ETHICS: POLICIES AND

CHALLENGES

AN ANALYSIS
A PRESENTATION BY

GROUP G
SECTION B

ADITI (2021PGP065)
ANKIT DHAWALE (2021PGP081)
HEMANT SINGH (2021PGP085)
ARYA IYER (2021PGP087)
RAGHAV CHARAN (2021PGP111)
SRIJANI DAS (2021PGP125)
 UBER: ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

Mission statement:
We ignite opportunity by setting the world in motion.

Vision:
Transportation as reliable as running water, everywhere for
everyone.

Uber was founded in the year 2009.

Uber is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Uber operates in more than 10,000 cities.

Aim of uber is to make transportation reliable and accessible

for everyone- The riders and the drivers.
 HOW DOES UBER WORK?

Uber owns and operates a mobile application platform that allows riders to connect with Uber drivers using
their mobile phones. Uber collects certain personal information from riders, including name, email address,
phone number, and payment instrument.
Uber is offering all that a customer could ask-Bike rides, auto rides, sedan rides to SUVs.
Uber also offers intercity, for travel among different cities.

UNDERSTANDING THE BUSINESS

BACKGROUND

Uber has a net present value of $40 billion.

• Uber is just a ride-sharing business, right?

• There are other cab companies, so what makes Uber special? Why in some sense is the
market valuing it at such a high number?
• The cabs and drivers of uber are independent contractors, making uber an asset-light
company.

• By December 2015, Uber completed its billionth ride.

• Next billion- 180 days, 1 billion rides - translates to roughly 5.555 million per day, or
roughly, about close to a quarter of a million per hour. This came to be referred to as
“UBERification”
• Uber basically announced a prize for the second billionth ride, there were 147 rides on
five different continents tied to the exact second for that prize.

UBER HAS ONE ASSET: DATA

 STRUCTURE AND CURRENT ETHICAL POLICY

Non-discrimination

CURRENT ETHICAL POLICIES

Compliance with Law and
safety

Protecting users’ personal

information
1. Fair competition
Protecting employee personal
information

Fair competition
UBER HAS A FUNCTIONAL ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURE
 The digital divide:
ROADBLOCKS IN IMPLEMENTING ETHICAL POLICY
Despite the motto of providing easy transportation to all, Uber brings along a challenge for both
its primary stakeholders- The riders and the drivers; and that is digital competency. It under
looks economically weaker sections, the elderly and the disabled.

Uber and whistle-blowers:

In there have been claims about Uber having ignored complaints against senior management.
The workplace did not welcome any blows to the hierarchy.

Sexism at the workplace:

Women in STEM careers often find themselves in minority in tech giants. In its formative years,
women complained of having faced misogyny and sexism in the workplace.

Lack of driver training and assessment:

The minimum requirement bar to be a driver with Uber is fairly low; and often, drivers are not
fully equipped with proper training to be able to help the riders.

Rider and driver safety at uber:

There have been instances of sexual abuse by Uber drivers. There have also been multiple
instances of Uber drivers being beaten up for parities in fare.

Challenges with data and privacy: God View

Uber was accused of using the personal data of its consumers through an internal tracking
system without their consent. The company's monitoring system was used by its management to
obtain consumer contact information so that notifications could be sent to them.
 Issues with leadership:
ROADBLOCKS IN IMPLEMENTING ETHICAL POLICY
Travis Kalanick, Uber's first CEO, admitted that he tried to destroy Lyft Company's finance
strategy. Investors were misinformed and deceived to avoid investing in Lyft's venture capital.
He was forced to leave the company after Susan Fowler’s whistleblowing.

Religious and racial discrimination:

Since it is difficult for the company to be able to reinforce its non-discrimination policies across
independent drivers and riders, there have been instances where riders refused to ride with the
assigned driver due to religion/race/caste.
There were also indications that black riders often faced longer wait periods.

Job security and wages:

While driving with Uber comes with the freedom to work as per wish, drivers barely have
provisions like job security and concept of a week-long notice period or compensation after
being fired.

CO2 emissions:
Raising environmental concerns is also an ethical roadblock faced by Uber.
 STRATEGY UBER ADOPTED TO OVERCOME ROADBLOCKS
Challenges and issues with
Privacy
Uber : Whistle-blowers and
sexism at the workplace
1. Fair competition
Safety of Riders and drivers
Safety of Drivers
CO2 emissions
• Adopted marketing strategy by creating ads that are appealing to a wider target audience instead of
personalized notification; by which Uber was able to achieve desired results and still act ethically.
• Uber has now maintained a separate section in its consumer-facing privacy policy describing its
policies regarding location information.
• Adopted various policies which are in place to protect users’ data.
• In their plan for the future, Uber aims to increase accountability.
• Uber has also added provisions to report any unethical practice or behaviour observed at the
workplace.
• In an attempt to combat sexism at workplace, Uber started with pay and promotion equity.
• Ratings for both- riders and drivers; both can also raise alarm in case of the other one not wearing a
mask.
• Protects personal information by offering “Uber call” between driver and rider.
• “Are you ok?” notification in case of detour or unexpected stops- for both- the rider and the driver.
• Options to raise concerns during the ride. Also offers an option to share ride details through messaging
apps.
• In their plan for the future, Uber aims to increase accountability.
• Uber has also added provisions to report any unethical practice or behaviour observed at the
workplace.
• In an attempt to combat sexism at workplace, Uber started with pay and promotion equity.
1. What is the background of the company/organization? What is their present ethical policy and its
structure?-- 10 marks 2. What are the road blocks in implementing ethical policy?-- 10 marks 3. What
strategies does the company/organization have adopted to over come these roadblocks?-- 10 marks 4.
what are the recommendations of the group to ethically enlighten the organization?-- 10 marks