Business Ethics and Environmental Protection

Protecting the environment is an inevitable part of Business Ethics. Nowadays we see big business houses plant trees on the roadside and write their respective organization’s name. Why do they do so? This all comes in part of CSR. Doing that gives them recognition from the locals, which will help them earn goodwill for protecting and contributing to the environment’s gradation.

Our discussion is thus based on this topic of Business Ethics which protects the environment. The discussion is very crucial. We shall strengthen our knowledge on the role of business while protecting the environment.

Ideas to Protect Environment: Business Methods

The environment is over and above all when we depend on our living. From the trees that provide us oxygen to the land we live upon and the water bodies that provide us with water, the environment is fundamental for the society and the businesses to function. We all have the responsibility to conserve and protect this environment, whether it is the government, businesses, consumers, workers or other members of the society, all should mutually contribute to prevent the environment from further pollution.

Governments must initiate environmental saving programs to ban the use of hazardous products like plastic carry bags. Consumers, workers and society are required to support environmental protection by not using hazardous products or other products which are not environment friendly.

Steps taken by Business Enterprises

Business enterprises need to take the lead in solving the environmental issues. It is the responsibility of the business owners to check the consequences of their actions which requires them to protect environmental resources. Some initiatives which need to be taken by the business enterprises for environmental protection are:

• A sincere commitment needs to be committed by the top management of the business to cultivate, maintain and develop the work culture for environmental protection and for pollution prevention.

• To ensure that the commitment towards environmental protection is shared equally by all the employees in the organization throughout all the divisions of the business.

• Developing policies that clearly define programmes in order to save the environment which includes disposal and waste management strategies.

• To adapt to the environmental laws and regulations which are passed by the government for the prevention of pollution.

• Participation in the government programmes which relates to the management of hazardous substances which clears up the polluted water bodies, initiates plantation of trees and to reduce the effect of deforestation.

• Assessment of the pollution control programmes in terms of costs and benefits to increase their progress if included in the business policy.

• Also, businesses can arrange workshops where training is given and technical information is being shared along with the experience to get the customers and the suppliers involved in the pollution control programmes.

• Promoting green energy which reduces the use of fossil fuels.

Importance of Commerce in Saving the Environment

It was a length of time, when commerce was committed to sustainable development of the environment, constantly adapting to the new production and consumption patterns to minimise the environmental impact to put environmentally friendly products on shelves over hazardous products. 

In the European nations, the companies are affected by climate change, scarcity of natural resources, waste mountains, deforestation and potentially hazardous chemicals in consumer goods. These concerns drove changes in lifestyles and affected the purchasing decisions of the consumers, which led to changes in the whole supply chain. 

Commerce is ever keen to anticipate and to respond to the consumer demand, working to cut emissions, recover and recycle waste and reduce the overall environmental impact, while still offering the range of choice and affordability with the consumption products. 

The commerce sector – retailers, wholesalers and international traders - are already taking action, not only to meet the legislation, but to go beyond what is legally required, to save the environment.

Major Role in Increasing Sustainability

Commerce is committed to sustainability of the natural resources. Due to our strategic position in the supply chain, we can play a major role in the drive towards increasing this sustainability, a role we value the prior. We can encourage: 

• The use of energy efficient in-store material 

• Optimisation of the logistics fleet to reduce the emission of CO2 emissions 

• Communicate to the customers on the environmental impact for hazardous products

• Providing information on the potentiality of saving energy-efficient products.