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 15 June 2018, the Swiss food manufacturer Nestlé will be cutting approximately 300 jobs due to internal restructuring. Nestlé justifies the job reduction with a change in nutrition and consumption habits of its consumers. Nestlé plans to cut 100 out of 370 jobs at its plant in Lüdinghausen as well as 100 out of 670 jobs at its plant in Biessenhofen. The plant in Ludwigsburg with 100 employees will be closed by the end of 2018. Further information regarding a time frame has yet to be published.
The Trade Union of Food, Beverages, Tobacco, Hotel and Catering and Allied Workers (NGG) opposes those plans as all plants are not in financial difficulties and accuses management of making critical mistakes, which have repercussion on the employees.
Nestlé intends to find socially acceptable solutions for all affected employees.
Eurofound (2018), Nestlé Deutschland, Internal restructuring in Germany, factsheet number 94444, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/94444.