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Three Challenges of Operationalizing Digital Ethics in a Science and Technology Company: The Case of Merck KGaA

In: Corporate Digital Responsibility

Author

Listed:
  • Simon Lucas

    (Merck KGaA)

  • Jean Enno Charton

    (Merck KGaA)

Abstract

Technology developers in corporate settings hold responsibility as technologies transition from concept to market. This responsibility is especially urgent for digital solutions, given the rapid and dynamic nature of their transformation and deployment. In this article, we outline three key challenges of this shift and explain how Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, has addressed them systematically: (1) establishing a tailored ethics framework that keeps pace with novel, constantly evolving digital projects; (2) conceptually linking day-to-day practices with this overarching framework to prevent distractive practices such as “ethics shopping,” the selective or retrofitted application of ethical principles to justify existing behaviors; and (3) implementing semiautomated risk assessments to manage the complexity of large-scale data analytics projects, frequent project pivots, and limited in-house ethics expertise. By detailing these challenges and the corresponding solutions, we demonstrate a practical approach that helps bridge ethical theory and corporate practice, offering a model for organizations to integrate ethics throughout digital development.

Suggested Citation

  • Simon Lucas & Jean Enno Charton, 2026. "Three Challenges of Operationalizing Digital Ethics in a Science and Technology Company: The Case of Merck KGaA," Future of Business and Finance, in: Anna-Sophia Christ (ed.), Corporate Digital Responsibility, pages 135-153, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:fuobcp:978-3-032-14793-6_8
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-14793-6_8
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