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Technology companies, in line with ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) criteria, have a responsibility to address topics related to social justice and diversity, equity and inclusion. This is because of the great impact that they have, as powerful corporations, on public opinion and society: they have an additional duty to contribute to a fairer planet.
As technologies become more and more present in people's lives, the companies that operate them have a great responsibility to ensure that these technologies are used in a fair and equitable manner. How can they contribute to a fairer society? Stay to find out and see examples of projects that are already underway.
How can technology companies contribute to a fairer society?
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Creating inclusive products and services
Thanks to the latest advances, technology companies can develop products and services that are accessible to people with disabilities, and people of different ethnic backgrounds, genders and orientations. This encompasses both the inclusion of accessibility features in products and services, and the creation of content and services that are relevant and meaningful to a wide range of demographic groups.
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Promoting diversity in the workforce
Technology companies need to step up and take action to promote a diverse workforce by encouraging hiring people of different backgrounds, ages and abilities; being open and tolerant and with a responsibility to achieve equality, both in the workforce in general and in their management teams. As an additional objective, they can develop training and development programmes that promote inclusion and equity in the workplace.
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Support community organisations
Tech companies, according to their financial scope and size , can collaborate with community and non-profit organisations, which work to address topics related to social justice and diversity, equity and inclusion. Among the initiatives they can undertake are financial support for the following, the giving of employee time for charitable purposes and the use of technology to help these organisations achieve their goals.
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Promote transparency and accountability
Tech companies have the responsibility to be transparent about their corporate policies and practices. One of the ways to achieve this is to establish mechanisms for employees and other stakeholders to submit complaints and suggestions. They can also introduce accountability measures and other transparency methods to ensure that they are meeting their commitments in these areas.
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Promote education and conscience
Enabling education and conscience is another area where tech companies can help. To do this, they can organise training and discussion events, supporting educational programmes and creating information resources to help employees and other stakeholders learn and educate themselves.
Tech companies' social justice projects
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Google.org: Google's charity arm
Google.org supports projects that seek to solve social and environmental problems through technology. One of its most recent projects is "AI for Social Good," which seeks to use machine learning to address problems such as climate change, poverty, and inequality.
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Microsoft "AI for Accessibility": Bringing the world closer through technology
Microsoft's "AI for Accessibility" project is dedicated to using artificial intelligence to improve accessibility for people with disabilities. The aim is to develop technologies that help these people lead more independent and productive lives, improving their ability to communicate, navigate the physical world and access information.
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IBM “Call for Code”: a fight against planetary challenges
IBM has launched some projects to use technology to address social and environmental problems. "Call for Code," for example, encourages developers to create software solutions to tackle climate change, health, and equity
Although these are some examples, there is still a lot of work to be done, and large technology companies must commit to ESG policies that promote these types of projects in order to contribute to a fairer society and a better planet.
At Bigle Legal, we are committed to creating technology that reduces paper consumption, as well as the consumption of energy and other resources in the movement and management of company documents. But that’s not all - discover our full ESG philosophy!
