How to Use Technology for a Fair Future?
03/06/2022
In this podcast episode, hosted by Maastricht University School of Business and Economics, moderator Louis Morgner welcomes Sidi Amar, a researcher at the Brightlands Institute for Supply Chain Innovation (BISCI) and member of Fair and Smart Data (FSD); one of our business school’s Spearhead initiatives, aiming to tackle the EU Sustainable Development Goals.
Fair and smart data
Global value networks derived from business activities are often complex, limited in inclusivity, and limited in transparency, partially because they have been historically designed in this manner, often to the benefit of multinational corporations. This current design limits the development of sustainable value chains that are competitive, inclusive, and fair.
The complementary partners in the FSD Spearhead focus on implementing digital technologies and new business models that can improve social and environmental sustainability across the globe, next to economic prosperity. Digital technologies can create ‘smart’ data, that is transparent and traceable throughout the value network. This smart data can also become ‘fair data’ which provides civil society with ownership of their data and related intelligence it produces.
Data and smallholder farming
Data is becoming the new fuel for the economy and farmers are now often requested to provide data for a multitude of reasons such as better agriculture, better yield, and better agroforestry. However, there is no clear mechanism of data governance for fair compensation yet. So in what he calls the “pre-competitive phase”, Sidi suggests to define standards and principles also for smallholder farmers. No data should be gathered without their consent and without being compensated for. Universities have a responsibility to address this topic and create awareness about the challenges at hand in order to ignite change amongst all stakeholders in the value chain.
Privacy and data protection
Over the past years, EU and US have taken quite some steps by deploying frameworks such as GDPR to protect individual users and consumers from being preyed on by the big corporates. However, there is a large asymmetry when it comes to the Global South and developing countries that do not have clear frameworks. When it comes to privacy and data ownership, Sidi Amar argues the aim should always be to apply the same rules and regulations. Specifically for smallholder farming, a lot of data is generated and used to improve the production process yet the farmer doesn’t profit at all. This needs to change. Farmers should be compensated fairly and should be informed about how their data is being used to enhance the value chain.
Watch the video
Taking the next step
If you feel our expertise on Fair and Smart Data can help you and your organisation get ahead, please get in touch and let’s start creating an impact together!
Related experts
Sidi Amar
Researcher at the Brightlands Institute for Supply Chain Innovation
https://umio-prime.nl/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/How-to-be-an-effective-leader.jpg
800
1920
UMIO Prime
https://umio-prime.nl/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/No-logo.png
UMIO Prime2021-10-08 07:00:002021-12-10 16:16:24How to be an Effective Leader
https://umio-prime.nl/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/The-Sense-and-Nonsense-of-Early-Supplier-Involvement.jpg
800
1920
UMIO Prime
https://umio-prime.nl/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/No-logo.png
UMIO Prime2021-03-25 07:00:002021-03-25 09:37:56The Sense and Nonsense of Early Supplier Involvement
https://umio-prime.nl/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Procurement-with-Purpose.jpg
800
1920
UMIO Prime
https://umio-prime.nl/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/No-logo.png
UMIO Prime2021-03-13 07:00:002021-03-12 11:43:31Procurement with PurposeSIGN UP FOR PREMIUM CONTENT
Become a member of UMIO Prime if you want access to content that goes beyond the collection we are showing here. It is simple, fast and free of charge!
SIGN UP FOR PREMIUM CONTENT
Become a member of UMIO Prime if you want access to content that goes beyond the collection we are showing here. It is simple, fast and free of charge!
