Digital responsibility

Data protection is much more for the Otto Group than just a legal requirement as outlined in the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). These guidelines serve as a minimum standard that we naturally comply with, but we also exceed them in certain areas, which is bindingly established in a variety of guidelines. We see data protection as an ethical obligation. The secure and trustworthy handling of our customers' data is part of what we consider our digital responsibility. The trust of our customers is the foundation of our growth.

Projects and initiatives:

• AI Guidelines: To place people at the center of algorithm development, Otto Group one.O, the central partner for strategy consulting and technology within the Group, has developed guidelines for the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for algorithm developers. This promotes responsible data processing and helps avoid unintended consequences of algorithmic decisions. The foremost principle is: We develop AI applications for people – not against them. In addition, Otto Group Tech Strategy, together with data and AI experts from across the company, has created a strategic Responsible AI Guide. It currently includes five fundamental principles that serve as a compass for AI projects. After all, a responsible approach to artificial intelligence means making decisions based on the Otto Group values and principles in all project phases – from conception and design to development, implementation, and use.
• Ethical AI community: The Group-wide Ethical AI Community was founded in 2021 and strengthens internal networking and exchange between data and AI experts. By sharing experiences and discussing ethical challenges related to AI, the community promotes a more responsible approach to AI. The community also deals with the risks and measures to avoid bias. In addition, the first AI governance approaches are currently being developed in this group.
• Responsible AI Alliance: The Otto Group wants to design and use artificial intelligence in a way that it follows ethical principles and social values such as fairness, safety, and transparency. That is why we are a partner of the Responsible AI Alliance, a Hamburg-based coalition of companies, scientists, and other stakeholders committed to the responsible use of artificial intelligence for the benefit of society and the economy.

Digitization requires flexibility. Knowledge and skills often require quick updates so you do not get completely lost in the speed of digital change. Our employees therefore need tools that help them to further their education. It is our responsibility to provide these tools. We are addressing this need with the learning initiative TechUcation. At the same time, it is important in terms of digital participation that our offerings, for example in online commerce to be barrier-free. They must be intuitively applicable. So that people without special expertise can also make use of them. We work on this every day.

Projects and initiatives:

• TechUcation: To ensure that learning and digital education is a natural part of the daily working routine, the digital learning platform Masterplan was rolled out as part of the Group-wide “TechUcation” training initiative. The aim is to ensure that learning and digital education can take place independently, individually, and integrated into everyday work - regardless of task, age, or hierarchy. In 2022, we reached a special milestone: Around 10,000 commercial colleagues successfully completed the basic course on digitization developed specifically for logisticians. In around 75 video lessons, more than 55 experts from our Group companies shared their knowledge and established a link to the world of work in logistics. The comprehensive learning content enables and encourages employees to actively shape the digital transformation in the commercial sector.
• Digital education program TechUcation@school: This initiative is a further development of the TechUcation learning program and was launched in Hamburg in 2021. The back story: Teachers are important multipliers in our society and exert considerable influence on how digitization is taught in schools today. This is why we cooperate with the Hamburg Ministry of Education and Vocational Training and the Hamburg State Institute for Teacher Training and School Development to produce teaching materials on this topic that are tailored precisely to the needs of schools. The over 20,000 teachers in Hamburg can therefore visit the learning management system operated by the city to obtain online training on digitization topics and receive support in designing teaching units – for instance on artificial intelligence, 3D printing, democracy and other socio-political issues related to digitization. The program is scalable and can be adopted by other education authorities and federal states as well.
• Develop<HER>: This initiative of the Group-wide Female Business Network Plan F, founded in 2016, aims to offer women access to the tech world, break down barriers and leverage potential. It is not only Otto Group employees who are addressed - the events are basically open to any interested woman, regardless of her professional background.

Data and digital technologies can also make a significant contribution to climate and environmental protection – for instance, when they are used to optimize processes and make them resource-efficient, as in the case of the Otto Group.

Projects and initiatives:

• App BHive: The BHive app, used by some companies within the Otto Group, digitizes chemical management at the factory level. The goal is to gain an overview of the chemicals used, replace hazardous substances, and promote a more conscious and environmentally friendly use of resources. After a pilot phase with around 35 factories in 2021, we were able to expand the application to 126 factories by 2024. 
• "Digital Data Cleanup": Within the Otto Group, we have been regularly raising awareness since 2022 about the environmental impact of storing unused data and are consciously trying to reduce its volume during the action period. All employees are encouraged to clean up digitally and free up storage space. This initiative has already inspired numerous companies in Germany to engage in cleaner data management as well. Since 2023, the CDR initiative of the Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection has also supported this effort. Together with many other companies and organizations, our colleagues have cleaned up drives, email accounts, and cloud data.
• "Sustainable Tech": Our Group company Otto Group one.O, the central partner for strategy consulting and technology, promotes sustainable systems and software with a focus on reducing CO2 emissions and raising awareness for sustainable digitization. The knowledge is shared internally and within the Otto Group. Current topics include the sustainable use of Artificial Intelligence and active involvement in project management. The group was formed from an initiative that has pioneered the development of knowledge databases, created learning paths, and analyzed the environmental impact of IT systems. The vision is to establish sustainability as a quality feature in tech areas.

We advocate for an independent, competitive and value-based digital economy in Europe. This model distinguishes itself from the US-American and Chinese paths by adhering to the principles of a social market economy, being characterized by respect for sustainable practices, and placing people at the center of digital transformation. This model emphasizes responsible resource management while not losing sight of entrepreneurial success. We aim to secure the future viability of the German and European locations together with politics, science, and business, promoting healthy growth that does not come at the expense of people, social peace, and the environment.

Projects and initiatives:

• ZukunftsWerte initiative: Together with other entrepreneurs, managers, politicians, academics, and representatives from civil society, we aim to outline a path for what a value-oriented digitization can look like through discourse and the exchange of experiences. We want to explore how we can boldly and responsibly seize the opportunities that digitization presents. With this initiative, the Otto Group seeks to contribute to jointly strengthening the future viability and values of Germany and Europe as a business location, moving from discussion to action.
• Corporate Digital Responsibility (CDR) initiative: As a founding member of the initiative launched in 2018 by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, we want to take advantage of the opportunities presented by digitization and shape them in a responsible and value-oriented manner. A jointly developed CDR Code contains principles and objectives that guide our actions and are aimed at stakeholders from business, politics and civil society as well as consumers. In 2022 the member companies of the CDR initiative – including the Otto Group – published individual reports for the first time. The reports describe examples of specific measures taken by members in the digital space.
• Business Council for Democracy: The Otto Group is a participant in this network, an initiative of the non-profit Hertie Foundation, the Robert Bosch Foundation, and the Institute for Strategic Dialogue Germany. BC4D offers employees to learn more about the spread of hate speech, targeted misinformation, and conspiracy narratives through training and to take action against it. The goal is to contribute to strengthening democracy and its resilience.