The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), together with all its partners, has come first in the Global Awards ceremony, Investigation of the Year (Large Newsroom) category.

The Malta Independent is an ICIJ partner.

The category grants the award to the “best data-driven investigation, which uses data collection and analysis to disclose or spotlight a significant abuse of power or failure to uphold the public interest”.

The Consortium won the award for its investigations into “Swiss Leaks – Murky Cash Sheltered by Bank Secrecy” and “Luxembourg Leaks: Global Companies’ Secrets Exposed”.

Swiss Leaks dealt with secret HSBC bank documents that were leaked to the ICIJ, based on a trove of almost 60,000 leaked files that provide details on over 100,000 HSBC clients and their bank accounts.

Luxembourg Leaks dealt with secret tax agreements between 350 global companies and Luxembourg.

The Global Editors Network is a cross-platform community of editors-in-chief and media innovators committed to sustainable, high-quality journalism, empowering newsrooms through a variety of programmes designed to inspire, connect and share.

This was the fourth annual Data Journalism Awards that showcase the best of data journalism worldwide.