Business ethics
Structure
 Introduction
 Business ethics and globalisation (Kevin)
 Business ethics and relationships with employees
as stakeholders (Lisa)
 Business ethics and relationships with consumers
as stakeholders (Steve)
 Role play (Fabian, Matti, Simon)
Ethical issue
Does Mc Donald‘s have a global
responsibility to take care about the
health of the consumers?
McEthics in Europe and Asia
 Criticisms in Europe:
• unhealthiness  risk of customers’ health
• advertising exploits children
• lack of nutrition information
• paying low wages
• In Asia: less criticism
Reactions:





nutrition labeling
healthy options/ balanced menu
promote balanced lifestyle “diet and exercise”
sustainably grown coffee and biodiesel
in Asia/other countries: same strategy  good marketing
strategy, bigger choice of (healthier) products
Ethical issue
Do corporations have a responsibility to
respect international children‘s rights
even if the national law does not exist?
Uzbek cotton: a new spin on
child labour in the clothing
industry
The case
 Oppressive regime  controls cotton production
 Children are forced to work under bad conditions
 Western companies succeeded in boycotting the Uzbek
cotton
 In 2008 the Uzbek government banned children under 16
from work
Ethical issue
Are microcredit lenders justified in
charging poor borrowers high
interest rates?
Targeting the poor with microfinance
 Consumer ethics
Consumers as stakeholders
 Microfinance = small-scale financial service
 Directly targets poor people, who are excluded from
mainstream banking sector
Microcredits
positive
negative
 support small-business sector
 improve household budget
 provide greater opportunity for
education
 risk on high interest rates
Role play
Thank you for your attention