Automation department seminar, SIC group

Bridging the gap: an operational framework for dealing with ethical risks in Industry 4.0 and beyond

This article develops a methodological framework for dealing with ethical conflicts in Industry 4.0 and 5.0 systems by reconciling compliance requirements and capability development.

Through the analysis of industrial case studies, we demonstrate how algorithmic technologies exacerbate traditional ethical tensions while creating new forms of moral suffering.

The literature review highlights the limitations of current approaches, which either privilege technical compliance to the detriment of contextualized ethical reasoning, or lack operational tools for their implementation.

Based on Ricoeur's practical philosophy, Bégin's empowerment model and Herreros' collective reflexivity, we propose an integrated methodology combining the diagnosis of moral distress and the design of participatory interventions. The novelty of this framework lies in its dual focus on regulatory compliance and capacity building, guided by sustainable working principles that take into account both human dignity and ecological sustainability.

While offering concrete tools for managing ethical risks, this approach recognizes the structural constraints that may limit the potential for transformation in certain industrial contexts.

This study contributes to the literature on operational ethics by providing adaptable analytical grids for collective judgment, while opening up new avenues of research at the intersection of industrial engineering and moral philosophy.

Ethical risks, industrial ethics, Industry 4.0, Industry 5.0, digital technologies, moral distress, tension between compliance and capability, organizational ethics, collective reflexivity, conceptual framework, sustainable work.