Ethics in the digital workplace
Digitisation and automation technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), can affect working conditions in a variety of ways and their use in the workplace raises a host of new ethical concerns.
Saft, a French company under the control of Total, recently inaugurated a new 1,900 m² building in Poitiers, France, for the repatriation of electrolyte production for lithium batteries from its German and Israeli sites. The Poitiers site, operational since 1964, currently produces 500 tonnes of electrolytes annually, a critical component for battery lifespan. With the new facility, that begin operations in 2021, Saft doubles its capacity to 1,000 tonnes per year, eventually reaching 2,000 tonnes. The €9 million investment supports will create around 60 new jobs in Poitiers by 2022 including 30 to 40 in production and 20 to 30 managers and technicians. Additionally, the relocation positions Saft to serve other Saft production sites globally. The broader investment in the Poitiers site, totaling €20 million over 2018-2021, reflects Saft's focus on diverse battery ranges for electronics, space, defense, connected objects, and emerging markets like IoT. The new building enhances Saft's electrolyte production capacity and reinforces Saft's position in the battery industry.
Eurofound (2019), Saft, Reshoring in France, factsheet number 290, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/290.