André Meyer, Group CIO Encevo – CIO of the Year 2025

What is your vision of responsible IT in today’s context?

Responsible IT means leveraging technology for progress in a sustainable, ethical, and inclusive way. This is crucial now because tech’s impact is enormous. It affects both the climate and society. We can’t innovate blindly; we must innovate responsibly to avoid harming the planet or people. In Europe, where we unfortunately often lag behind the U.S. or Asia in tech innovation and adoption, our edge can come from quality, trust, and our values rather than sheer speed. In today’s geopolitical climate, responsible IT also means ensuring that our digital infrastructure is resilient and secure, reducing dependencies and guarding against disruptions. As Group CIO, my duty is to future-proof Encevo by focusing on sustainable, secure, and not least, values-driven innovation.

Why has responsible digital innovation become so important now?

Because we’re at a critical inflection point. Technologies like AI are  advancing extremely fast. They offer huge benefits but also carry serious risks. AI will change how we work, how all of us, and not only IT, is organized, and how value is created across the  economy.
It can unlock productivity and new services, but it can also displace roles and amplify bias if used carelessly. Meanwhile, customers and regulators expect digital technology to be ethical and sustainable.

Responsibility isn’t, or at least shouldn’t be, just idealism, it’s a business imperative in the digital era of today and it will be even more so in the near future with widespread AI and robotics adoption. «We can’t innovate blindly, we must innovate responsib ly, for people, for society , and for the planet.»

What are the main dimensions of responsible digital technology?

I see three interlocking dimensions. First, environmental sustainability, which involves minimizing IT’s carbon footprint and  e-waste while leveraging digital solutions such as smart grids and advanced analytics to achieve climate goals. Second, ethical and social responsibility, focusing on keeping technology human-centric by safeguarding privacy, ensuring transparent and fair AI, promoting inclusion and accessibility, and upskilling employees for the digital age. Third, resilience and security, meaning the development of robust, cyber-secure, and reliable systems that ensure essential services remain safe and available even under threat.

What challenges are addressed by a responsible IT approach?

It addresses several critical challenges. The climate challenge by reducing IT’s environmental impact and accelerating the energy transition. The trust challenge by safeguarding privacy, ensuring security, and maintaining fairness to preserve public confidence in our digital services. Lastly, the workforce challenge by preparing employees for an AI-driven future, enabling technology to enhance talent rather than replace it. For me, AI is both the most powerful enabler and the most immediate disruptor. My responsibility as Group CIO is to initiate these crucial discussions early, establish appropriate guardrails, and invest in developing the necessary skills. This approach transforms rapid technological advancement into lasting, sustainable value for our company and the customers that we serve.