Exploring the Impact of Ethical Theories on Human Rights and Supply Chains

Theories of ethics can help mitigate the negative impact on human rights by organizations implementing and upholding these theories. The three main ethical theories are utilitarian, rights-based, and virtue-based. However, each theory has its challenges when faced with changing conditions or situations. For instance, utilitarianism may require making different decisions based on moods, while rights-based approaches may rely on societal determinants. Virtue-based approaches can't hold where a change in character or reputation is inevitable. The importance of due diligence and responsible procurement methods cannot be overstated, as they can improve ethical conduct within suppliers. Ultimately, organizations must comply with United Nations and human rights rules, and adopt reporting mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability.

What can be Done to Remedy the Injustice, Who Should Do it and Why? 1
What can be done to remedy the injustice, who should do it, and why?
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Introduction
A supply chain is a sequence of interconnected business processes that are involved in the
production of goods and services and their distribution to various parts. Like other entities
and environments that people interact, the supply chain is also vulnerable to violation of
human right. Breach of human rights is activities rendered by an organization or individual
that denies those that depends on the service their privileges. Some of these fundamental
principles at the place of work has been identified by the international labour organization,
and are universal. According to the UN, businesses have a responsibility about adverse
human right impacts that occur through their relationships. They include a relationship with
business partners, entities in its value chain, and other entities connected to the business
operation, services or products. Businesses should side-step contributing to adverse human
right impacts through their activities.Also, in the supply chain and procurement process, the
company should mitigate the negative effects that are connected to their operation, products
or business services by their business relation even if they have not in any way contributed to
those impacts (Donaldson & Dunfee 1999, p.35).
Adverse impacts on the human right are vulnerable to all levels and stages of enterprise
supply chain, and they range from direct suppliers to small companies outsourced to supply
the goods and raw materials to direct supplier. Unbearable working conditions, human
trafficking in the name of employment, forced labour issues have been the conventional
focuses in the supply chain. However, the current focus has stressed on the right to safe
environment and right to personal space and privacy in business supply chains. The need to
address the violation of these rights was brought by the exposure of these injustices in the
supply chain of some companies in the developing countries, and the movements have been
spearheaded by NGOs and the media and accepted globally in supplies factories. Therefore

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business entities have positively responded and complied with these programs that are aimed
at establishing employer's safety and health standards in their global supply chain.
Ruggie's due diligence framework and guiding principles have not only been endorsed by the
UN Human right council but also welcomed by the enterprises and civil societies. This
framework focuses on neutral grounds and collective solutions to encountered problems in
joining compulsory and charitable methodologies, the framework majors on helping
organizations in working a plan within the business system of risk controlling. A business
enterprise who operates in Central America Coffee sector should incorporate due diligence in
mitigating danger of violating human rights. This is because due diligent has been proved as a
standard method. The business entity can use the tertiary party to carry out due diligent. This
will enable it to identify and act on deception that the organization on its cannot detect. The
enterprise will also detect corruption within the supply chain and amongst their business
partners. The moment these malpractices are established, the organization can then analyze
and act in an appropriate manner (Beauchamp et.al, 2004, p.45). The international standards
and the national law in context to Central America Coffee sector will act as the guiding
principles in punishing those involved in these dishonest and unethical dealings. The motive
of due diligence has not only concentrated on coping with risks that directly impact the
success of an organization, but also it is currently acknowledged that this crooked business
practices harm the social, economic and political atmosphere in which the organization
functions. Any potential harm to people of a business undertaking must be recognized
through the due diligence process. In addition to this, it can be said that overall working in
context to Central America Coffee sector can be improved through application of Ruggie's
due. It also allows to ensure that proper standards are being well maintained in regard to the
violation activities. By having application of Ruggie's due the issues can also be resolved in
appropriate manner. Along with this, it has been noticed that working of sector can also be

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improved in regard to sustainable development. Environmental factors also need to be
consider so that issues can be resolved. It also allows in make sure that human rights are well
maintained so that goals and objectives can be accomplished in desired manner.
The corporate actor using due diligence should not only restrict themselves in just detecting
the injustices on human caused by themselves and their counterparts, but also use the
principles in avoiding this undesirable harm in the supply chain in the event of harmful
results happening; due diligence is supposed to give the base for remediation. Also, due
diligence in the supply chain is anticipated to be a continuous development, denoting that
businesses have to establish a lasting human right risk watching function. As a final point
focusing on the range of due diligence requirements the executing body in the organization
needs to be multi-functional. It should cover their doings as well as those of their business
partners, suppliers, and producers. Government and Non-Government agencies that are
relating to the Central America Coffee sector should also be incorporated in this chain
because they also violate the human rights in their undertakings especially when they are
headed by a corrupt officer.
At the end of the supply chain, corporate actors should have an integrated system to endorse
a corporate social responsibility to honour human rights. Since when an organization takes
upon themselves to respect human right, they form a crucial support in establishing the duty
of the government to protecting against its citizen abuse by business enterprises. It will also
mean that the state will also be relieved the worries of its people being mishandled since
those affected will have access to an adequate remedy from co-operating social
responsibility, for instance, a business operating in the marginal areas of Central America
Coffee sector will consider bringing social amenities to their workers such as water, roads,
and health facilities.

