Joomla is now officially recognized as a digital public good, an accolade from the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA). This recognition places Joomla among a number of international open source projects that prioritize openness, transparency, data protection, and social impact.

Important to note: DPG recognition was granted only to Joomla as a digital solution, not to Joomla as an organization.

The DPGA, supported by the United Nations, maintains an international registry of digital public goods and evaluates initiatives according to clearly defined standards. Its goal is to promote high-quality open-source projects that contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and address urgent development needs worldwide.

To be recognized as a  digital public good  must meet the Digital Public Goods Standard, which includes the following, among other things:

• Open licensing, e.g., recognized open-source licenses
• Data protection and security
• Compliance with legal and ethical standards
• Contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals
• Transparent governance and long-term sustainability

Recognition as a digital public good is not automatic: Joomla underwent a thorough application and review process. Many questions had to be answered, and numerous community members contributed their expertise to achieve this success.

From many individual pieces, an impressive overall picture emerged, clearly demonstrating Joomla’s versatility and the opportunities the system offers.

A summary can be found on the Digital Public Good Alliance website here:
https://www.digitalpublicgoods.net/r/joomla-joomla-content-management-system

Visibility, Quality, and Social Impact

Joomla has often struggled to showcase its excellence. The recognition as a digital public good now significantly enhances its visibility. It serves as a quality seal, signaling trust and reliability.

For governments, organizations, and companies worldwide, this means: Joomla is now an open, trustworthy, and future-proof solution, enabling projects to be implemented efficiently, accessibly, and successfully.

Background

Digital sovereignty means being able to act independently, consciously, and self-determined in the digital realm – whether as an individual, a company, or a state. It does not mean doing everything alone or developing all technologies in-house. Rather, it is about making thoughtful and responsible decisions regarding which technologies and providers to use, which data to share, and how to manage one’s own data.

A large part of the global digital infrastructure – especially around 80% of cloud services – is operated by a few major U.S. companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Google. Many companies and public authorities use products like Windows or Office 365, which are hosted in Microsoft’s cloud, because they work reliably and are easy to use. Programs like Word or Excel are familiar to almost everyone, and many learn them in school. For many, they have become indispensable tools in daily work.

However, this concentration not only creates technical dependencies but also introduces security and political risks.

The UN and Open-Source Software Principles

To achieve digital sovereignty, it is necessary to use open and adaptable software that allows the independent development and operation of systems – for example, in healthcare, education, or public administration – without relying on large tech companies. This way, states, authorities, and organizations retain control over their data, infrastructure, and digital decisions.

Open-source software is ideal for this because it:

• Provides control over the technology used

• Can be flexibly adapted to individual needs

• Strengthens the protection of one’s own data

At the same time, open source is easy to share. In public administration, many tasks are very similar or even identical across different countries, for example, managing citizen data, processing applications, or handling document management.

Instead of each country developing its own solutions from scratch, open-source applications can be shared, further developed, and adapted to local requirements. This not only saves time and money but also promotes international collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Global Importance of Open Source

These benefits are recognized at the global level, as shown by the UN Open-Source Software Principles. They promote a responsible and sustainable use of open source within the UN system.

Many UN organizations currently develop digital solutions independently, leading to isolated systems, missing standards, and unnecessary costs. The principles aim to address these issues and strengthen digital collaboration. Their goal is to create open, trustworthy, and reusable software solutions that can be used worldwide – especially in less developed regions.

Open source is intended to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and technology, strengthen cooperation between UN entities and external partners, and foster innovation, transparency, and long-term sustainability. This underscores how important open source is for both individual countries and global digital collaboration.

Digital Public Goods:
Open Software Solutions for Global Sustainability

The UN Open-Source Principles define how open source should be used responsibly. Digital public goods show what can emerge from this – namely, digital commons that contribute worldwide to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This can involve either a new project developed openly and collaboratively from the start, or existing open-source projects, such as Joomla, being strengthened by being reused, improved, and reintegrated into the community through so-called re-contributions – i.e., feedback of improvements and adaptations. This creates a cycle of use, further development, and shared responsibility.

Many organizations, administrations, or development projects face the question of which digital solutions are trustworthy and suitable for long-term use – especially in sensitive areas like education, health, or administration. This is where the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA) comes into play.

The DPGA maintains an international registry of digital public goods that have been thoroughly reviewed. The list serves as a guideline for potential users, helping them find the software they need for their projects.

Joomla is now part of this list and is officially recognized as a digital public good.