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.
A total of 125 jobs will be lost in Dublin city following the decision by Unilever to close its Inchicore plant. Unilever said that the decision to close the plant was taken following a detailed strategic review of its food manufacturing operations across Europe. Unilever said that the Inchicore plant could not compete effectively with larger scale and more specialised plants. The decision will mean that the company's current workforce will be cut to 450 from 575 employees. The Inchicore factory manufactures Knorr soups and sauces, Hellmann's mayonnaise and also blends and packs Lyons Tea. The Knorr Soup factory has been operating in Inchicore since 1956, while Lyons Tea has had operations there since 1963. The plant will cease operations by the end of March next year. Following the closure, the company will transfer products currently made in Inchicore to other manufacturing sites within Europe.
Eurofound (2006), Unilever, Offshoring/Delocalisation in Ireland, factsheet number 64174, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/64174.