Environmental and ethical issues
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| environment | 环境 | huán jìng |
| ethics | 道德 | dào dé |
| pollution | 污染 | wū rǎn |
| external costs | 外部成本 | wài bù chéng běn |
| ethical | 道德的 | dào dé de |
| sustainable | 可持续的 | kě chí xù de |
| emissions | 排放 | pái fàng |
| pressure groups | 压力团体 | yā lì tuán tǐ |
Doing the right thing
- Businesses don't operate in a bubble — they affect the environment 环境 and face choices about ethics 道德.
- Increasingly, customers and governments expect them to behave responsibly.
External influences lab
Classify outside changes by the channel that hits the business.
Pollution from a factory that harms the local community is an example of:
External costs fall on society, not just the business.
Environmental issues
- Production can cause pollution 污染, waste and the use of scarce resources.
- These are external costs 外部成本 — borne by society, not just the business.
A business activity can create external costs (like pollution) and external benefits that fall on society
A coal power station: business activity can harm the environment, raising ethical 道德的 issues
Sustainable business activity means meeting today's needs:
Sustainability protects the ability of the future to meet its needs.
Reducing waste and emissions to protect the future is part of being ______.
Sustainability balances present and future needs.
Sustainability
- Sustainable 可持续的 business meets today's needs without harming future generations.
- Firms reduce waste, recycle, cut emissions 排放, and use renewable resources.
Which are examples of ethical business behaviour? (Select all that apply.)
Dumping waste illegally is unethical (and illegal).
Pressure groups can influence businesses through campaigns and bad publicity.
Negative publicity can hit sales and force change.
Ethics and pressure groups 压力团体
- Ethical behaviour means doing what is morally right (fair pay, no child labour) even when not required by law.
- Pressure groups campaign to change business behaviour; bad publicity can hurt sales.
Being ethical can cost more but pay off. Fair wages or greener production raise costs, but can build customer loyalty, attract staff and avoid damaging scandals. Short-term cost, long-term gain.
You've got it
- production can cause pollution and external costs borne by society
- sustainable business meets today's needs without harming the future
- ethical behaviour can cost more but builds loyalty and reputation; pressure groups push for change