Ethics in the digital workplace
Digitisation and automation technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), can affect working conditions in a variety of ways and their use in the workplace raises a host of new ethical concerns.
As announced on 6 November 2020, the German confectionery company Haribo is closing its plant in Wilkau-Haßlau at the end of the year, which will result in the loss of 150 jobs. The plant in Wilkauf-Haßlau, which is the only Haribo plant in East Germany has not been profitable for years according to Haribo, making a closure inevitable. The company’s plans are criticised by the trade union and the local politicians, who hope to save the plant. A social plan has already been negotiated, which will offer employees individual solutions and a possible relocation to one of Haribo's other plants.
Haribo has approximately 3,000 employees in Germany.
Eurofound (2020), Haribo, Closure in Germany, factsheet number 102549, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/102549.