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.
Swedish chocolate and candy manufacturer Cloetta will reduce their workforce by 205 employees in Sweden. 150 jobs will be cut at Gävle, where the plant will be closed in the beginning of 2014. Another factory in Allinsås will be closed in early 2013 and 30 employees will be made redundant. 25 employees who work in warehousing will be given notices.
In addition to the affected jobs in Sweden, 140 jobs in Aura (Finland) will be cut. The majority of the production will be moved to Levice in Slovakia and Ljungsbro in Sweden. The company intends to provide support to the employees made redundant in order to find new jobs.
The company indicated overcapacity in the production structure as a reason for the restructuring and also it is claimed to be a consequence of the merger between Cloetta and Leaf. The restructuring will be implemented over a long time period.
Eurofound (2012), Cloetta, Closure in Sweden, factsheet number 73213, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/73213.