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January 1, 2021 / 22:05 min
Matthew Higham has found a sweet spot in technology - helping humanity and the earth along with business success. As the Chief Digital Officer and Sustainability Lead for Microsoft in the UK, his passion is empowering customers to thrive while leaving the smallest carbon footprint possible. Listen to Matthew’s unique and inspirational perspective on the ethical responsibility of digital executives.
Top Takeaways
- 1A sustainable-oriented CDO approaches the success of their customers in a way that empowers both the business and the earth. Matthew’s main goal is helping his clients digitize their supply chain that incorporates reuse and regeneration and uses technology to do it effectively. A win for a CDO in our world today is an outcome that empowers the customer with a long-term plan - that includes empowering the environment and all people involved.
- 2Treat people and their data with respect. Ethics starts with how a company treats data because it demonstrates respect for customers and people in general. Allowing data to be democratized is an ethical goal that Microsoft is working towards. Ethics in technology is also important with AI models. There needs to be transparency now in the early stages to avoid black box technology that will only lead to more issues regarding privacy and security later on.
- 3Taking responsibility benefits everyone. Leaders in business need to be held accountable for the decisions they make and the repercussions they have. Microsoft, led by Matthew, is fighting for a reality in which the holistic perspective is taken into account. This goes for leadership within an organization as well. Ones values should be consistent internally with employees, as well as externally with customers.
