There’s no better time for tech to be a force for
In recent years we’ve seen technology become an integral part of our lives.
It’s hard to imagine not being able to search our most pressing questions on Google, do our shopping on Amazon or connect with the world through our smart phones.
Our dependency on technology has created giants in the business world, where they’ve also become hugely influential in society too. Who knew when Facebook was formed in a college dorm room all those years ago that they would now have a third of the world's population on its platform? Billions were made, unicorns were born and our lives were made simpler thanks to smart minds and the game-changing inventions that came from the tech industry.
From tech love to tech lash
Yet despite their success, we have seen the emergence of ‘tech lash.’ While many founders started their ventures with good intentions, over time the negative sides of technology began to emerge in ways they never could have imagined. The platforms and services we have welcomed into our lives became addictive. People were misled on online privacy; data was misused and social media fostered fake news and bullies. This caught the attention of the media in such a way that over 26% of technology stories in the U.S. during the past two years were centred on the exposure of tech-related scandals.
But did this ‘tech lash’ change anything? Has it awakened the industry to the weaknesses in their business models and the services they offer? Was it just a moment or the start of a movement?
Aligning purpose with profit
At last year’s Web Summit, the world’s largest tech event, there were echoes of a shared vision and calls for a new era in responsible technology.
Many organisations already have strong purpose and mission statements, as well as robust corporate responsibility programmes - so what can they do differently?
For the tech community to become more responsible, they need to explore the true meaning of being purpose-led and to thread those very principles throughout their organisation. If they are to walk the talk on their calls for a new era in responsible technology, it won’t be achieved by having one department or campaign to deliver their promise.
It’s about mobilising a framework of values, behaviours and attitudes that are embedded within the very fabric of business strategy, models and company culture - guiding a way of thinking, informing decisions, focusing investments and how they engage with customers. It should focus efforts on how technology is designed, built and used that places the customer and the societal value at its heart. This is the biggest area of opportunity.
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