Virtue Ethics:Current Business in Monsanto- Essay.
According to the suggestions of Aristotle when developing the theory of virtue ethics, the virtue of a person acting is, to a significant degree, an important factor than the ethical duties and responsibilities that guide his action. Virtue ethics, therefore, is an important instrument that can be used to analyze a variety of ethical problems in society. Virtue Ethics:Current Business in Monsanto- Essay.Due to the growing local and global population and insufficiency of food resources, the option of producing genetically modified foods to fill the gap has highly been adopted and practiced in the country. However, as Landrigan and Benbrook (2015) observe, there some ethical concerns associated with GMOs thereby affecting public support and triggering controversies and regulations regarding the matter. The issue involving ethical concerns with GMOs has put Monsanto (a leading producer of genetically engineered crops and one of the first groups to introduce genes in plants) on the map. Virtue Ethics:Current Business in Monsanto- Essay.
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Major ethical issues tied to GMOs and linked to some of the controversies that have hit the company include allergies and diseases and damage to the environment. Kamle and Ali (2013) explain that a critical ethical concern with GM foods is their potential to trigger diseases and allergies in humans. Monsanto has faced controversies over the claims that its herbicides and engineered products might be carcinogens, a risk factor for cancer in humans. In addition to these, the production of these food products is feared to damage the environment in the sense that the use of agrochemicals and biotechnology pollutes the environment. 2013 alone saw Monsanto get sued and settle multiple times for damaging the health of its employees and residents near its Superfund sites through both pollution and poisoning. (Ferrell & Fraedrich, 2015) Virtue Ethics:Current Business in Monsanto- Essay.
For Monsanto, therefore, regarding virtue ethics, the question of whether the company is virtuous comes up. The company is known for being among the first to introduce genes in plants and going ahead to become one of the largest producers of GMOs (Korthals, 2015). Through this, Monsanto has faced a long list of controversial issues stemming from violations of ethics. These series of events and the magnitude of the problems involved only proves that Monsanto is not a virtuous company. According to Bruni and Sugden (2013), virtue ethics focuses on the virtues or moral characters of a person or an organization. Virtue Ethics:Current Business in Monsanto- Essay.Therefore, the moral good that the theoretical framework provides is that an organization must uphold the best interests of various stakeholders at heart, especially those of consumers, employees and the community.
In response to the increasing issues surrounding GMOs, the government has decided to regulate the production and sale of the products under US department of agriculture (USDA), food and administration (FDA) and environmental protection agency (EPA). Vigani and Olper (2013) assert that each of the mentioned agencies regulate genetically engineered crops from different points of view. EPA, for instance, governs the use of biopesticides under the federal insecticide, fungicide, and rodenticide act (FIFRA). FDA, on the other hand, ensures the GM food products in the market are safe for human and animal consumption. Considering some legal proceedings against Monsanto and the legal obligations the company has faced regarding the issue at hand, demonstrate the level of effectiveness of these laws. However, the fact that the company still exists and operates regardless of the long list of controversial cases it has faced not only locally but also in the global market raises the question of government’s position on promoting safety and adherence to codes of ethics. Virtue Ethics:Current Business in Monsanto- Essay.
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References
Bruni, L., & Sugden, R. (2013). Reclaiming virtue ethics for economics. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 27(4), 141-64.
Ferrell, O. C., & Fraedrich, J. (2015). Business ethics: Ethical decision making & cases. Nelson Education.
Kamle, S., & Ali, S. (2013). Genetically modified crops: detection strategies and biosafety issues. Gene, 522(2), 123-132. Virtue Ethics:Current Business in Monsanto- Essay.
Korthals, M. (2015). Ethics of food production and consumption. The Oxford Handbook of Food, Politics, and Society, 1-15.
Landrigan, P. J., & Benbrook, C. (2015). GMOs, herbicides, and public health. New England Journal of Medicine, 373(8), 693-695.
Vigani, M., & Olper, A. (2013). GMO standards, endogenous policy and the market for information. Food Policy, 43, 32-43. Virtue Ethics:Current Business in Monsanto- Essay.