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The government should make and amend laws relating to business enterprise operating
within their jurisdiction by enforcing the law doesn't mean that the state which makes them
should not comply with the system when involved in the human violation. An organization of
Central America Coffee sector that establishes a working due to diligence will receive a
status for the responsibility of protecting human right.
Ethical theories also represent the perspectives from which many organization turns to for
guidance as they make decisions relating to human right protection and respect. These
theories direct business enterprises to the most ethically accepted resolution within the
guidelines provided by the used theory. These theories include rights, virtues, utilitarianism
and deontology (Bishop 2000, p.565).
Theory of Deontology
The theory of deontology gives guidelines on how individuals should adhere to their duties
when making decisions where ethics are critical. This is because each person will have to
follow his or her duty to the society because upholding these obligations is what is regarded
as ethically correct. Each business carrying out its activities in a region must embrace this
principle of duty towards the society; the people here are the main reason why the business
should thrive. It should be well understood that without the society the business can operate.
The community interests should be fulfilled by the firm; it should create jobs and pay their
workers' salaries that will uplift the standards or live in the region (Rossouw 2010, p.100)
Theory of Utilitarianism
The organization should also apply the ethical theory of utilitarianism which is based on the
ability of the entity to forecast the outcome of an action. The organization in its aim of
safeguarding the rights of people in the supply chain should be able to predict the end results
of its action to the people. Also, it should bear in mind the impacts that will be felt by those

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around, and in this regard, the business entity should focus on activities that promise benefits
to most people in the supply chain (Bishop 2000, p.565). This should not be influenced by
personal emotions or societal restraints like the law. Also, a rule utilitarian should be adopted
since it aims at being advantageous to most people through the just means. Rule utilitarian
upholds justice and includes beneficence. Therefore, an organization in their quest to
eradicate injustices within the supply chain must advocate and uphold the practice to always
acting right to the benefit of the society and being fair to all stakeholders. The most enterprise
that uses this ethical theory that concerns with getting utmost goodness have prospered and
have made more profits than their counterparts that defy it. Thus, the corporate rights may be
infringed so that majority of people in the supply chain can benefit.
Theory of rights
In a societal environment rights are considered to be ethically correct and valid since they are
accepted by a significant population. Business entities in their pursuit to comply with the
international guidelines of human right protection and compliance must bestow rights
towards people in the supply chain. If the organization is big, it should avail certain resources
to the society. For instance, if the entity has established schools in a locality it should make it
a right for members of the community to have access to education. In this case, the parents
and the children will know that they have been given highest priority and will take advantage
of it. Other kids from other neighbourhood will have to pay something small to foot the bill.
In this scenario, the organization has to determine and establish which right to uphold and
give to the society.
Theory of Virtue
Business entities in their pursuit to comply with the ethical practice within the supply chain
should use virtue ethical theory which judges the entity by its character and reputation rather

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than its one action that may have deviated from what it usually does. The organization should
strictly stay within its principles in carrying out business in an area so that in case they do
something that is unusual the partners won't judge them wrongly. The people involved in the
entity will consider past acts, reputation, and motivation when rating the irregular that is not
ethical. Therefore the injustices committed once will not make the organization to be hated.
Consequently, the business firm should not take advantage of this theory and stakeholders
involved in the entity should be very keen in judging the organization to learn any alteration
in morality (Hasnas 1998, p.20).
Conclusion
The theories of ethics will help in mitigating the negative impact on human rights. The
organizations which implement and uphold these theories have made a great contribution to
the society and the partners. The theory of utilitarian faces challenges when a business
experiences a set of changing conditions. The change may lead to a change in the decision
since one may have to make a different decision depending on the moods. For the theory of
rights the enterprises will have to determine the rights it wishes to have and those that it
doesn't. This places the organization at the mercies of the society since they are the
determinants. Finally, the theory of virtue can't hold where a change in character or
reputation is inevitable. Company's encounters real challenges in ensuring human rights are
protected, and uphold modern slavery and subjecting minors to working should never find
their way to the supply chain. Not many companies can see behold their initial tier of supply,
and many commodities and services are sourced from regions where human rights are not
respected. Buying power indicates that responsible procurement methods can improve ethical
conducts within the suppliers where risks are many.

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Success in coming up with ways that can remedy the injustices fully depend on the
organization need to comply with the set standards for the United Nations and human rights
rules. As reporting on human rights deviates from being voluntary to a must requirement,
due diligence according to Ruggie must become a business slogan. Since the adoption of
current registration slavery in the name of employment and supply chain business has to
announce their due diligence practices. The statements will be utilized by stakeholders and
the public on how it performs.
Also, most businesses don't have information on their suppliers beyond their tiers of the food
chain. Not seeing the source to retail, entities may not know the human right violation that is
integrated into their supply chain. Business companies cannot claim to be ignorant since
consumers and major stakeholders hold the business responsible for all the working force
which is involved in the final output.
The companies are advised to invest highly on due diligence and business ethics since the
public has known their rights. The media and the world as a whole have focused on the need
for all people involved to be aware of their rights and to report any employer who might
violate them. In response to this, many companies have invested much in ensuring that they
get the approach right from the start. As a result, they have invested time and resources in
training their staff to avoid the practices that violate human rights. Therefore before any
undertaking companies should have a clear plan on how to execute their activities for
maximum profit and benefit to the stakeholders. Good business practices benefit the society
at large.

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References
Beauchamp, T.L., Bowie, N.E. and Arnold, D.G. eds., 2004. Ethical theory and business.
Hasnas, J., 1998. The normative theories of business ethics: A guide for the
perplexed. Business Ethics Quarterly, 8(01), pp.19-42.
Bishop, J.D., 2000. A framework for discussing normative theories of business
ethics. Business Ethics Quarterly, 10(03), pp.563-591.
Eon Rossouw, D. and Van Vuuren, L., 2010. Business ethics. Oxford University Press, 2010.
Donaldson, T. and Dunfee, T.W., 1999. Ties that bind: A social contracts approach business
ethics. Harvard Business Press.