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Sustainability; an ethical issue

Globalization is an advantageous phenomenon that countries both developed and
developing are faced with today. Like any improvement, globalization, too, is faced with
challenges, such as having ethical sustainability. Described by Barclay in her article,
sustainability is the development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Barclay, 2012).
Furthermore, the word ethical is described by Merriam-Webster Dictionary as following
accepted rules of behavior: morally right and good; therefore, after one puts the two
words together, ethical and sustainable, it is the morally right way of using a resource so
the recourse is not depleted or damaged.
As described by Lehner in his recent article, introducing sustainability as a core
value and practice in business is said to be one of societys most promising means for
safeguarding natural resources and eco-systems (Lehner, 2014). In order words, the
question of ethical sustainability is one that encompasses several other traits such as
honesty, integrity, and responsibility. Global organizations are more often than ever
finding themselves in situations where they are cutting corners; be it bribing government
officials to expedite the process of issuing licenses, reduction of operational standards, or
not having the stakeholders and/or environments interest at their core.
In todays day and age, society is becoming increasingly connected, and stakeholders
understand that sustainability is the result of three pillars working together:
environment, economic, and social (Barclay, 2012). In her article, Barclay discusses
how the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) came into existence with a system of
guidelines for companies to report on their sustainability in terms of their environmental,
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economic, and social performance. Many of the worlds largest companies now use the
GRI format and report in this manner (Barclay, 2012). The GRI is one such way that
stakeholders are indirectly holding multinationals to higher ethical and moral standards.
Additionally, sustainability includes those companies that promote diversity,
environment, fair labor standards, and human and consumer rights (Dunn, 2012). These
are all smaller practices that organizations can get involved in order to achieve
sustainability. Sustainability is an ethical issue because customers are expecting more
transparency from organizations today, be it appropriately negotiating labor contact, or
marketing their products ethically.
Businesses that are involved in unethical practices, internal or external to their
organizations, are at risk of suffering massive amounts of negative feedback and backlash
from the society they operate in. As consumers tend to personalize their relationship with
a corporate brand, it should come as no surprise that they judge the personality of the
corporation as if one is actually dealing with a moral person. As a result, the behavior of
a corporation is judged in virtue ethical terms such as crooked, corrupt, or
trustworthy and responsible (Villagra, 2013)
Multinational firms are growing at exponential rates due to their access to large
amounts of capital, highly skilled labor in the spheres of marketing, operations, and
finance, and low interest rates. This expansion happens when a larger company takes
over of a smaller company, or when a larger company creating subsidiaries in foreign
economies. This rapid growth comes with several price tags such as ethical, moral, and
environmental sustainability. Chief Executive Officers are now forced at look at the
triple bottom line effects of their decisions and are expected to act in a morally
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righteous manner. CEO decisions are being scrutinized on a daily basis and are being
held accountable by governments, customers, employees, and other regulating agencies.
Therefore, it is imperative that multinational firms need to conduct their businesses on the
principle of sustainability, as their decisions can leave substantial negative implications
on our society as a whole.

Works Cited
Barclay, Kate. "The Social In Assessing For Sustainability:, Fisheries In Australia."
Cosmopolitan Civil Societies: An Interdisciplinary Journal 4.3 (2012): 38-53. Academic
Search Complete. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.

Dunn, Merrily S., and Jeanne S. Hart-Steffes. "Sustainability As Moral Action." New
Directions For Student Services 139 (2012): 73-82. Academic Search Complete. Web. 19
Apr. 2014.
"Ethical." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethical>.
Lehner, Matthias, and Sue Vaux Halliday. "Branding Sustainability: Opportunity
AndRisk Behind A Brand-Based Approach To Sustainable Markets." Ephemera: Theory
& Politics In Organization 14.1 (2014): 13-34. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20
Apr. 2014.
Villagra, Nuria, and Beln Lpez. "Analysis Of Values And Communication Of The
Responsible Brands. Corporate Brand Strategies For Sustainability." Comunicacin Y
Sociedad 26.1 (2013): 197-222. Academic Search Complete. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.