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.
The French subsidiary of EDS (Electronic Data Systems) has announced the closure of three sites employing 140 people. However, the Group plans measures in to safeguard the jobs of a maximum of 80 employees EDSis a global technology services company that delivers business solutions. The Company delivers a portfolio of information technology and business process outsourcing services to clients in the manufacturing, financial services, healthcare, communications, energy, transportation, and consumer and retail industries, and to governments worldwide. EDS employs 139,000 people worldwide and had a turnover of 22,3 billion euros in 2007. The company has explained the closures in the light of the evolution of the competition on the global market : as a consequence, the three plants are no longer necessary. According to the unions the decision is an aftermath of the relocations to low-costs countries such as Hungary, India or China, which aim to reduce the annual losses (up to 30 millions euros)
Eurofound (2008), EDS (Electronic data system), Closure in France, factsheet number 66574, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/66574.