Master
ThoughtWorks
Menu
Close
  • What we do
    • Go to overview
    • Customer Experience, Product and Design
    • Data Strategy, Engineering and Analytics
    • Digital Transformation and Operations
    • Enterprise Modernization, Platforms and Cloud
  • Who we work with
    • Go to overview
    • Automotive
    • Healthcare
    • Public Sector
    • Cleantech, Energy and Utilities
    • Media and Publishing
    • Retail and E-commerce
    • Financial Services and Insurance
    • Not-for-profit
    • Travel and Transport
  • Insights
    • Go to overview
    • Featured

      • Technology

        An in-depth exploration of enterprise technology and engineering excellence

      • Business

        Keep up to date with the latest business and industry insights for digital leaders

      • Culture

        The place for career-building content and tips, and our view on social justice and inclusivity

    • Digital Publications and Tools

      • Technology Radar

        An opinionated guide to technology frontiers

      • Perspectives

        A publication for digital leaders

      • Digital Fluency Model

        A model for prioritizing the digital capabilities needed to navigate uncertainty

      • Decoder

        The business execs' A-Z guide to technology

    • All Insights

      • Articles

        Expert insights to help your business grow

      • Blogs

        Personal perspectives from ThoughtWorkers around the globe

      • Books

        Explore our extensive library

      • Podcasts

        Captivating conversations on the latest in business and tech

  • Careers
    • Go to overview
    • Application process

      What to expect as you interview with us

    • Grads and career changers

      Start your tech career on the right foot

    • Search jobs

      Find open positions in your region

    • Stay connected

      Sign up for our monthly newsletter

  • About
    • Go to overview
    • Our Purpose
    • Awards & Recognition
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Our Leaders
    • Partnerships
    • News
    • Conferences & Events
  • Contact
Global | English
  • United States United States
    English
  • China China
    中文 | English
  • India India
    English
  • Canada Canada
    English
  • Singapore Singapore
    English
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom
    English
  • Australia Australia
    English
  • Germany Germany
    English | Deutsch
  • Brazil Brazil
    English | Português
  • Spain Spain
    English | Español
  • Global Global
    English
Blogs
Select a topic
View all topicsClose
Technology 
Agile Project Management Cloud Continuous Delivery  Data Science & Engineering Defending the Free Internet Evolutionary Architecture Experience Design IoT Languages, Tools & Frameworks Legacy Modernization Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence Microservices Platforms Security Software Testing Technology Strategy 
Business 
Financial Services Global Health Innovation Retail  Transformation 
Careers 
Career Hacks Diversity & Inclusion Social Change 
Blogs

Topics

Choose a topic
  • Technology
    Technology
  • Technology Overview
  • Agile Project Management
  • Cloud
  • Continuous Delivery
  • Data Science & Engineering
  • Defending the Free Internet
  • Evolutionary Architecture
  • Experience Design
  • IoT
  • Languages, Tools & Frameworks
  • Legacy Modernization
  • Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence
  • Microservices
  • Platforms
  • Security
  • Software Testing
  • Technology Strategy
  • Business
    Business
  • Business Overview
  • Financial Services
  • Global Health
  • Innovation
  • Retail
  • Transformation
  • Careers
    Careers
  • Careers Overview
  • Career Hacks
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Social Change
Machine Learning & Artificial IntelligenceTechnology StrategySecuritySocial ChangeTechnologyCareers

How to seize technology opportunities - while staying on the right side of the line

Ashok Subramanian Ashok Subramanian

Published: Oct 17, 2019

When companies consider the negative impacts of technology, attention understandably tends to focus on data breaches or cyber attacks. But as high-profile incidents like the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica data scandal have made clear, business leaders also need to examine the ethical implications of the technology-related opportunities they explore. Not only because it’s the right thing to do, but also because in a world where trust is hard to come by, an ethical approach to technology can be a clear source of competitive advantage.

Seizing that advantage starts with acknowledging innovation sometimes has unforeseen consequences. As enthusiastic as we are about technology’s possibilities, we need to recognise that technologists have, to date, been somewhat lax in thinking through the impacts of their creations. Distributing a new service or collecting customer data has become easy - perhaps a bit too easy. The side effects of what are generally viewed as advances are rarely seen or understood in production. Few predicted, for example, how the rise of e-commerce would reshape the UK high street. Or how racial and gender biases could creep into facial recognition systems.

So what can business leaders do to change things? Obviously technology is in a constant state of flux and these issues are complex, so they won’t be solved overnight. But as an organisation that’s made ethics one of the main pillars of our work, we do have some advice on where to start.
 

Making trust-building a business priority

First, organisations need to recognise that this isn’t something that can be relegated to the rung of corporate social responsibility, or divorced from the core business. Ethics clearly matter to current and potential customers. In a recent study by Edelman 67% of consumers polled globally agreed a good reputation would convince them to try a product, but that they would soon stop buying unless they came to trust the company behind it.

Other research has found social impact and ethical behaviour are among the biggest drivers for millennials to start, or end, a relationship with a business. An ethical consciousness is also vital to attracting and securing future talent; surveys have indicated many millennials factor social and environmental commitments into employment decisions and will turn down jobs with companies that don’t exhibit strong values.

Recognising the link between ethics and long-term competitiveness makes sure the cause is taken up where it needs to be: in the boardroom. To really permeate the organisational culture, an ethical approach to technology has to be driven from the top down, with management making it clear that it’s a priority goal, even linking it to performance targets where appropriate. But it’s also important that other stakeholders are brought on board, especially those on the front lines of technology and development, who will ultimately need to consider and evaluate the ethical dimensions of what they’re building from the earliest stages of the process.


Source: EthicalOS

The good news is there are more tools than ever to assist both boards and front-line technology staff with these considerations. The Ethical OS toolkit, which helps organisations evaluate the ethical risks of technology across dimensions like inequality, addiction and bias, is just one example. We expect more such solutions to emerge as more enterprises recognise the hazards of ending up on the wrong side of the ethical line, and the rewards of staying on the right one – namely, the ability to innovate with greater confidence, and foster trust with stakeholders, consumers and the broader public.
 

Technology Hub

An in-depth exploration of enterprise technology and engineering excellence.

Explore
Related blogs
Technology Strategy

Legacy modernization: Change before you have to

Ashok Subramanian
Learn more
Data Science & Engineering

The business case for AI: Making it real and ethical

Anna Gudmundson
Learn more
Experience Design

Design and Ethics: How designers fulfill their responsibilities

Alexander Steinhart
Henning Fritzenwalder
Learn more
Master
Privacy policy | Modern Slavery statement | Accessibility
Connect with us
×

WeChat

QR code to ThoughtWorks China WeChat subscription account
© 2021 ThoughtWorks, Inc.