How to be More Digitally Responsible as an Organization
Consumers are becoming more conscious of the ethical and social impact of the products and services they consume, and they are starting to prioritize brands that align with their values. As a result, businesses that prioritize the responsible use of digital technologies can benefit from higher levels of trust and loyalty from their stakeholders. Additionally, having a reputation for digital responsibility can attract new customers, help retain existing ones, and create a positive brand image. This can ultimately drive value creation and boost the company’s bottom line.
Many businesses find it challenging to balance the competing interests of their stakeholders, particularly when it comes to responsible digital practices. This is because business objectives can often conflict with ethical considerations, such as data localization requirements which can hinder the efficiency of globally distributed value chains. Moreover, incorporating ethical checks and balances during the development of AI/algorithmic systems can slow down the process, which can be problematic when time-to-market is a priority. Additionally, while better data and analytics can improve service personalization, it may come at the expense of customer privacy. Finally, risks related to transparency and discrimination may discourage companies from using algorithms that could help reduce costs.
To ensure digital responsibility, organizations can create a charter that defines their key principles and benchmarks. The first step is to define its digital responsibility objectives, which can often be found in the organization’s values stated in its mission statement or CSR commitments.
Corporate values can serve as a foundation for digital responsibility principles, but it’s essential to consider relevant regulations on data privacy, intellectual property rights, and AI. While compliance with these regulations is crucial, forward-thinking organizations are going beyond compliance to improve their behavior in areas such as cybersecurity, data protection, and privacy.
By establishing such risk-management practices and ensuring that they are integrated into the evaluation of technology projects, organizations can foster a culture of digital responsibility that is aligned with their overall business objectives. This approach can also help to identify and address potential issues before they become significant problems. Ultimately, the key to success is to make digital responsibility a core part of the organization’s culture and operations, rather than simply treating it as a compliance issue. By doing so, organizations can maximize the benefits of digital technologies while minimizing the risks associated with their use.
By involving all stakeholders in the process, including employees, customers, investors, and regulators, organizations can build trust and demonstrate their commitment to ethical behavior. This can increase brand reputation, customer loyalty, and ultimately, greater profitability. Organizations that take a proactive approach to digital responsibility are better positioned to capitalize on the opportunities presented by digital technologies while mitigating the risks associated with their use.
One approach to digital responsibility governance is a hybrid model that involves a small team of internal and external experts. This team can guide and support business line managers to effectively implement digital responsibility principles throughout the organization. This approach can raise awareness and distribute accountability, resulting in better adherence to digital responsibility principles.
Today’s employees must possess the ability to understand the opportunities and risks associated with working with various types of technology and data, as well as the capacity to raise pertinent questions and participate in productive discussions with their colleagues.
Embedding aspects of digital responsibility into ongoing ESG skilling programs can help create a self-directed learning culture that adapts to the evolving nature of technology. This approach can address short-term challenges of upskilling the workforce and longer-term challenges of promoting ethical behavior and considering a broader set of stakeholders. Such contextual learning can help employees navigate the complex facets of digital responsibility in a more applied and meaningful way, as issues related to digital responsibility rarely happen in a vacuum.
It’s important to strike a balance between upskilling the entire workforce and relying on a few specialists, based on your organization’s needs and resources. Having a strong foundation of digital ethics knowledge and understanding across the organization can be beneficial, while also having experts available to provide specialized guidance when needed. Ultimately, the approach that works best for your organization will depend on a variety of factors, such as your industry, company size, and specific digital responsibility goals.
Digital responsibility is essential for organizations to thrive in the current technological landscape. By adopting responsible practices linked to their use of digital technologies, organizations can not only improve their digital performance but also enhance their overall objectives. This requires a proactive approach, a clear understanding of digital responsibility principles, effective governance, and the upskilling of employees. Organizations that successfully prioritize digital responsibility can create a competitive advantage, build trust with stakeholders, and drive sustainable growth.