Core Global Issues

This essay will discuss selected core global issues related to the livestock and agricultural businesses, focusing on, when not run ethically and sustainably, their harm to the environment, their relation to global water scarcity, the destabilization of communities through child labor and the inhumane treatment of animals and this is just to name a few. It will then go on to discuss ways in which these companies can behave ethically and that it is achievable through sustainable and ethical practices when companies do not think solely about profit.

‘The demand to produce low-cost animal agricultural products has caused animal agribusinesses to treat animals as objects and commodities' (Veganoutreach.org, 2014) and in the Journal of animal Science,

(Fraser, 2016), states that animal agriculture is portrayed as extremely harmful to animal welfare and pig production is just one example of this, with 70- 90% of market pigs being kept tethered by the neck.

Moreover, the agriculture industry is contributing significantly to global water scarcity. The growing demands placed on the worldwide water supply threaten biodiversity and the supply of water for food production and other imperative human necessities. Water scarcities already exist in countless regions, with in excess of one billion people deprived of adequate drinking water. Agriculture consumes around 70% of fresh water globally; for instance, 1000 liters of water are required in order to produce 1 kilogram of cereal grain, and 43,000 Liters are required to produce 1 kg of beef. (PIMENTEL et al., 2004).

Furthermore, according to (Beyer, 2012), globally, the youngest agricultural participants are those who go along with their parents or other family members during agricultural happenings. They may be slung on their mothers' backs while planting or weeding or may be strolling around the rows of various plants. Once these children 5 and under, they can be weeding or harvesting. This is child labor, and many companies import from overseas when considering cost effectiveness, without taking into account that, globally 60 % of all child laborers from 5 years and over, work in agriculture, this includes farming, fishing and livestock (Ilo.org, 2016).

Although, impossible to eliminate these severe issues caused globally by livestock and agribusinesses, as it would mean the entire world must become vegan, which is impossible and absurd to suggest or implement and which would also switch from whether companies are being ethical to whether people, in general, are being ethical. However, consumers who practice green or ethical consumerism can help achieve sustainability, (Elliott, Rundle-Thiele, and Waller, 2014), and, although whether consumers are behaving ethically or not when making their purchasing choices, is not controlled directly by the agribusinesses themselves, companies should contribute by behaving ethically and setting the right example by encouraging their consumers to do the right thing and they can do this in a number of different ways. Firstly, it has been stated that animal producers are driven, solely by making profit and not by any compassion for animals or customary morals of animal care (Fraser, 2016), however, (Kinicki, Scott-Ladd, and Perry, n.d.), suggest that to be a good global corporate citizen is at the top of the corporate social responsibility pyramid (something that enterprises should aspire to do on top of all other obligations), alongside to be ethical, and to obey the law, with economic responsibility (to be profitable) at the very bottom. Therefore, companies can and should apply these priorities and in the right order considering they create environmental problems through the operation of their business.

They can start through implementing a good value system whereby the organization plans, organizes, leads and controls the organizations ethical behavior.

For example, Woolworth Pty Ltd set a Sustainability Strategy in 2007 (Woolworthslimited.com.au, 2012), which set a range of goals for the business to improve its sustainability and reduce its impact on the environment. A couple of key issues the strategy put in place were to reduce their water usage by 200 million liters per year and to develop and implement policies for ethical sourcing including animal welfare and the use of palm oil which lawfully, they should be doing already as globally and domestically, governments have responded to the challenge of global food markets and decreased safety interpretations of consumers by suggesting new legislation and regulations which should ensure safe and animal-friendly production and save resources (Poetz, Haas, and Balzarova, 2012). To organize the tasks, people, and other resources in order to make these goals happen Woolworths Pty Limited, assured their farmers, producers and facilities were using water as sustainably as possible through improved fittings, equipment, and infrastructure. Woolworths Pty Limited led by example to influence their employees and suppliers, to work hard in order to maintain these ethical practices and finally they controlled these ethical goals by monitoring the progress of these goals using a third party factory audit program (Anon,

2012).
If successful, sustainable value systems like these run by all agricultural corporations would make a vast difference towards global environmental issues and would help corporations meet humanity's needs without harming future generations. Moreover, according to (Elliott, Rundle-Thiele, and Waller, 2014), good corporate responsibility engages in taking care of the environment and employees, this can contribute to an organization in upholding and increasing profit. Thus, organizations can beneficially increase profit through the implementation and maintenance of ethical and sustainable practice.

Another way companies can act ethically and set a good example for its' consumers is through philanthropy, which is at the very top of the corporate social responsibility pyramid.

According to (Kinicki, Scott-Ladd, and Perry, n.d.), philanthropy is ‘making charitable donations towards organizations which benefit mankind'. Thus, agribusinesses can lead by example through donating to nonprofit organizations, which work towards reducing these global environmental issues, therefore showing their consumers and society at large that they are in fact giving back to the community and the environment. For example, Dick Smith Foods donated $1 million to charity in 2014 alone (Dicksmithfoods.com.au, 2016). To decide, to which charities, Dick Smith Foods encouraged supporters to take a photograph with any Dick Smith Food product and email it through along with a nomination for the charity they wished to nominate. Some of the charities, which received donations include, For the Animals Inc, Sunshine Butterflies Inc and Can Too Foundation. This is a precise example of philanthropy and a company behaving ethically, as it gave the consumers a chance to engage in the companies ethical practices and have a say in where their money

goes.

In conclusion, this essay has outlined selected global issues caused by the livestock and agriculture industry and has listed ways in which companies, if socially responsible and sustainable can, in fact, behave ethically through implementing and maintaining a good value system, making philanthropic donations, assuring they are using ethical sourcing of products and that their suppliers are behaving sustainably, and as a result they can become more successful and increase profit, as consumers are more inclined to purchase from a company they believe is doing the right thing.