Corporate Responsibility

Having completed our last assignment on organisations and how they play a role in global citizenship, it has come to my attention that some of the corporate giants aren't fulfiling their roles as corporate global citizens by keeping the best interest of their employees in mind.

I researched Nike on what the company was doing about the maltreatment of their workers which included: unsafe working conditions, long working hours, minimum wage, child labour, punished/dismissed if taken part in a protest. What's even more alarming is that Nike claims it provides its employees with a safe working environment and a complaint process. Nike workers are not receiving either!!!!!

Who is responsible for enforcing these simple human rights? Is it the country they live in or the company they work for?

I believe organisations have a major responsibility in ensuring that they are acting in an ethical manner. Professor Mark Schwartz three domain model of corporate responsibility economic, legal and ethical, where each is as important as each other. Schwartz then goes on to mention that organisations need to show value, balance and accountability. In my opinion, for an organisation to be acting as a corporate global citizen, it needs show balance between making profits and  respecting the employees and environment that are responsible for their profits.

In recent news, SPC has asked the government for financial support as it is the Australia's last remaining fruit processing Company. 

The company asked for government assistance to help improve market conditions with new technology and products as the company is facing competition from cheap imported products. Companies are left with no other choice than to open up shop in developing countries such as China and Indonesia were they can exploit cheap labour and use profits to benefit their success against competing brands.