Case Study: Ethical Dilemma in Business - PHILOSOPHY 260 Analysis

This case study analyzes an ethical dilemma faced by Chantale, an employee concerned about her company's improper disposal of chemicals and its potential environmental and public health impacts. The assignment explores Chantale's decision to voice her concerns publicly after her employer dismissed them. It examines the limitations of loyalty, the ethical responsibilities of individuals and corporations, and the potential consequences of whistleblowing. The analysis considers whether Chantale acted ethically by prioritizing public safety and the environment over her job security. The assignment also discusses the actions the author would take in a similar situation, emphasizing the importance of exhausting internal channels before going public. The case highlights the complexities of ethical decision-making in a business context, particularly when environmental concerns and public health are at stake, and the need to balance corporate interests with social responsibility. The student uses relevant concepts from the course to support their analysis.

PHILOSOPHY 260: BUSINESS ETHICS
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1. Limitations to rational loyalties Chantale’s has on her employer.
Most of the time our loyalty to our employer is an essential attribute but we shouldn’t ignore
the fact that we ought to stand out and oppose irresponsible behaviour and activities that
exhibit within our working environment (Chandler, 2017). Our decisions on taking up against
the company has consequences and these consequences limits as on doing the correct and the
good things we ought to do. The decision of Chantale’s to go to public on her concerns were
derived by the willingness to sacrifice herself for the wellbeing of her people as she might get
fired in the line of protecting her people and her environment.
2. Is it essential for Chantale’s to take the concerns to public
Its ethical for Chantale’s to take the matter seriously as it’s a matter that affects the public or
the people around working around the company (Mihai, 2015). The hazards and the negative
impacts of improperly disposing company’s chemicals and wastes into the landfills may
bring about Health effects to the public.
Toxic and hazardous waste may bring about the following impacts: cancer, birth defects, low
birth weight and genetic mutations.
The disposed toxic chemicals disposed may have impacts as a result leaching of this
chemicals from the landfills hence polluting the air, soil and underground water.

Her concerns for the wanting to protect the public from all this problems is for the love and
concern of her people. Hence, it’s best that she gets worried and concerned about the
environmental pollution the company is bringing into the area.
3. Do Chantale’s has a responsibility to look out to the public?
It’s in the best regards to look up to the people, It’s also everyone’s responsibility to looks up
for its people and the surrounding environment hence, it’s ethical that she felt it’s her
responsibility and duty to protect the public from pollution and environment toxification. It’s
in the best interest of her and the people around her to take the matter to the public
(Westlake, 2012). We are told that she first tried to seek for help from her manager and
employer on the environmental concerns and public health in regards to improper disposal of
chemicals to the landfills but the administration refused to listen or take actions on the same
and rubbished her on the matter.
The decision to go on to the public about the matter was selfless and was based on the urge
and interest of protecting her people, hence she made it right to go to the public to help
encamp the prevailing problems that might be brought due to the carelessness and potential
ignorance that has been shown in the administration of the company (Royal Society of
Chemistry, 2015).

4. What I’d do if I was in Chantale’s position.
If I were in the shoes of Chantale’s, I would do what any other responsible patriot would
have done; to report the matter and my concern to the public but after trying to pursued the
company and the administration as a whole to try and have a proper channel of disposing the
toxic and hazardous chemicals to the environment as this chemicals chains back into the lives
of people around the area through the food they eat as the chemicals are leached into the soil
and taken up by the plants and the water they drink as the chemicals are leached into the
underground water thus polluting the water (National Research Council, 2015).
I would definitely uphold the decision of her persisting on trying to retreat the cultural and
normal behaviour of most companies disposing the chemicals irresponsibly and being
ignorant about the potential impacts that the chemicals would bring to the environment as a
whole.

References
Abdul, A. H. (2017). Control and Treatment of Landfill Leachate for Sanitary Waste Disposal. Sydney: IGI
Global.
Chandler, N. (2017). Landfills: Environmental Impacts (3rd ed.). London: Nova Science Publishers.
Mihai, F.-C. (2015). E-Waste in Transition (4th ed.). Sydney: BoD – Books on Demand.
National Research Council. (2015). Prudent Practices in the Laboratory: Handling and Disposal of
Chemicals (2nd ed.). London: National Academies.
Royal Society of Chemistry. (2015). Environmental and Health Impact of Solid Waste Management
Activities (2nd ed.). Texas: Royal Society of Chemistry.
Westlake, K. (2012). Landfill Waste Pollution and Control (4th ed.). Chicago: Albion Pub.