Unicode

What it reported doing in 2025

Common locale data repository (cldr)when an app formats a date as "april 28" for an american user and "28 april" for a british one, or google formats a price in brazilian reals, or windows sorts a list in japanese alphabetical order, that behavior is powered by the unicode common locale data repository (cldr).cldr is the world's largest and most comprehensive repository of locale data, and it serves as the shared backbone that allows the technology industry to build products that feel native to users everywhere. Adobe, airbnb, apple, google, microsoft, meta, and hundreds of other companies rely on cldr rather than maintaining their own fragmented, redundant datasets, because the problem it solves is vast.every language and culture carries its own conventions: how dates and times are written, how numbers and currencies are formatted, how names are ordered, which calendar system is used, which units of measurement are standard, how lists are sorted, and even what emoji are called. Capturing all of this accurately and keeping it current for more than 90 languages requires continuous collaboration with linguists, translators, and regional experts around the world. That work is coordinated by the unicode cldr technical committee, which collects data, vets changes, resolves disputes, and publishes regular updates.the result flows directly into the tools developers use every day. Cldr data is embedded in widely used software libraries including icu4j, icu4c, and icu4x; in programming languages like java and javascript; and in operating systems including android, ios, windows, and macos. When a developer needs their app to behave correctly in swahili or slovak, they don't build that knowledge from scratch; they inherit it from cldr.the value is substantial. By maintaining a single authoritative source of locale data as a public good, unicode eliminates the need for every technology company to duplicate this expensive, specialized research independently, saving the industry enormous engineering time and cost, and accelerating the delivery of localized products to users worldwide.2025 cldr highlights (releases 47 & 48)on track for performance enhancements, progress, tracking for v46message format 2.0, person name validation, keyboards, ddldigitally disadvantaged language coverage. Work continued to ddl coverage, with many ddl now with higher coverage levels: modern (added akan, bashkir, chuvash, kazakh (arabic), romansh, shan, quechua - suitable for full ui internationalization moderate (added anti, esperanto) - suitable for "document content" internationalization, eg. In spreadsheet basic (added buriat, piedmontese, sicilian, tuvinian) - suitable for locale selection, eg. Choice of language on mobile phone

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 59%; rating input score 59
• Program expense ratio: 55.5%; rating input score 56
• Fundraising efficiency: $2.61 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 7; 7th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -2.3%; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.04; rating input score 65; 65th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 47.4%; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 8.4% per year; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 9% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 5.9% per year; rating input score 100; 39th percentile among comparable filings