ORBIT, the Observatory for Responsible Research and Innovation in ICT, began as a UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)-funded project. It offers services and support to the UK research community, promoting responsible innovation in ICT. In 2020, ORBIT established ORBIT-RRI Ltd, a not-for-profit company, to continue providing services beyond the project’s end.

Started in January 2017 and concluding in January 2022, ORBIT-RRI Ltd operates under a Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG) structure. The company’s Articles of Association and Members Agreement ensure its not-for-profit status. ORBIT-RRI has five Members: De Montfort University, the University of Oxford, and three directors.

ICT has widespread benefits but presents challenges like privacy issues and security concerns. ORBIT-RRI encourages responsible research and innovation (RRI) to align with societal goals. RRI, defined by von Schomberg, is a transparent, interactive process fostering mutual responsiveness between societal actors and innovators to ensure ethical, sustainable, and socially desirable advancements in technology and science—addressing grand challenges.