How CHROs Can Promote Ethical Technology Use in 2025

AI, automation, and digital platforms have fundamentally altered how organisations operate. While this technological evolution promises efficiency and growth, it also brings unprecedented ethical dilemmas.

For example, how do you, as a Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) or people leader, ensure your people and processes remain anchored in ethics while technology races ahead?

As the stewards of an organisation’s most valuable asset — its people — CHROs are uniquely positioned to shape the induction of technology in the workforce while managing change and ensuring the ethical use of the same. Technology implementation monitoring and integration into the job description are critical.

In 2025, HR leaders must move beyond traditional recruitment, performance management, and compliance roles. They must be the linchpins of a “human-first” approach to technology adoption, balancing the cutting-edge potential of AI and automation with the need for fairness, accountability, and empathy.

Why CHROs, Not CIOs, Need to Take on the Mantle

At first glance, the responsibility for ethical technology use might seem like a job for the Chief Information Officer (CIO).

After all, the CIO implements systems, manages data, and ensures security. However, the responsibility for fostering ethical technology use goes far beyond hardware, software, and data infrastructure.

It is about how people interact with technology, how it impacts their work and lives, and how it influences the organisational culture.

While CIOs focus on the technical details, CHROs are responsible for the people strategy. You define company values, create policies, and maintain ethical standards.

Ethical use of technology isn’t just about compliance or technical safeguards; it’s about aligning your digital tools with human values.

Consider Johnson & Johnson, where CHRO Jane Miller worked with their IT team to develop AI-driven recruitment tools. “We ensured the algorithms are auditable for bias and transparent in functionality. The key was collaboration, but as HR, we owned the ethical framework,” Miller notes. By taking the lead, CHROs can ensure that technology complies with regulations and embodies the organisation’s values.

In an era of digital transformation, technology is no longer enough to be functional. It must also be responsible, transparent, and aligned with the values of your workforce.

As a CHRO, your role extends into the core of this discussion, making you the natural leader in steering the conversation toward the human impact of technology.

5 Pillars of Ethical Technology Use for CHROs to Foster

Building an ethical technology framework requires more than just ticking compliance boxes. It demands a long-term, proactive approach to cultivating a workplace where technology serves people, not vice versa. Here are five key pillars for CHROs to focus on:

1. A culture of accountability

Technology should not be a “black box” where decisions originate without human oversight. It’s essential to foster a culture where employees at all levels feel responsible for how technology is used, both within the company and in customer interactions.

● Promote clear lines of accountability for all digital processes, whether related to data handling, AI-driven decisions, or automation.

● Ensure that leadership at every level understands the ethical implications of their digital decisions and actions.

● Create checks and balances to ensure the consequences of unethical technology usage.

Promoting accountability in technology use ensures transparency and trust. At Salesforce, CHRO Brent Hyder introduced guidelines that require managers to document AI-based decisions impacting employees. “Accountability begins with clarity,” Hyder explains. “We built policies that empower employees to question and understand the tech they use daily.” Accountability in technology isn’t just about compliance; it’s about building trust. Employees must feel that the systems are working for them, not against them.

2. The digital well-being of the workforce

Employee well-being has always been central to the HR function, and in 2025, this extends to “digital well-being.” As technology becomes more embedded in everyday work, ensuring it doesn’t compromise your workforce’s mental and emotional health is crucial.

● Promote work-life balance even in a world of constant connectivity, offering policies around screen time and remote work boundaries.

● Encourage the use of technologies that enhance rather than hinder mental health.

● Monitor the effects of workplace technologies on employee burnout, stress levels, and job satisfaction.

Digital well-being is a growing concern as employees face constant connectivity. Adobe’s CHRO Gloria Chen initiated a “Tech-Free Fridays” policy to encourage work-life balance. “It’s about ensuring technology supports, not controls, our teams,” Chen emphasises.

3. Documenting processes transparently

Transparency in implementing and using technology is critical to ensuring its ethical application. As a CHRO, you create clear documentation around AI deployment, data handling, and digital interactions.

● Develop policies that explain how technologies like AI or automation are helpful in the workplace and how they affect employees’ roles.

● Create open communication channels where employees can ask how digital tools impact their work and privacy.

● Ensure that technological implementations are subject to audits and regular reviews.

Transparency builds trust. At Spotify, CHRO Katarina Berg launched an initiative to explain how AI-driven recommendations affect internal mobility. “Transparency isn’t optional anymore,” Berg states. “Our people deserve to know how tech decisions impact their careers.”

