Whirlpool Corporation – A Lawful, Ethical, and CSR Minded Business
Whirlpool Corporation – A Lawful, Ethical, and CSR Minded Business
During the past several years global companies, like Whirlpool Corporation, have gained global awareness of the complex and evolving legal, ethical, and social expectations of their stakeholders. While many companies have started to tackle these new set of requirements by modifying their mission statements, business policies, and workplace practices, leadership companies continue to wrestle with the challenge of integrating these three vital topics into their overall business operation. Companies that successfully integrate plans to incorporate the legal, ethical and corporate social responsibility concerns within all areas of their business stand to gain financial and social benefits through the identification of new business opportunities, the strengthening of their brands and corporate reputation, the attraction and retention of top employees, and the recognition as a trusted partner (Integrating CSR: New Risks, New Rewards, 2004).
In this particular paper, the author will attempt to describe how legal issues, ethics, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) impacts the management planning of Whirlpool Corporation.
Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of over $13 billion. They employ 68,000 people, and have nearly 50 manufacturing and technology research centers around the globe. The company markets Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Brastemp, Bauknecht, Consul and other major brand names to consumers in more than 170 countries. Whirlpool Corporation is also the principal supplier to Sears, Roebuck and Co., of many major home appliances marketed under the Kenmore brand name (Fast Facts, 2005).
Embedded in Whirlpool Corporation and their Board of Directors is the deeply held value that continues to guide them: "There is no right way to do a wrong thing" (Continuing Legacy, 2005). This basic code of conduct underlies the company's long tradition of strong and independent corporate governance. Whirlpool's Board of Directors is currently comprised of eleven directors, nine of whom are indepen...
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...al responsibility and education. Retrieved
June 25, 2005, from http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/social_responsibility_education.html.
References
Whirlpool Corporation. (2005). Social responsibility and the environment. Retrieved June 25, 2005, from http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/social_responsibility_enviroment.html.
Whirlpool Corporation. (2005). Social responsibility and mexico. Retrieved
June 25, 2005, from http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/social_responsibility_mexico.html.
Whitman, D. (2003, April). Building a global loyal following. Retrieved
June 26, 2005, from http://static.highbeam.com/a/appliance/april012003/buildingagloballoyalfollowing.
Yahoo Finance. (June, 2005). DiversityInc. magazine recognizes whirlpool for diversity strengths. Retrieved June 25, 2005, from http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050616/deth006.html?.v=14.
Under what conditions might the parties to the alliance discussed in this case dissolve or end the relationship?
This causes businesses to be held accountable for the ethical and social missteps. The consequences of their strategies, such as the working conditions of Foxconn and the implications of a new Walmart on the surrounding environment, are something managers should be concerned with as many consumers will boycott a business because of unethical decisions by managers. Managers should find themselves completely responsible for the implications of the strategies they have put into place. It is important for managers to understand the ethics and social issues of the day and incorporate those into a business strategy that will continue to allow competitive advantage while remaining socially responsible (Carroll,
An organization’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) drives them to look out for the different interests of society. Most business corporations undertake responsibility for the impact of their organizational pursuits and various activities on their customers, employees, shareholders, communities and the environment. With the high volume of general competition between different companies and organizations in varied fields, CSR has become a morally imperative commitment, more than one enforced by the law. Most organizations in the modern world willingly try to improve the general well-being of not only their employees, but also their families and the society as a whole.
Whirlpool corp. is a home appliance company, that make $21B a year and ship their products to more than 170 countries (Whirlpool, 2015). Whirlpool’s products also classify as shopping goods, they are more expensive the convenience goods and bough less frequently. Every now and then they introduce new or updated products. An example of an updated product is a refrigerator with anti-bacterial surfaces.
While going through my academic program, I have learned the importance of organizations having to integrate strategic planning in accordance with ethics and social responsibility practices; it is necessary for an organization’s survival. As such, an organization needs to implement its mission, strategy, and vision while considering the stakeholders and general public. My academic program has brought me to this realization and provided me with a means to effectively associate the implications of an organization’s ethics and social responsibility from a strategic perspective. When integrated effectively, establishing these components within the organization’s strategic plan has the capacity to largely benefit the organization's daily operations, which in turn, affect overall profit.
McDonalds’ corporation is a leader in the fast food industry. Nonetheless, the corporation website has some drawbacks I terms of detailing the company’s social responsibility statements. As opposed to Starbucks, which delineates in a more precise manner its social responsibility statements, McDonald’s does not show its commitment in a clear way. Here are some of the aspects that were impressive when analyzing Starbucks business ethics and compliance standards of business conduct booklet.
