Business Ethics and Social Responsibility

Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600

Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: ABM -12
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 8- Ethics Subject Teacher:

Business ethics and the natural environment

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this module, the student is expected to:

a. examine the present status of relations between corporate enterprise and the natural
environment in the world today;
b. discuss such questions as: What obligations does a corporate enterprise have toward the
environment?
c. care about future generations; and
d. argue that environmentally-friendly business practices exceed organizational expectations.

Moral Reasoning about the Natural Environment

This lesson demonstrates how environmental concerns challenge us to extend ethical principles to
include the well-being of the natural world and our human duties to it.

A. Justice and Sustainability

Environmental justice refers to the equal protection of environmental law and policy
regardless of race or class.

 Environmental justice is concerned with the inequitable access to environmental

resources (clean food, air and water) and the injustice of greater pollution that often
characterize lower-income communities - not wealthy suburbs.
 The notion of justice underlies concern about animal welfare.
 To apply justice to an environmental decision, we should ask:

1. Are all human beings involved in this situation being treated equally and, if not, why
not?
2. Are all living creatures involved in this situation being treated equally and, if not, why
not?

Sustainability can be defined as meeting the needs of the present generation without
compromising the ability of future generation to meet their own needs.

 The ethical principle of justice is at play because it underpins the need to equitably
balance the needs of those alive today (the rich and poor) with future generations.
 To apply the principle of sustainability to an environmental decision, we should ask:

1. What are the immediate and long-term effects of the problem before us?
2. Who - humans and otherwise - is affected today by the problem before us and who
will likely be affected by this problem in the future?
B. Sufficiency and Compassion

The principle of sufficiency mandates that all forms of life are entitled to enough goods to
live on and flourish. The principle also means no one should waste or hoard resources
intended for the sufficiency of all.

 To apply the principle of sufficiency to an environmental decision, we should ask:

1. Will the decision permit all those involved, especially the poor, to have enough
resources on which to live and flourish?

Business Ethics & Social Responsibility Page 2 of 5

 Business Ethics and Social Responsibility
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: ABM -12
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 8- Ethics Subject Teacher:

2. Is there any aspect of the decision that indicates the presence of waste or excess?
Or a failure to be creative?

Compassion extends the notion of sufficiency to the Earth. Environmental ethics asserts that
other animals, plants, and the elements (such as water, soil or air) are morally significant,
and that humans have responsibilities to act so that their needs are met too.

 To apply the principle of compassion to an environmental decision, we should ask:

1. What duties do we have to the other creatures likely to be affected by our actions?
2. What would it mean to extend the principle of compassion to non-human
creatures?

C. Solidarity and Participation

The principle of solidarity invites us to consider how we relate to each other in community.

 In a globalizing economy, we participate in a vast, international economic community,

one in which goods and services are provided for us by those on the other side of the
world.
 Solidarity requires us to consider this kind of extended community, and to act in such a
way that reflects concern for the well-being of others.
 To apply the principle of solidarity to an environmental decision, we should ask:

1. Who are all the human stakeholders involved in this situation?

2. Is there a community of life (ecosystem) involved?

Participation extends the idea of solidarity to make it practical. Genuine participation

requires transparency, meaning that each individual has access to the same information
that everyone else has.

 To apply the principle of participation to an environmental decision, we should ask:

1. Do all stakeholders in this decision actually have a say in how the decision is going
to be made?
2. Or who have little power? How will their interests be represented in the decision-
making process?

Environmental Issues of Business Ethics

There are many environmental moral issues relevant to business. Destroying the environment often
violates our right to non-injury and endangers our health. Additionally, some people also think that it’s
morally preferable to protect rather than harm.

A. Business and Ecology

Businesses damage the environment when they take natural resources from the Earth
and dispose of waste. All of this is done within the natural environment. It’s almost
impossible to do no harm to ecosystems in business because we need the Earth’s resources
to conduct business and sell products, and many companies have no choice but to
dispose of waste and pollute one way or another.

