British Airways and Ethical Consumerism: A Business Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of ethical consumerism and its impact on British Airways. It begins by defining ethical consumerism and its growing importance, highlighting the increasing consumer awareness of environmental issues. The report then reviews British Airways' efforts to control pollution, focusing on initiatives such as fleet modernization with more fuel-efficient aircraft, noise reduction strategies, and waste management practices. An opinion survey is included to gauge consumer perspectives on price, quality, and environmental considerations when making purchasing decisions. The report concludes that ethical consumerism is rising and recommends further research and collaboration to enhance environmental efforts within the airline industry. The report emphasizes the benefits of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for both society and business.

STUDY SKILLS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Ethical consumerism is the new concept that is attracting attention of the business firms and
affecting its profitability. There are number of people across the globe that are not using products
that are spreading harmful pollutants in natural environment. Detail discussion is carried out on
the steps that are taken by British Airways to protect environment. It is identified on the basis of
entire work that CSR can be used by the firms to make available environment friendly products
to the people. This not only benefits society but also give huge benefit to the business firms.
Hence, it is inevitable for the firms to carry out environment protection measures to protect
natural environment.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
Ethical consumerism...................................................................................................................4
Company review.........................................................................................................................5
Opinion survey............................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
Recommendation.............................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
This report is prepared on ethical consumerism and efforts made by the firms to control
pollution. In the report, British Airways is taken and detail discussion is carried on its pollution
control measures. First of all ethical consumerism is discussed and thereafter, company review is
done. In middle part of report opinion survey is done and results of questionnaire are presented
on this section. In end part of the report, conclusion and recommendations are given. This is
entire structure of the report and in all these sections critical discussion is carried out on each and
every activity that is carried out by the British Airways to control all sort of pollution that
occurring due to its operations. In these sections the benefits that firm is reaping from such kind
of programs from business point of view are also discussed in detail.
Ethical consumerism
Ethical consumerism means purchasing a products that minimize the damage to the natural
environment. There are many things that fall in ethical category like financial products, vehicles
and cosmetics items. Financial products comes in ethical category because there are number of
provisions and rules and regulations related to these products. Marketing personnel does not
provide information about each and every provision and some times customer face loss. Due to
this reason financial products comes in ethical category (Becker, 2012). Vehicles are major
contributor of air pollution and this is the reason due to which they comes in ethical category. It
is very important for business firms to make sure that they are producing a products that are
preventing damage to the natural environment. Strategy of producing green products has
multidimensional benefits to the business firms. This is because in today era awareness about
natural environment and damage to same by emission of pollution is increasing (Noise and air
quality, 2016). If firms take some measures to reduce this negative impact then it create good
image of the firm among the people. Apart from this on the basis of environment protection
measures firm can do its marketing and can create its environment friendly image. These
environment protection measures that are taken by the firm counts under CSR or corporate social
responsibility activities (Ciulla, 2011). Hence, it can be said that environment protection
measures taken by the firm give multiple benefits to the firm. It is helping firm in creating its
distinct and good image among the people and government as well as other business
stakeholders.

In many nations like UK there is growing awareness among people about green products.
In the research report it was identified that out of three people at least one like to make use of
green products. It can be said that on large scale non environment products are boycotted by the
people (Climate change, 2016). This entire situation is creating by challenges and opportunities
for the firms. Those company's that are manufacturing and distributing green products are
earning huge profit in there business and they are creating there goodwill in the market. On other
hand, those company's that are not paying any attention on green product concept either losing
there market share or same is increasing at very slow pace. It can be said that it become very
important for the business firms to produce products that are are not harming natural
environment in any way.
Company review
British airways is the one of the largest UK best airline in the world. Mentioned firm
have large fleet size and it is currently operating in number of routes. Earlier, British airways was
known for its unethical practice and due to this reason its customers face lots of problems.
Gradually, firm start paying attention on its weak point and now it is one of the main company of
the UK that is known for ethics. Value system of the British Airways is good and it keeps
customers on its heart and is fully committed towards providing good services to the people at its
airplane (De George, 2011). There are number of things that comes in ethics of an organization.
In case of British Airways it is observed that it place its customers on its heart and in respect to
this it is focusing on reducing harm to the natural environment to great extent. It understand that
protection of environment is its ethical liability and one of its corporate social responsibility. In
this regard it is making efforts to control air and noise pollution. It prepare an action which
includes the development of new low carbon fuels, emissions control and environment projects
in which are funded by the people. In respect to control of emission from airplanes it make
purchase of new aircraft's like Airbus and Boeing. Airbus A380 that is owned by British
Airways release 16% less emission in comparison to replaced aircraft on per seat basis. On other
hand, Boeing 787 is also energy efficient and it release 20% less emission from airplane. As part
of environment protection measures British Airways is giving donations to the renewable energy
projects of UK (Burton and Goldsby, 2010). Firm is giving people an opportunity to donate fund
for these projects through British Airways. Thus, it can be said that not only firm is involved in