Every business entity has social responsibilities. The four theories of social responsibility are the maximization of profits, moral minimum, stakeholder interest and corporate citizenship. Social responsibility goes hand in hand in regard to a company’s ethical standing. As a company, it’s crucial to have high ethical standards. The Ethisphere Institute ranks businesses annually to be named on their honorable and highly recognized list of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. These organizations are evaluated in terms of their ethics and compliance programs, corporate citizenship and responsibility, culture of ethics, governance and leadership, and innovation and reputation. One of the companies
While keeping in mind they are a business which rely on profits. Walmart is a popular company that is known for their low prices. This corporation is also known for giving back to communities by making charitable contributions of 100,000 grants annually, as well providing disaster relief to various countries burdened by disasters and donated $100 million dollars to neighborhoods and law enforcement agencies. They also provide employees with college grants to obtain a two or four year college degree, Walmart is investing in their employees by giving them an advantage in their future. Walmart has also found ways to reduce waste by creating materials that are nontoxic and are recyclable friendly. With the use of sustainability, strategic philanthropy, causing marketing, shared values and stakeholder that is why this company was ranked number one by Forbes list in
In recent years, companies are becoming socially responsible and now stakeholders almost expect a company to have CSR policies. Therefore, in twentieth century, corporate social responsibility (CSR) became an important development in public life (Barnett, ND).Corporate social responsibility is defined as “the ways in which an organisation exceeds the minimum obligations to stakeholders specified through regulation and corporate governance” (Johnson, Schools and Whittington, N.D cited in March, 2012). Stakeholders can be defined as “those individuals or groups who depend on the organisation to fulfil their own goals and on whom, in turn, the organisation depends” (Johnson, Schools and Whittington, N.D cited in March, 2012). There are many purposes for this essay, the first purpose is to descried the key principles of corporate social responsibility and explain their importance for stakeholders. Secondly, is to show how far this company follows those principles in order to be accountable to at least three of its stakeholders. In this essay, three stakeholders, environment, customers and employees will be evaluated respectively and the key principles of the stakeholders will be examined.
There was a great article, written by Advocacy Editors titled “Whirlpool Corporation: Invested in Diversity” (September 3, 2013), that goes into great detail explaining how Whirlpool maintains its diverse workplace. Whirlpool employs more than twenty-two thousand workers in the United States, which puts in perspective just how massive this corporation truly is. The article speaks on Whirlpool’s support of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community, and their efforts to make sure they experience a friendly and accepting work environment. In an attempt to create a more accepting and tolerant work environment, Whirlpool has been holding seminars for its employees, praising the importance of diversity in the workplace. Whirlpool
Many laws have been put into place to make sure corporations act ethically, so they do not harm people or the environment. Corporations have a social responsibility to follow these laws and various other ethical actions; Johnson & Johnson, considered to be one of the most admirable companies according to Fortune, is one company that included their corporate social responsibilities in their code of ethics. Their code of ethics states that executive officers cannot financially benefit from unethical transactions or that their management must be competent and ethical (Code of Business Conduct, 2015). It is important for corporations to act ethically and hold up to their social responsibility, especially within the workplace; ethics are especially
Consideration of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) would be a start in analyzing if this trend is ethical or unethical. Extra attention on legal responsibilities, ethical responsibilities, and philanthropic responsibilities were
Corporations deal with a wide variety of social issues and problems; some directly related to their operations, some are not. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) can be defined as “the actions of an organization that are targeted toward achieving a social benefit over and above maximizing profits for its shareholders and meeting all its legal obligations” (Ghillyer 78). If this is the case, establishing appropriate and practical ethical guidelines in the workplace seems to be a reasonable request as a basis for corporate operations. Wal-Mart should be an example in determining what constitutes the values associated with its fundamental purpose of Corporate Social Responsibility. The four components of CSR are financial, legal, ethical, and philanthropic (Barnett). These areas of CSR ought to exist within every company’s infrastructure; however, the organization’s primary focus is usually on performance and profit not on social conscientiousness.
In today’s fast paced business world many managers face tough decisions when walking the thin line between what’s legal and what’s socially unacceptable. It is becoming more and more important for organisations to consider many more factors, especially ethically, other than maximising profits in order to be more competitive or even survive in today’s business arena. The first part of this essay will discuss managerial ethics[1] and the relevant concepts and theories that affect ethical decision making, such as the Utilitarian, Individualism, Moral rights approach theories, the social responsibility of organisations to stakeholders and their responses to social demands, with specific reference to a case study presenting an ethical dilemma[2], where Mobil halts product sales to a garage, forcing the garage owner to stop selling solvents to young people. The second section of this essay will focus on advice that should be given to any manager in a similar position to the garage owner with relevance to the organisational strategic management, the corporate objective and the evaluation of corporate social performance by measuring economic, legal, ethical and discretionary responsibilities. It will address whom to think of as stakeholders and why the different aspect could cost more than a manager or an organisation could have imagined.
A company has an economic obligation. It must earn a favorable return for its stockholders in the restrictions of the law. But, corporate social responsibility means that organizations have also ethical and societal responsibilities that go past their economic responsibilities. CSR needs organizations to develop their documentations of their responsibilities to include other stakeholders such as workers, customers, suppliers, local societies, state governments, international organizations, etc. Ethics could be seen as a fundamental component of individual and group activities at the heart of organizations’ errands.