Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
Transparency, openness, and honesty are traits that have always served the
business community well. In todays always-on, hyper-connected world, as
companies have more and more data about their customers, these traits become
even more important. As we continue to see the further emergence of the Internet
of Everything, the companies that thrive will be the ones that both realize this
responsibility and recognize that we are actually talking about personal information
describing the lives of individuals.
Without question, technology empowered by rich data will continue to drive
innovation and help us tackle societys major challenges. Yet, these clear benefits
must not come at the cost of our privacy.
Companies should view protecting their customers personal information
as their digital corporate social responsibility (CSR). As with all CSR
efforts, this is good for society and good for business.
So what does digital CSR truly mean? It requires companies to respect consumers
digital dignity and to treat data as though it has a contextits customers lives.
Businesses should be fully aware of the physical environment, the human interface
andmost importantlythe very society that is being created. They should make
respectful choices about the data that is collected both directly and indirectly.
Especially when it comes to big companies with wide swaths of personal data, there
is an impact on human life. Whether it is data on the employees and others who
come into contact with the connected devices, or those whose activities are
monitored by the devices, the data is personal and must be protected. The potential
for misuse of data will always be there, especially as it becomes a more soughtafter and valued commodity. Thoughtful leaders will ask not only, Can we? when it
comes to technology and data, but also, Should we?
To that end, to practice digital CSR, businesses should first be forthright and
transparent about the data they collect, how that data is used, and with which third
parties it is shared. This is the foundation for trust in the digital age. Beyond
transparency, companies should also be sure to delete data they dont need and
refrain from collecting personal information that is not necessary to the bottom line.
Finally, they should ensure that strong security measures are in place to protect
data and their networks. These include simple methods, such as establishing
firewalls, promoting encryption internally, and assisting employees with avoiding
cybersecurity attacks, such as phishing.
When consumers clearly know the deal they are being offered and trust that a
company will protect any personal information they share, we get much closer to a
world that is enhanced by data. Without this level of trust or transparency, we run
the risk of creating a data-driven world that respects neither our privacy nor our
dignity. But both are still important in the digital age; our digital selves are
extensions of our physical selves. This is both an opportunity and a challenge for
businesses in all sectors. By practicing good digital CSR, businesses can set a trend
and shape a digital future that we all want to live in.