fulfilling its ethical responsibilities but it is also providing opportunity to the people to
participate in energy conservation programs.
Noise pollution is another thing that is putting very negative impact on natural
environment. British Airways is focusing on controlling noise pollution and in this regard it set a
target to control level of noise by 15% from its airplanes. In this regard, British Airways is
following a strategy under which is removing old airplanes from service and replace them by
new airplanes. The main attention is given on reducing sound the produced when flight take off
and landed on airport. In this regard firm is providing support to the UK Air traffic control
service under program “Continuous climb departures”. Attempt is made to enable airplanes to
climb away from ground as fast as possible so as to control noise level at ground level. In order
to reduce noise pollution while airplanes are landing on airport “Continuous descent approach” is
followed and under this aircraft's are landed at constant speed and rate of descent which is
reducing noise pollution and usage of fuel (Corporate responsibility, 2016). Firm get huge
success in this approach and in Heathrow 96% of its landings are successfully following this
approach.
Third approach that firm is following on controlling pollution is waste management and
under this it is dealing with waste that is generating from different areas. As part of waste
management policy firm is recycling its wastes first of all and then same is filled in land. Non
recyclable waste are also processed in order to make sure that pollution from waste remain in
control from firm side. In this regard, 50% of waste are recycled by the the firm at Heathrow and
Gatwick. Main target of firm is to increase this percentage to 70% in upcoming years. It can be
said that British Airways is taking multiple steps to control air and noise pollution.
Opinion survey
The results of opinion survey reflects that most of respondents know about concept of
consumer behavior. Out of 15 respondents 14 agree that they have knowledge of consumer
behavior concept. Medium number of respondents state that they give priority to both price and
quality while making purchase decisions. This reflects that it is very important for firms to
provide good quality service at reasonable price. Apart from price and quality opinion given by
friends and relatives as reference group is another factor that is affecting consumer behavior of
the people. On the basis of comparison of opinions given by the respondents it can be said that
price and quality are internal factors that affects people decisions but advise given by

respondents is an other factor that is influencing people purchase decisions. These results are in
favor of British Airways because by carrying out CSR or environment protection activities it
create its good image among the people. Thus, if reference group will recommend one for
booking a seat at British airlines airplane then it will influence one seat booking related decision.
Research results shows that now a days people are giving special attention on energy efficiency
or pollutants that released by the product in the surrounding environment. People are not only
giving importance to price and quality and now they are also paying attention on level of
pollutants emitted by the product. Thus, it can be said that elevation in awareness about climate
change bring new alteration in the consumer behavior of the people which is good for nation.
Research results also shows that people gives an importance to product green image but it does
not mean that they are not considering price and quality while making purchase decisions. It can
be said that it is true that people intend to purchase environment friendly products but they will
do so only when same is available at reasonable price and is of good quality.
CONCLUSION
On the basis of above discussion it is concluded that ethical consumerism is increasing
among people. This concept simple reflect the consumer behavior of the people under which
they prefer to use products that are environment friendly in nature. British Airways understand
the consumer behavior of the people and under this is it carrying out many programs and tasks
by performing which it is controlling carbon emission from its airplanes. It is updating its
technology base by removing old airplanes from fleet and introducing new one. It is also
working on noise pollution and under this it is controlling noise that is originated when aircraft is
landing or take off from airport. Not only this, firm is also focusing on waste management and
under this it is recycling its waste items before land filling. It can be said that British Airways is
make number of efforts to control pollution.
Recommendation
It is recommended that British airways must carry out research projects with other airline
companies that manufacturing aircraft's. With this companies efforts can be made on developing
cheaper technology which emit less pollutants from aircraft's. Due to to low cost of advanced
technology firm will be able to replace more number of airplanes at fast rate from its fleet by

using new one. It is also recommended that firm must try to identify many new other ways that
will help in reducing noise pollution to minimum level.

REFERENCES
Books & Journals
Becker, G.K., 2012. Ethics in business and society: Chinese and western perspectives. Springer
Science & Business Media.
Burton, B.K. and Goldsby, M.G., 2010. The moral floor: A philosophical examination of the
connection between ethics and business. Journal of Business Ethics. 91(1). pp.145-154.
Ciulla, J.B., 2011. Is business ethics getting better? A historical perspective. Business Ethics
Quarterly. 21(02). pp.335-343.
De George, R.T., 2011. Business ethics. Pearson Education India.
Online
Climate change, 2016. [Online]. Available through:<
http://responsibleflying.ba.com/environment/climate-change/>.[Accessed on 1st August
2016].
Corporate responsibility, 2016. [Online]. Available through:<
http://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/about-ba/csr/corporate-responsibility>.
[Accessed on 1st August 2016].
Noise and air quality, 2016. [Online]. Available through:<
http://responsibleflying.ba.com/environment/noise-and-air-quality/>. [Accessed on 1st
August 2016].

APPENDIX
Name:__________
Age:___________
Do you know about consumer behavior concept?
 Yes (14)
 No (1)
It is possible to measure consumer behavior of people on the basis of specific factors.
 Highly satisfied (6)
 Satisfied (4)
 Neutral (1)
 Dissatisfied (2)
 Highly dissatisfied (1)
Which of these factors you think greatly affects consumer behavior of the people?
 Price (4)
 Quality (4)
 Both ` (6)
Opinions from friends and relatives play vital role in purchase related decisions that are taken by
individual.
 Yes (10)
 No (4)
In past years along with price and quality people are giving due importance to energy efficiency
while they make decision to travel through specific company airplane.
 Highly satisfied (4)
 Satisfied (7)
 Neutral (1)
 Dissatisfied (1)
 Highly dissatisfied (1)
People will give high importance to green product image then price and quality.
 Yes (3)
 No (11)