Sustainability Commitment Statement

1. Scope and organizational context

Link Data is a research-and-development and consulting company founded in 2023 and based in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. We work in big data, business analytics, artificial intelligence, data science, and geospatial intelligence for business, government, and international organizations across emerging markets. Our work is organized around two R&D centers — Link Earth, for geospatial intelligence and remote sensing, and Link Intelligence, for computer vision, generative AI, and decision science. This statement is approved by the management of Link Data and applies to all of our activities.

2. Environmental commitment

Environmental sustainability is not only a standard we hold ourselves to — it is a substantial part of what we build. Our Link Earth center exists to make environmental change measurable, and we apply the same evidence-led approach to our own footprint. We commit to the prevention of pollution, the sustainable use of resources, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and the protection of the environment and biodiversity.

• We develop and deliver environmental monitoring capabilities that help our clients act on evidence: carbon stock and CO₂ absorption mapping, water pollution tracking, deforestation and land-use change detection, and urban green-cover and air-quality analysis.
• We build predictive tools that support climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction, including flood zone, landslide, and wildfire spread modelling, and disaster damage assessment.
• We publish environmental research in the public interest rather than keeping it to client engagements, so that findings on air quality, urban green space, and water quality are available to the communities they concern.
• We operate a small, digitally delivered practice with a low direct environmental footprint. Satellite and cloud-based analysis lets us answer many questions without travel or field campaigns; where fieldwork remains necessary, we are clear that remote sensing complements it rather than replacing it.
• We commit to reducing avoidable consumption in our own operations — favouring digital over printed deliverables, extending the service life of our hardware, and responsibly disposing of electronic equipment.
• We commit to giving preference, where a competitive choice exists, to suppliers and infrastructure providers that can demonstrate credible environmental practice.

3. Social commitment

We are a small, research-driven team, and our social commitment starts with how we treat the people who work here and extends to the communities our work affects. We respect internationally recognized human rights and fair labour principles, and we treat the capability we build in others as a core part of our contribution.

• We uphold human rights and fair labour practice across our operations. We employ people lawfully and on clear terms, and we do not use or tolerate forced labour, child labour, or any form of harassment, coercion, or discrimination.
• We are committed to gender equality and equal opportunity. Hiring, pay, development, and promotion decisions are made on merit and capability, without regard to gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, or background, and we actively welcome applications from women in data and AI roles — a field where they remain underrepresented across our region.
• We invest in capability, not dependency. Our Data Literacy Program delivers hands-on training for enterprises, public institutions, and international development organizations and NGOs, so that partners can operate and question their own data rather than relying indefinitely on outside expertise.
• We issue training certificates with unique identifiers that any employer or partner can verify independently, protecting the integrity of the credentials our participants earn.
• We contribute to public health and well-being through research we publish openly, including district-level air quality analysis and mahalla-level urban green space assessment — both factors with direct consequences for the health of residents.
• We provide a safe working environment, support continuous learning, and expect the organizations we work with to meet comparable standards.

4. Economic commitment

We are a locally founded company operating in an emerging market, and we regard the strength of the local technology ecosystem as inseparable from our own. We commit to sustainable economic practice across whole life cycle costing, support for local communities and small and medium enterprises, and the sustainability of our supply chain.

• We assess value over the whole life cycle rather than at the point of purchase. When we advise on or procure technology, we weigh total cost of ownership — implementation, operation, maintenance, retraining, and eventual replacement — against headline price.
• We design our products and services to be operable by the client's own team, avoiding lock-in that inflates long-term cost.
• We invest in the local economy. Link Data was founded and operates in Uzbekistan, we recruit and train locally, and we give preference to local suppliers and small and medium enterprises wherever they are competitive.
• We contribute to the regional technology ecosystem as a resident of IT Park Uzbekistan and a member of the Central Asian Artificial Intelligence Association, and we take part regularly in conferences and roundtables on data and AI across the region.
• We collaborate with local research institutions on work of public value, including joint analysis with the Institute for Macroeconomic and Regional Studies on regional economic activity.
• We expect our suppliers and subcontractors to observe the same environmental, labour, and ethical standards set out in this statement, and we will not knowingly work with those who do not.

5. Ethics, data governance, and responsible AI

Our business is other people's data, so trust is a precondition rather than a feature. Security, privacy, and data localization are design principles at Link Data, not afterthoughts.

• We handle client and personal data lawfully and proportionately, and we publish a Privacy Policy setting out what we collect, why, and how it can be withdrawn.
• We collect analytics on our own website only after the visitor has given consent, and that consent can be changed or withdrawn at any time.
• We apply AI responsibly. We favour explainable models in public-facing and decision-critical contexts, and we are explicit with clients about the limitations and uncertainty of any analysis we deliver.
• We describe our products honestly, including their maturity: products still in development are labelled as such, and we do not present research findings as more certain than the underlying data supports.
• We conduct our business with integrity and do not offer or accept bribes, facilitation payments, or improper inducements of any kind.

6. Accountability and review

A commitment that is never examined is not a commitment. We hold ourselves to the following.

• This statement is reviewed at least annually by the management of Link Data and revised as our practice develops.
• We report progress through evidence rather than assertion, and we will continue to publish work that can be independently checked.
• Questions, concerns, or requests for further information about this statement can be addressed to info@linkdata.uz, and we undertake to respond substantively.
• We welcome scrutiny from clients, partners, and procurement bodies, and we will provide supporting documentation on request.