Ethical Impact Assessment: Theoretical Foundations, Methodology, and Applications

Ethical impact assessment (EIA) is a structured approach to evaluating the ethical implications of technology and innovation. In recent years, it has gained momentum among policy-makers, research funders, and technology developers seeking more systematic ways to address ethical concerns. EIA was developed to fill key gaps in existing ethics and impact assessment frameworks by offering a method capable of identifying both current and anticipated ethical issues, particularly in relation to emerging technologies, and connecting these insights to real-world governance and decision-making processes. EIA is characterized by several defining features: a modular and systematic methodology, a forward-looking orientation, consideration of the entire technology lifecycle, a dedicated focus on emerging technologies, and intentional integration with technology governance. While EIA has seen growing uptake in practice, it remains underexplored in academic literature. This essay introduces EIA to scholarly audiences with the aim of fostering further research and interdisciplinary dialogue. It outlines the conceptual and methodological foundations of EIA, explores its practical application, charts its historical development and diffusion, situates it in relation to other ethics and impact assessment approaches, and reflects critically on its current limitations and future potential.