Assess the Evolution of Organizational Ethics

Assess the Evolution of Organizational Ethics

A pseudonym, “Green Solutions Inc.” is selected for the business organization to be evaluated regarding ethics evolution in the company. The company offers renewable energy solutions such as electric equi pment, wind turbines, and solar panels. According to Vallaster et al. (2019), organizational management needs to understand the ethical history of their company before engaging in activities aimed at improving ethical leadership practices. Notably, being an ethical organization refers to becoming more responsible for actions taken and ensuring that the actions taken are morally right. For the case of Green Solutions Inc., there should be a deep understanding of its ethical history and a point of view on major events that influenced the ethical direction. Essentially, this task does so by evaluating key events from the past that shaped the company’s ethics, starting from 2006, when the company was incorporated. The events are covered in a timeline as given below.

2006

The major event that occurred during this period was the founding of Green Solutions Inc. From the onset, it was established that the company would be committed to ethical practices and sustainability. The two commitments were prioritized during the company’s formation because it was believed that they would be the basis for a better reputation in the future. Essentially, this moment was selected for analysis because it helped lay a foundation for ethical practices that would remain intact for the entire period of its existence. Further, it helped portray the company as an ethical organization to attract socially conscious employees, customers, and investors. The company’s foundation and establishment of ethical commitments improved the company because it remained conscious of ethical practices up to the present. Hire our assignment writing services in case your assignment is devastating you.

2008

The concern for climate change and sustainable practices increased worldwide in the years before 2008. As a result, the company established a strict code of ethics in 2008 to ensure it continued with its commitment to ethical business practices. Clear employee behavior expectations were created in the code of ethics. The code of ethics outlines a company’s values and need for accountability, honesty, and transparency in all business operations (Trevino & Nelson, 2019). As a result of the code of ethics, the company created a culture of responsible decision-making and integrity that is advantageous to society and the organization. Assessing the impact of the code of ethics indicates that the company has changed for the better. Notably, this is so because it improved employee satisfaction and retention.

2009

To improve its reputation as an ethical business organization, the company marked the end of 2009 with a policy to ensure all employees are trained on sustainability practices and ethical decision-making. Essentially, the moment in time was selected because it helped the company translate its commitments to ethical practices into reality. Through the policy introduced, workers within the company were equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary for making responsible decisions that aligned with ethical values established in the previous event. Some of the important aspects included in employee training included environmental stewardship, sustainable business practices, and the process of ethical decision-making. The event changed Green Solutions Inc. for the better because it ensured up-to-date employees avoided ethical violations and reputational damage to the company.

2011

Another major ethical event for Green Solutions Inc. took place in 2011. The event entailed discovering that some business partners did not undertake ethical practices seriously. Specifically, one of the company’s suppliers was sued in court for using child labor in production. The action had to be taken to protect the company’s ethical reputation. It was decided that the supplier’s contract should be terminated immediately. Further, it was agreed that ethical considerations would be one of the factors to be considered in the vetting process of suppliers. Essentially, this was a landmark event because it ensured that Green Solutions Inc. was not only an ethical company, but its partners would also bear the same reputation, thus changing it for the better.

2013

Another event worth noting in Green Solutions Inc.’s ethical history occurred in 2013. It entailed launching a community outreach program that showcased the company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility beyond its operations. According to Saha et al. (2020), organizations act ethically by maintaining top-notch corporate social responsibility. The program launch marked an event worth noting that ensured members of local communities were trained and informed about topics such as environmental stewardship, conservation, and renewable energy. Investment in the local community only meant the company was committed to creating a positive impact beyond its internal operations. The event improved the organization because its image as an ethical corporation improved.

2014

Another major ethical event for Green Solutions Inc. took place in 2014. The event entailed adopting a carbon offset program aimed at reflecting Green Solutions Inc.’s efforts to reduce its environmental footprint and contribute to the worldwide effort to address climate change. Notably, this event was important in the company’s ethical history because it enhanced the commitment to improving ethical practices. The program ensured the company could reduce its carbon footprint by investing in projects that reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Further, the program changed the organization for the better because it played a part in attracting investors and customers who value socially responsible organizations. Additionally, setting up the program can be identified as the primary step that eventually culminated in the company becoming an industry leader in the renewable energy sector.

