Sustainability and Ethics in Business: A Case Study of Apple Inc.

SUSTAINABILITY AND
ETHICS

Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Ethical Business Decisions: A Literature Review.....................................................................2
Ethical Business Decisions in Apple..........................................................................................4
Ethics in Small Business............................................................................................................5
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................6
References..................................................................................................................................7

Introduction
The Merriam Webster Dictionary provides the definition for the term “ethics” as the
framework dealing with what is good and bad, and thereby governing the conduct of
individuals as well as the organisations in context of generic obligations, legal rules, and the
moral principles (Merriam Webster Dictionary, 2018). Thus, when an action has the capacity
to influence the lives of others, the ethical framework directs the behaviour. As a part of the
society, every individual as well as entity is subjected to the ethical frameworks, which
makes the term ethic all pervasive. In business context, it is fundamental to note that over the
years, there is an increment in the business complexities and globalised business practices
characterised by the multiple hierarchal corporate structures. As a result, a greater
responsibility has been placed on the businesses to design and implement their objectives to
be in line with the environmental wellbeing, societal wellbeing, and the contemplation over
range of aspirations of varied groups of the stakeholders (Barry, 2016).
The work is aimed at exploring the various facets of ethics and sustainability in context of the
globalised business environment. The case study of one of the most popular global companies
Apple Inc. has been taken as the central focus of the work. Further, the differentiation in the
ethical framework for the small business is elaborated.
Ethical Business Decisions: A Literature Review
In the context of the business enterprises, it is imperative to note that decision making is a
chief characteristic of management in all categories of organizations. In the words of Melé
(2010), the business decision making refers to a process by which a definition is laid down in
relation to the applicable business environment and one or more objectives are structured to
address the said problem. Incorporation of ethics in the decision making processes is
fundamental not only for the long term success and growth of the enterprise but also to
address the aspirations of the shareholders. There are several theories prescribed that guide
the managers to design policies and implement ethics in business decisions, thereby
establishing an overall backbone of the principle of a firm.
Ethical theories
The ethical theory of utilitarianism is empirical in the context of ethical business decisions.
According to the said theory, a business entity must act (through the management) in a way
that serves the interests and wellbeing of stakeholders at large. Thus, a right business decision