Shaping the Next Phase of Digital Transformation: CDR and the Digital Society
摘要
The future of digital transformation is shaped by decisions made today, rather than being technologically predetermined. This chapter explores corporate digital responsibility (CDR) as a societal imperative and organizational strategy to align innovation with ethical principles, democratic participation, and economic resilience. As digital technologies increasingly influence social life, ethical and regulatory frameworks must evolve to keep pace. CDR bridges this gap by embedding responsibility into digital business strategies and governance structures. Initiative D21 e.V., Germany’s largest nonprofit organization to represent the digital society, traces the origins of CDR in digital ethics, emphasizes Europe’s role as a regulatory pioneer, and argues for an expanded understanding of responsibility that includes not just corporations but also public institutions, civil society, and individuals. The digital society is not a passive recipient but an active co-creator of digital futures. Shared responsibility and inclusive engagement are prerequisites for legitimate, trustworthy innovation. CDR thus becomes a vehicle for connecting economic and societal goals, fostering resilience, inclusion, and trust. The chapter concludes by advocating for a broadened ecosystem of Organizational Digital Responsibility (ODR), where diverse actors collaborate to shape responsible digital transformation. In times of rapid technological change, CDR must not only manage risks but also imagine, design, and implement futures worth building.