IEEE White Paper

- Active. In recognition of the complexities facing organizational leaders in navigating responsibility across the social, economic, and environmental (physical and digital) domains, corporate digital responsibility (CDR) is a method to assist evidence-based decision-making processes. Furthermore, few organizations possess the skills, knowledge, or resources to implement a coherent process or policy to manage potentially conflicting responsibilities, let alone sectoral regulation(s). A CDR manifesto was co-created via an international group of industry practitioners, consultants, and academics working through the challenges of producing an adaptive framework and manifesto. The framework and manifesto underpin this white paper as a holistic mechanism that enables organizations to understand their responsibilities for the use/reuse of data and digital technologies in providing safe digital environments for stakeholders while taking responsibility for preserving the planet and its finite resources. Furthermore, providing techniques to assist in shaping and changing organizational culture and mindset takes time and draws on the lessons learned from current CDR adopters. The goal is to inform and promote critical thinking and organizational practices that are fit for purpose in today’s fluid socio-technological and digital marketplace. To place the previous information in context, a definition of CDR and the need for this framework in our current digital society is required.