Free «Business Ethics» Essay

Business ethics are principles that determine whether the things that companies do are right or wrong. They normally define the culture of organizations and ensure that businesses work or relate well with stakeholders and other institutions. It also guides the moral standards that every employee of that business entity should adhere to. Business ethics are different in various organizations as well as across industries. This is because every industry is unique and every business employs particular strategies for achieving set goals. Acting in an ethical way both at individual and business level include being able to distinguish what is right and wrong. Due to wide range of responsibilities of businesses, they should make sure that the all stakeholders’ interests are addressed in order to come up with the best ethical practices. This should also include considering environmental management and the role the business plays in it.

Patagonia Clothing was founded in the year 1973 by Yvon Chouinard. The company mainly focuses on high-end outdoor clothing and has been voted among the best companies that are concerned with the environment. The love that the founder of the company had for rock and alpine clothing made him to come up with a business that would make such cloths. Currently, the products of the company are loved and used by many people around the world. Patagonia operates in many countries around the world and has implemented code of ethics that ensures that it gives back to the communities, conserve and preserve the environment. The company’s strategy guarantees that employees and all stakeholders are treated fairly and work in places that are safe. It also requires its supply chain to observe and implement the strategies of fair labor practices, conserve and preserve the environment. Additionally, the company has a specified workplace code of conduct. It guides the employees, staff members, and management and states what the company believes is ethical and acceptable within and outside its workplace.

The company code of conduct states that no person who is a child and who has not finished basic education shall be employed in the company. It iterates that juvenile employees should not be allowed to work in any situation that endangers their health. The company has also stated that there will be no forced labor, harassment, and abuse in its work environment. Its code of conduct requires all workers to be respected and be equally treated when it comes to recruitment, training, and remuneration. The company also requires suppliers to treat their employees fairly. They are also free to join organizations that they want. Accordingly, in its code of conduct that, the company requires that its suppliers maintain environmental standards and policies and their activities should never go against laid down environmental laws. In addition, as it has been noted earlier, the company’s code of ethics deals with promotion of fair labor practices and provision of safe working environment throughout its supply chain.

The mission statement of the organization, ‘build the best products, do less harm, use business to inspire, and implement solutions to the environment crisis” has been the daily guideline and tool that has shaped the company’s day to day activities. Besides being guided by these codes of conducts, the company has engaged in many social responsibility activities. It has a well-developed and clearly stated social responsibility policy that guides its operation to ensure that it engages in activities that are geared towards addressing social issues. The company initially used to give 10% of its pre-tax profit to grass root environment activist groups and later increased to 1% of annual sales. This move was geared towards making sure that the company gets involved in environmental and social responsibility programs. The company has a well-structured family benefit programs that is aimed at giving employees the best social support that enables them to become more productive and better employees.

Besides being socially responsible, the company is among one of the companies in the world that is known for practicing sustainability (Fowler & Hope 4). It has embarked on different programs that are aimed at making it more and more sustainable and make its projects sustainable. It is evident that the company is not only involved in making environmental friendly brands but is also engaged in recycling and reusing programs through buying its brand which have been used for recycling and repairing. These programs are geared towards improvements that make it the environment sustainable.

In their effort to engage people in corporate social responsibility, Patagonia has partnered with other factories to engage in wide ranges of due diligent. It has also incorporated early career development through partnership with nonprofit environmental organizations. Through this partnership, Patagonia sponsors paid internships so that it can contribute to creating a pool of environmental experts that will help in managing the environment.

The company is known for its involvement in environmental management programs. Patagonia has embarked on sponsoring and partnering with creative action network and canary projects to design crowd-sourced art campaigns that include designers and artists to empower people to be sensitive to the environment (Melissa 7). In addition, they have embarked in programs that are aimed at recycling and returning their brands by buying already used products, and also fund grass root organizations that are aimed at managing the environment.

In conclusion, the company has been in the front line to make sure that all people, companies, and stakeholders in their supply chain are involved in fair business and labor practices. Recently it undertook initiatives that are geared towards decreasing environmental impact. They include reducing energy, water, and chemicals used, repairing worn out products, reusing already utilized goods, recycling old products, and reimagining through change generations.