By making the process transparent, you empower your workforce to understand and engage with technology in an informed and meaningful way.

4. Human-centric training and L&D

Technology evolves rapidly, and educating your employees on its ethical implications is a full-time job. The key is to focus on technical training and equip employees with the skills to navigate the human impact of new technologies.

● Invest in leadership training that focuses on ethical decision-making in a digital context.

● Offer programs that teach employees about data privacy, algorithmic bias, and the ethical implications of AI in the workplace.

● Develop specific initiatives that teach employees to use technology responsibly and mindfully.

Upskilling employees for ethical tech use is critical. Unilever’s CHRO Leena Nair developed a program teaching leaders about AI ethics. “Ethical literacy is as important as technical skills in today’s workplace,” she argues.

Technology will only be ethical when people understand its implications for their work and lives. L&D (learning and development) initiatives should emphasise human values as they do technical prowess.

5. New-age grievance redressal

As organisations adopt more sophisticated technologies, new types of grievances may emerge. These can range from concerns about algorithmic bias to fears of being replaced by automation.

CHROs need to implement systems that proactively address these issues.

● Create a grievance redressal system that allows employees to report concerns about unethical technology use without fear of retaliation.

● Ensure that AI, automation, and other tech solutions are assessed for fairness, bias, and discriminatory practices.

● Provide support systems such as counselling or mediation for employees negatively impacted by implementing new technologies.

Proactive grievance systems are essential in addressing technology-related concerns. At IBM, CHRO Nickle LaMoreaux introduced an AI ethics hotline where employees could report issues confidentially. “It’s about ensuring everyone feels heard, especially as we navigate uncharted tech territories,” LaMoreaux says.

Ethical Technology Use Needs to be a Boardroom Priority

As a CHRO, influencing organisational behaviour on ethical technology use requires more than a well-crafted policy. It demands board-level attention. When technology use and its moral implications are on the board’s agenda, they gain the weight they deserve.

For ethical technology practices to thrive, CHROs must advocate for board-level attention. At Microsoft, CHRO Kathleen Hogan secured a commitment from leadership to include AI ethics as a strategic pillar. “When the board prioritises ethics, it cascades through the organisation,” Hogan explains.

Therefore, you must advocate for including ethical technology use as a strategic priority and push for regular discussions of the social impact of new technologies at board meetings.

Also, ensure that the organisation’s ethical tech initiatives align with business goals. Without boardroom buy-in, initiatives to promote ethical technology use will remain fragmented or underfunded.

Empathy vs. Algorithms — the Key Role of CHROs in the AI Revolution

In 2025, as algorithms drive more and more decisions in the workplace, it’s easy to forget the human element.

But in an era dominated by data, empathy remains irreplaceable. The question isn’t “Can we ethically use AI?” but “How do we ensure technology complements, rather than diminishes, the human experience?”

In an era dominated by data, empathy remains irreplaceable. “Technology can never replace the human element. It’s our responsibility to ensure it complements, not overshadows, the people it serves,” states Mary Barra, CEO and former CHRO at General Motors. CHROs remind organisations that while technology shapes how we work, it should never change who we are.

Your role as a CHRO is to safeguard your people and ensure technology serves them. As you navigate this terrain, you’ll be the voice that reminds your organisation of the ultimate truth: Technology may change how we work, but it should never change who we are.

While the CHRO’s role in promoting ethical technology is commendable, some argue it shouldn’t be their primary responsibility. Instead, sceptics point out that CHROs, already stretched thin with managing talent, organisational culture, and compliance, may inadvertently dilute their impact by focusing on technology ethics — a domain traditionally reserved for CIOs. “Ethical technology use requires technical acumen, and while CHROs excel in people strategies, expecting them to lead in this area could be counterproductive,” states Alex Myers, CHRO at BrightFuture Corp. The risk lies in diverting attention from critical HR functions like retention and employee engagement, which directly influence business success.

Moreover, some suggest that overly focusing on ethics might stifle innovation. “If CHROs impose rigid ethical frameworks without understanding the nuances of technological possibilities, we risk curbing creativity and agility,” adds Linda Tran, CHRO at InnovateTech. This perspective argues that technology ethics should be a shared responsibility, leveraging expertise from HR, IT, and legal teams to achieve balance. While empathy and human-centric values are crucial, expecting HR to spearhead technology ethics independently might inadvertently slow the progress essential for competitive advantage.

To continue the discussion, I’m available at Arvind@AM-PMAssociates.com.