Ethics and Ecology in Production Systems

The ecological situation calls for a major change in production methods and potentially a shift in industry priorities. This chapter explains the ecological context and the link with issues of industrialization and digitization. It analyses the place of ethics in the industry of the future and a proposal for an ethical approach to the industry of the future, understood as a mode of production consistent with the physical limits of the Earth system. In response to the need for companies to demonstrate their social responsibility, an IEEE 7000 standard was published in 2021. The environmental ethics confer on humans a mission to protect nature by separating themselves from it, by ensuring that humans do not interfere with ecosystems. The chapter presents an example, which illustrates how ecological ethics challenge the skills of professionals. Planetary limits pose real tensions for production systems.