Legal framework

We adhere to and comply with all the applicable laws and regulations, with a particular focus on sanctions, privacy, and data protection regulations. This includes strict adherence to UN and EU Sanction Laws, which outline which countries, organisations and individuals we can and cannot work with. Some of our solutions may involve the processing of personal data, which requires that we only work with organisations that are compliant with the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).Prioritizing the confidentiality of our customers' and partners' information, we initiate Data Processing Agreements with each of them. Moreover, our proactive approach entails regular (third-party) Data Privacy Impact Assessments, ensuring our compliance and protection. For further details, please refer to our Privacy Statement ->

Ethical framework

In our work with customers and projects, we do not only apply legal boundaries, but also we thoroughly assess each case in the context of ethical and moral frameworks. Our continuous ethical reflection is based on three main frameworks: the Consequentialist framework, the Duty framework, and the Virtue framework.

Simply stated, these frameworks can be summarised with three questions:

1. “Does supplying our solutions have a negative effect to certain people in the end?  Is it proportionate with the positive outcome we are trying to achieve?”
2. “Are we allowed to supply our solutions?”
3. “Does supplying our solutions fit with how we want to be seen as a social impact company bettering the world by the society in the broader sense?"

This framework is a product of academic dialogue. A debate was held at Brown University in the spring semester of 2011 which was focused on the Ethical Framework developed at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, the Ethical Framework developed by the Center for Ethical Deliberation at the University of Northern Colorado, as well as the Ethical Frameworks for Academic Decision-Making on the Faculty Focus

Sources:
Distance Education Report. Understanding Ethical Frameworks for E-Learning Decision-Making (2008)
Bonde, S., Firenze, P., Green, J., Grinberg, M., Korijn, J., Levoy, E., Naik, A., Ucik, L. and Weisberg, L. (2013). Making choices: A framework for making ethical decisions.

A 360-view of our partners and customers

We apply multiple frameworks simultaneously to look at our activities from various perspectives, resulting in a 360-degree view that guides our decision-making process. We believe that ethics are dynamic and subject to change over time. Therefore, we regularly assess the consequences, our responsibilities and our own actions to ensure alignment with our values and maintain virtuous conduct. These evaluations are conducted using frameworks that remain independent of legal and societal changes over time.

Example case

We may choose not to provide solutions to certain “qualifying” countries, even if these countries are not listed under the UN sanctions and adhere to EU standards and Data Protection Agreements.

Applying the “consequentialist-framework”, we refrain from conducting business with countries, where it is anticipated that our solutions may have adverse effects on the civilians residing there or if the benefits are limited to  specific groups. In addition, the “virtue-framework” underlines that we decide not to cooperate with these countries if being associated with these regimes would compromise our commitment to virtuous conduct.

We are “Happy to help!” but always with privacy, ethics and morality in mind.

Eldert van Wijngaarden, CEO of Web-IQ