We are global, we are fast, we are digital. And as the world we know is changing at an incredible pace, there are predictions that 40% of the world’s leading companies will not exist in a meaningful way after the next decade if they do not adequately prepare themselves for this era. Undoubtedly, the fourth industrial revolution is about to create a world in which virtual and physical systems cooperate with each other in a flexible way. It is changing how we work, live and relate to one another – and the very essence of what it means to be humane.

Recognizing this imperative need to discuss and redefine ethical standards and regulations in innovation and the leadership styles required across all sectors, the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition and the World Forum for Ethics in Business in partnership with the European Patent Office, the German Patent and Trade Mark Office and the Peter Löscher Chair for Business Ethics at the Technical University of Munich are organizing a series of conferences titled the ‘Munich Conference Series on Ethics in Innovation.’

The first conference in this series will take place from 26-27 June 2017 at the German Patent and Trade Mark Office in Munich and will focus on Information and Communication Technologies with special emphasis on innovations in the digital age, including artificial intelligence, internet of things and big data.

The conference will bring together 300 global thinkers and leading experts from academics, business, politics and NGOs and will address central questions such as:

• Innovation 4.0: Can growth really be the main guiding principle of the fourth digital revolution? How can we ensure that this revolution is empowering and human-centred, rather than divisive and dehumanizing?
• Leadership 4.0: What type of leadership is needed for organizations to be able to innovate and transform in the speed needed?
• Education 4.0: Can value-based education be an answer to the need for adequate leadership?
• CSR 4.0: How can we assure that the fourth industrial revolution does not devour its own children but actually creates shared value?

Venue