecosystems, supported by open standards and transparent governance.

Value for the Industry

By combining forces, we are creating a total governance solution for the industry—one that ensures trust registries are not only technically sound but also governed by strong, generally accepted standards. This collaboration will help digital identity and verifiable credential ecosystems establish integrity, trust, and transparency, driving adoption in sectors that require high levels of assurance and governance.

Our joint offering adheres to globally recognized standards, with both Northern Block and DGI being leaders in the Trust over IP (ToIP) Foundation, contributing to technical and governance-related work respectively. Our work puts into practice key standards, including the Trust Registry Query Protocol and the Governance Framework Metamodel. The Trust Registry Query Protocol allows any entity to interact with a trust registry by asking a simple question: “Does Entity X have Authorization Y, in the context of Ecosystem Governance Framework Z?” Meanwhile, the Governance Framework Metamodel and toolkit help establish and implement risk-based governance for ecosystems, having already been successfully deployed in major initiatives. 

This partnership brings together the governance and accountability of service providers that conform to governing authority requirements and the technical assurance to rely upon its scheme. This ensures our solution remains interoperable and scalable, allowing clients to leverage the best available technology and governance practices.

For our active customers, this partnership provides significant value. Credential issuers will benefit from increased robustness around their ecosystem credentials, enhancing their value both within and outside their respective ecosystems. Credential verifiers will gain greater confidence when interacting with holders, knowing they are practicing data minimization and requesting only the necessary data proofs, while also being able to accept credentials from other ecosystems. Credential holders will be better equipped to authenticate and verify any public entity they interact with, improving trust and security for them.

This value extends beyond digital credential use cases. Trust registries also provide significant benefits in other types of digital interactions, such as within browsers (e.g., trusted web domains), email clients (e.g., trusted emails), platforms (e.g., trusted content) or APIs (e.g., trusted access). However, for these registries to deliver real value, they must be backed by strong governance and robust processes—this is the core focus of our collaboration with DGI.

About Northern Block and DGI

Northern Block, founded in 2017 with offices in Toronto, Gatineau, and Amsterdam, has been a leader in digital trust solutions, developing a Trust Registry IaaS that supports ecosystems across various industries. We are passionate about ensuring trust in digital interactions and are working towards building a safer, more reliable digital landscape.

Digital Governance Institute (DGI), based in Bellevue, Washington, is led by Scott Perry, an expert in digital governance frameworks. DGI has provided governance and conformance services to a range of ecosystems, ensuring their solutions meet the highest standards of integrity and accountability.

For more information, please contact:

• Northern Block: Website: www.northernblock.io Email: Mathieu Glaude, Founder & CEO – mathieu@northernblock.io
• Digital Governance Institute: Website: www.digitalgovernanceinstitute.com Email: Scott Perry, Founder & CEO – info@digitalgovernanceinstitute.com

We look forward to bringing this powerful, combined offering to the market and driving the next wave of trusted digital trust solutions.