How our commitment to ethics, trust and transparency is differentiating IBM

Emerging technologies and the rapid development of innovations are raising questions and challenges in today’s marketplace. At IBM, we’ve been bringing new technologies into the world responsibly and with clear purpose for more than a century. And we know that nobody can address these challenges alone. Along with policymakers, researchers, clients and other stakeholders, we proactively seek to understand these changing scenarios and develop technological and policy safeguards.

As reflected in the IBM Impact Report, we are working hard to serve as an example for our industry peers, partners, and fellow leaders on how to build a positive impact by implementing technology ethics and committing to trust and transparency in our practices and products on a global scale. Here are some of the ways IBM is working to have a lasting, positive ethical impact.

Read the 2022 IBM Impact Report

Embedding ethics across practices

For IBM, it starts by creating a culture of ethics across the company. From our AI Ethics Board and our Trust and Transparency Principles and Pillars, to our data privacy and security efforts, we prioritize ethical and transparent practices.

At the center of IBM’s trustworthy technology efforts is the AI Ethics Board, made up of a diverse set of stakeholders from across the company, brought together to make decisions based on our principles and put them into practice. This board infuses the company’s principles into business and product decision-making.

Moreover, another major way IBM is prioritizing tech responsibility is by applying the IBM Principles for Trust and Transparency and our pillars for trustworthy AI to the products we design, develop and use. We’re also working to establish industry best practices as a member of the Data & Trust Alliance, which issued useful tools and resources like the Algorithmic Bias Safeguards for Workforce and Responsible Data & AI Diligence for M&A. In addition, we have created tools to help ensure that AI systems are aligned with ethical principles. For instance, we have developed frameworks and products such as IBM Design for Sustainability, IBM OpenPages^TM with Watson, IBM Watson^TM Knowledge Catalog and IBM AI FactSheets.

Our work also extends to our data privacy and security efforts. For example, IBM maintains a multifaceted risk-management approach to identify and help address cybersecurity risks. This includes policies and procedures upon which IBM manages its infrastructure and data, as well as assessments of technical controls and methods for identifying emerging risks. For example, our IBM Data Security and Privacy Principles is a comprehensive set of security and privacy commitments to our clients that considers industry standards, IBM standard practices and regulatory requirements.

Impact through others

No one can create a better future for next generations alone. That’s why IBM is going beyond our own company and enabling our ecosystem partners while advocating for policies that will set positive precedents for technology ethics and can help our society and communities thrive.

In 2022, we exceeded our target to train 1,000 ecosystem partners in technology ethics. Now, IBM is committing to training 1,000 technology suppliers in technology ethics by 2025. Additionally, IBM is working to engage its suppliers on sound practices, including social and environmental responsibility, ethics, and risk planning/management.

IBM is focused on driving this ethical impact forward even further. We engage policymakers and leaders globally to promote ideas that can help spur growth and innovation with new technologies or address societal challenges. For example, some of our advocacy highlights for 2022 include advocating for the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 and supporting passage of the Cybersecurity Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act in 2022, which enables a whole-of-government approach to prepare and respond swiftly to cyber threats. These are just some examples of how IBM is working to make an ethical impact. Learn more about this and other initiatives at our IBM Impact Report 2022.

Read the 2022 IBM Impact Report