# The Ethical Overall Equipment Effectiveness: a novel indicator for future industrial systems-Insights from a Proof of Concept

Elimy Ojeda Mena, Lamia Berrah, Damien Trentesaux

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Elimy Ojeda Mena, Lamia Berrah, Damien Trentesaux. The Ethical Overall Equipment Effectiveness: a novel indicator for future industrial systems-Insights from a Proof of Concept. LISTIC. 2026. hal-05470307

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## Presentation:

# The Ethical Overall Equipment Effectiveness: a novel indicator for future industrial systems- Insights from a Proof of Concept

Elimy Ojeda Mena<fnref n="1" />, Lamia Berrah<fnref n="1" />, Damien Trentesaux<fnref n="2" />

Date: January 2026

**Abstract:** This document summarizes the main ideas and discussions from an internal scientific seminar held at the LISTIC<fnref n="1" /> Laboratory, within the REGARD<fnref n="2" />'s theme research topic meeting (**Représentation, Gestion et tRaitement des Données pour l'humain**). The presentation reports on the exploratory research conducted during the first months of a doctoral thesis within the ANR ETHICS4.0 <fnref n="3" /> project (ANR-23-CE10-0014). Entitled "Development of a piloting and continuous performance improvement model, integrating ethical risks into the industrial systems of the future."

The objective of the presentation was to present the initial results and initiate an open debate on the relationship between ethics and performance in Industry 4.0 environments. The work proposes an ethical reinterpretation of the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) indicator, introducing Ethical OEE (E-OEE) as a proof of concept.

## 1. Context and summary

Production systems in Industry 4.0 increasingly rely on performance indicators to inform real-time operational decisions [1, 2]. Indicators such as productivity, efficiency, and OEE play a crucial role for aligning plant activities with organizational goals. However, these indicators primarily reflect technical and economic performance [3, 4] and often neglect the ethical consequences of operational decisions.

While regulatory frameworks such as the GDPR and CSR address data protection, they remain insufficient to capture operational ethical risks [5, 6]. **Figure 1** provides an overview of the problem by highlighting the misalignment between performance management practices and ethical considerations at the operational level. This paper is based on the hypothesis that ethics in industrial systems must be addressed at the level of decision-making and implementation: operationally, using the same tools used to measure and manage performance.

The presentation introduced the concept of E-OEE [7], proposed as an operational indicator, reinterpreted to measure production achieved under ethically acceptable conditions. The starting point of this approach is the classical Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), a widely recognized key performance indicator used to measure how effectively manufacturing equipment is utilized [8, 9]. OEE is widely used and adopted across various industries, integrated into performance management systems, and well-known to operators and

<footnote n="1">¹ Laboratoire d'Informatique, Systèmes, Traitement de l'Information et de la Connaissance (LISTIC)/ Université Savoie Mont Blanc, LISTIC, France 74944 ANNECY LE VIEUX Cedex - France</footnote>

<footnote n="2">² Laboratoire d'Automatique, de Mécanique et d'Informatique industrielles et Humaines - UMR CNRS 8201 Université Polytechnique Hauts-de-France, LAMIH, France /Hauts-de-France 59313 VALENCIENNES CEDEX 9 - France</footnote>

<footnote n="1">¹ https://www.univ-smb.fr/listic/</footnote>

<footnote n="2">² https://www.univ-smb.fr/listic/thematique-scientifique/theme-regard/</footnote>

<footnote n="3">³ https://ethics40.fr/</footnote>
managers. It is commonly defined as the ratio between the actual productive output and the maximum theoretical output [10].

The proposed Ethical OEE indicator is based on the classic OEE structure, but it introduces the concept of ethical losses, defined as production time affected by ethically unacceptable conditions. This indicator is structured around:

* **Ethical Availability:** considers working conditions, safety, and environmental limitations.

* **Ethical Performance:** considers sustainable work pace and human limitations.

* **Ethical Quality:** integrates the ability to perform quality controls without undue pressure or shortcuts.

Although classic OEE measures quantity produced, E-OEE highlights how production is achieved while considering ethical risks in operations. A fundamental principle during the presentation was that ethical OEE cannot exceed traditional OEE, as ethics acts as a filter rather than a factor that improves or penalizes performance. This indicator seeks to reveal hidden ethical losses in performance.

<figure><img src="image_2.png" /><figcaption>Figure 1. Synthesis of the problem and motivation</figcaption></figure>

## 2. Key Questions Raised

The scientific discussion following the presentation highlighted several crucial issues that will shape future lines of research.