B. Business’s traditional attitudes towards the environment

Business Ethics & Social Responsibility Page 3 of 5

 Business Ethics and Social Responsibility
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: ABM -12
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 8- Ethics Subject Teacher:

People saw the “natural world as a ‘free and unlimited good”. However, resources
aren’t unlimited and many people and animals are harmed from environmental damage.
In Garrett Hardin’s parable, “The Tragedy of the Commons,” he describes the importance
of the environment to human interests based on the fact that it’s limited.

C. The ethics of environmental protection

It is in our interest to protect the environment insofar as we are human beings and we
are often harmed by environmental damage and measures to protect the environment
can benefit us all.

Role of Business in Environmental Protection

The environment is everything we depend on. The environment is crucial for the society and
businesses together. Business enterprises should take lead in solving environmental issues. It is their
responsibility to check the consequences of their actions and also to protect environmental resources.

Some initiatives which can be taken by business enterprises for environmental protection are:

1. A sincere commitment by the top management of the business to cultivate, maintain

and develop work culture for environmental protection and pollution prevention.
2. To ensure that the commitment towards environmental protection is shared by all the
employees of all the divisions of the business.
3. Developing clear-cut policies and programs for purchasing good quality raw material,
using latest technology, using scientific techniques of disposal and waste management
and to develop the skills of the employees for the purpose of pollution control.
4. To adapt to the laws and regulations passes by the government for the prevention of
pollution.
5. Participation in government programs relating to the management of hazardous
substances, clearing up of polluted water bodies, plantation of trees and to reduce
deforestation.
6. Assessment of pollution control programs in terms of costs and benefits to increase the
progress with respect to environmental protection.
7. Also, businesses can arrange workshops and give training material and share technical
information and experience with suppliers and customers to get them involved in
pollution control programs.
8. Promoting green energy that reduces the use of fossil fuels.

21st Century Environmental Standards: Philippine Agenda 21

Philippine Agenda 21(referred as “Enhanced PA21) is a program of action into the 21 st century for
bringing the Earth into a sustainable future. Implementations and benefits in terms of environment
considerations are as follows:

Implementation

1. The rise of globalization and the creation of an external environment of finance, markets, and
technology to sustainable development.
2. Government efforts to sustainable development.
3. Ecological Integrity

Benefits

Business Ethics & Social Responsibility Page 4 of 5

 Business Ethics and Social Responsibility
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section: ABM -12
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 8- Ethics Subject Teacher:

1. Cultural, Moral and Spiritual Sensitivity. Nurturing the inherent strengths of local and indigenous
knowledge, practices and beliefs while respecting the cultural diversity, moral norms and
spiritual essence of Filipino society.
2. Social Justice. Ensuring social cohesion and harmony through equitable distribution of
resources and providing the various sectors of society with equal access to development
opportunities and benefits today and in the future.
3. Institutional Viability. Recognizing that sustainable development is a shared, collective and
indivisible responsibility which calls for institutional structures that are built around the spirit of
solidarity, convergence and partnership between and among different stakeholders.
4. Biogeographical Equity and Community-Based Resource Management. Recognizing that
since communities residing within or most proximate to an ecosystem of a bio-geographic
region will be the ones to most directly and immediately feel the positive and negative
impacts on that ecosystem, they should be given prior claim to the development decisions
affecting that ecosystem including management of resources.
5. Global Cooperation. Building upon and contributing to the diverse capacities of individual
nations.

REFERENCES:

BAL 174.4 Jerusalem, Violeta L. (2017). Business Ethics and Social Responsibility:
J487 2017 Concepts, principles, and practices ofethical standards. Manila,
Philippines: FASTBOOKS Educational Supply, Inc.

BAL 174.4 Cortez, F (2016). Business Ethics and Social Responsibility. Quezon City,
C8187 2016 Philippines: Vibal Group, Inc.

https://ethicalrealism.wordpress.com/2011/05/17/environmental-issues-of-business-ethics/

https://www.toppr.com/guides/business-studies/social-responsibilities-of-business/business-ethics-
and-environment-protection/

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