“Walking the environmental responsibility talk” in the automobile industry:

An ethics case study of the Volkswagen environmental scandal

Personally, this case made me more doubtful of every brand, even the most reputable
ones. One may assume that a highly-acclaimed company will not do any grave misconduct that
can potentially tamper its image. Filipinos, in most part, easily concludes that the more famous
the brands are, the more reliable and trusted they can be. Thus, the desire to patronize only
those well-known brands. However, this Volkswagen case proves this wrong. I can only imagine
how many more reputable companies are also conducting malpractices but not yet discovered
by the authorities. That's why, as consumers, we should also do our part in being
knowledgeable about the companies that we are supporting. In most cases, we, as consumers,
are the ones being heavily burdened by their actions because the costs associated with their
dealings are ultimately trickled down to the customers through their pricing methods. Most
importantly, I would not want to be associated with a company that is known to be unethical and
is involved in illegal dealings. Another example that is close to my heart is the make-up brands
that are not cruelty-free. It was only early this year when I found out that several of my trusted
brands are included in the companies who test their products on animals. As an avid customer,
this made me disgusted and guilty as well because I felt that I became a part of the animals’
suffering. By being a customer, by being a cause of the product demand, I felt personally
involved in the cruelty that was performed by the company that I was supporting. Parallel to this,
I can assume how the customers of Volkswagen probably felt when they found out that they
were lied to. Some of them might have purchased the Volkswagen vehicle because of their
promise of being environmentally-sustainable, and having to find out that it was actually the
opposite is so disheartening. All in all, this calls for an action on our part because, if we put
those organizations in the public’s scrutinizing eyes, it might compel them to be more socially
and ethically responsible.

This case study exposed the well-known truth that no organization is perfect and that no
organization is free from the temptation to cut corners just to achieve what they are aiming for.
That’s why, understanding and embodying business ethics in their own dealings, as well as our
own actions, is a must in order to have a guiding light in this bustling business world.

Reference
Valentini, C., & Kruckeberg, D. (2018). “Walking the environmental responsibility talk” in the automobile
industry: An ethics case study of the Volkswagen environmental scandal. Corporate
Communications: An International Journal, 23(4), 528–543.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327512699_Walking_the_environmental_responsibil
ity_talk_in_the_automobile_industry_An_ethics_case_study_of_the_Volkswagen_environment
al_scandal