2018

Another event worth noting in Green Solutions Inc.’s ethical history occurred in 2018. The event entailed a management decision to open a research and development center that could steer the company’s progress through innovation and leadership in the energy sector. According to Al-Jabari & Ghazzawi (2019), research and development directed toward achieving innovation in ethical operations have been minimal. However, this was not the case for Green Solutions Inc. because apart from seeking to achieve new sustainable energy technologies, it sought to improve ethical practices through research and development. The event marked another milestone in the company’s ethical history as a company that responds to changing market circumstances through research and development. Thus, the event changed the company for the better.

2019

With more than ten years in the energy sector, the company, through its top management, decided to become a certified B corporation in 2019. Notably, this is a major event in the company’s history because a B corporation is subject to new regulations. The new regulations entail high standards for environmental and social performance, transparency, and accountability, all of which are part of the company’s ethical values that were established during its formation (Shafique et al., 2020). Through this certification event, the company communicated to the general public its unwavering commitment to upholding high ethical standards. The event improved the organization as it improved its image globally.

2021

The company came under strong criticism in 2020 for lack of diversity in its top leadership positions. Further, it was criticized for having a relatively low number of women in leadership positions. In fear of a tainted public image, Green Solutions Inc. responded in 2021 by embracing diversity in its management positions. Further, the company was the first to provide a comprehensive sustainability report covering how its ethical considerations are met through diversity in management positions. More women were brought abroad for decision-making positions, thus improving the organizations.

2022

The last event identified in the ethical history of Green Solutions Inc. occurred last year. It entailed launching a philanthropic arm of the company whose main function includes pursuing social and environmental social justice causes. A portion of the company’s earnings is allocated to this function for its activities. Some of the activities involve pursuing legal cases for courses understood to be ethically right by the company. A case is considered ethically right if it matches the company code of ethics. Although the gains from this event are yet to be determined, its intention from the onset was to portray a good image for the company.

Conclusion

The case above evaluated the ethical evolution of Green Solutions Inc. The company brand is a pseudonym that considers a company in the energy sector. Various events that are crucial to the current status of ethics within the company are covered in the evaluation. The events run from when it was incorporated in 2006 to 2022. All events are evaluated and established as crucial in the company’s ethical history. Further, it is established that the events have positively contributed to the ethical image of the company in the energy sector. As a result, the events are worth celebrating for the company because they have helped attract more customers and investors.

References

Al-Jabari, B., & Ghazzawi, I. (2019). Organizational Commitment: A Review of the Conceptual

And Empirical Literature and a Research Agenda. International Leadership  Journal, 11(1).

Saha, R., Cerchione, R., Singh, R., & Dahiya, R. (2020). Effect of Ethical Leadership and Corporate social responsibility on firm performance: A systematic review. Corporate  Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 27(2), 409-429.

Shafique, I., Ahmad, B., & Kalyar, M. N. (2020). How ethical leadership influences creativity And organizational innovation: Examining the underlying mechanisms. European Journal of Innovation Management, 23(1), 114-133.

Trevino, L. K., & Nelson, K. A. (2021). Managing business ethics: Straight talk about how to do it right. John Wiley & Sons.

Vallaster, C., Kraus, S., Lindahl, J. M. M., & Nielsen, A. (2019). Ethics and entrepreneurship: A Bibliometric study and literature review. Journal of Business Research, 99, 226-237.

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Before ethical leadership practices can be improved, you must understand the history of organizational ethics. What does it mean to be an ethical organization? What must be done to not only become an ethical organization but also maintain an ethical culture? Before you can understand the present and move toward the future, you must have a firm understanding of history.

Exploring important dates and the evolution of key practices will help provide an overall picture of organizational ethics and where they stand today. For this assignment, develop a timeline of the evolution of ethical organizational leadership, along with the evolution of ethics within business organizations as a whole. If possible, use your own organization. Using your organization will give you both access and insight. It is recommended to use a pseudonym. If you are unable to use your organization, choose one from the list below:

Wells Fargo
BP Oil
Enron
You may use PowerPoint, Excel, or any other program you are comfortable with to create your timeline. Include a minimum of 10 events within your timeline. Be sure to explain why you chose each moment in time and how it changed organizational ethics for the better or worse.

Length: one timeline with brief explanations of each event, not including title or reference pages

References: Include a minimum of 5 scholarly resources. You may include your references in your timeline or on a separate document.