* **Scope of Ethics**

Participants questioned whether the ethical aspect of the indicator was limited to working conditions and operational pressure or if it should also cover environmental impacts and social responsibility. It was clarified that the focus on working conditions in the workshop was a deliberate methodological choice. At the same time, doctoral research, in a broader sense, encompasses practices, technology use, responsibility, and values alignment.

* **Objectivity and Subjectivity**

* "How can we objectively define what is 'ethically acceptable'?"

The concept of "ethically acceptable conditions" became a key challenge. It was stressed that developing structured questionnaires or checklists with industry partners is essential to reduce subjectivity and guarantee operational reliability.
## Ethics vs. Cybersecurity and Data Protection

* "How can an ethical indicator be used without penalizing the company?

Several participants raised the issue of the relationship between ethics, cybersecurity, and data protection. While their relevance was acknowledged, it was clarified that cybersecurity constitutes a related but distinct field, and that this work focuses on the ethical risks related to operational performance and human-machine interaction.

## Ethical Indicators as constraints

A recurring concern was whether ethical indicators could penalize companies by systematically reducing performance values. The discussion highlighted that Ethical OEE is designed as a diagnostic tool, not as a disciplinary mechanism. Its goal is to reveal ethical trade-offs and help informed decision-making. A critical point: if competitors show a TRS of 80% and an ethical company announces an E-OEE of 65%, it becomes commercially “indefensible.” The project must address not only the construction but also the strategic communication of ethical indicators.

## Generalization of Ethical Criteria

The approach explicitly adopts a consequentialist perspective, compatible with engineering and risk-based reasoning, while recognizing cultural, organizational, and philosophical limitations.

## 3. Scientific Contributions and Perspectives

The seminar confirmed the importance of developing operational ethical indicators, while also highlighting the associated methodological and organizational challenges. This exploratory work serves as proof of concept for a larger doctoral research project, which aims to create a comprehensive ethical performance management and continuous improvement model. Future research will seek to formalize ethical data collection methods, extend the approach to other performance indicators, and integrate ethical indicators into decision support frameworks that are compatible with Industry 4.0 environments. The indicator primarily addresses operational-level risks and does not directly incorporate environmental or strategic dimensions. Future research will focus on developing a generic framework for transforming ethical indicators, as well as integrating them into operational decision-making and continuous improvement systems.

**ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.** The authors sincerely thank the members of the REGARD research group at LISTIC Laboratory for their participation and insightful discussions. This work carried out is part of the ANR ETHICS40 (ANR-236CE1060014) research program. The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the French National Research Agency (ANR).

## 4. References

1. Bhosale P, Jadhav S (2025) Uncovering the Influence of Operational Factors on Manufacturing Efficiency with Real Time Data. Sci Rep 15:38846. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-22776-8

2. Žižek SŠ, Nedelko Z, Mulej M, Čič ŽV (2020) Key Performance Indicators and Industry 4.0 – A Socially Responsible Perspective. Naše gospodarstvo/Our economy 66:22–35. https://doi.org/10.2478/ngoe-2020-0015

3. Culasso F, Broccardo L, Giordino D, Crocco E (2024) Performance management systems and digital technologies: an exploratory analysis of practitioners and academics’ perspectives.

4. Tambare P, Meshram C, Lee C-C, et al (2021) Performance Measurement System and Quality Management in Data-Driven Industry 4.0: A Review. Sensors (Basel) 22:224. https://doi.org/10.3390/s22010224

5. Berrah L, Cliville V, Trentesaux D, Chapel C (2021) Industrial Performance: An Evolution Incorporating Ethics in the Context of Industry 4.0. Sustainability 13:9209. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13169209

6. Trentesaux D, Caillaud E (2020) Ethical stakes of Industry 4.0. IFAC-PapersOnLine 53:17002–17007. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacol.2020.12.1486
7. Ojeda Mena E, Berrah L, Trentesaux D (2025) The Ethical Overall Equipment Effectiveness: a novel indicator for future industrial systems. In: Service Oriented, Holonic and Multi-Agent Manufacturing Systems for Industry of the Future

8. Mouhib Z, Gallab M, Merzouk S, et al (2024) Towards a generic framework of OEE monitoring for driving effectiveness in digitalization era. Procedia Computer Science 232:2508–2520. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2024.02.069

9. Muchiri P, Pintelon L (2008) Performance measurement using overall equipment effectiveness (OEE): literature review and practical application discussion. International Journal of Production Research 46:3517–3535. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207540601142645

10. Dal B, Tugwell P, Greatbanks R (2000) Overall equipment effectiveness as a measure of operational improvement – A practical analysis. International Journal of Operations & Production Management 20:1488–1502. https://doi.org/10.1108/01443570010355750