Critique of Primark's Ethical Trading Practices and CSR Initiatives

This essay critically examines Primark's ethical trading practices and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, drawing on ethical theories such as utilitarianism, ethical egoism, and Kant's ethics. The introduction provides a framework for understanding ethics, its sub-branches, and the focus on normative ethics. The essay then analyzes Primark's business model, its collaborations, and its commitment to ethical trading, including its partnership with DFID and its supply chain management. It explores Primark's CSR activities, particularly in response to the Rana Plaza incident, and evaluates them through the lens of utilitarianism and ethical egoism. The essay argues that Primark's actions align with utilitarian principles by promoting the well-being of stakeholders, while also suggesting that ethical egoism may play a role in the company's strategic approach to CSR for its own benefit. The essay concludes by contrasting these perspectives with Kant's theory of ethics and its non-consequential approach, highlighting the consequential nature of Primark's business behavior and its accountability to stakeholders.

Critique of news article
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Introduction
The following essay is based on the ethical theories such as utilitarianism, egoism and the
Kant’s ethics. The subject of ethics engages systematizing, protecting as well as indicating
towards the concepts and the ideas that are right or wrong. Ethics possess 3 sub-branches, the
meta ethics, normative ethics as well as the applied ethics. This study highlights the section
of normative ethics that focuses on getting more practical thereby attaining the moral
standards which control the aspects of what is right and what is wrong (Crane & Matten,
2016).
Utilitarianism theory falls under the category of normative ethics that refers to the moral
approach taken by the enterprises. Ethical egoism is also another normative theory which
stresses on the aspect that the promotion done by the enterprises must align with that to moral
values and ethics. Kant’s theory is another instance of normative branch of ethics which
states that the right or the wrong doings is independent of the consequences. However, on the
other hand, the right and the wrong doings depend on the aspects that to what extent they are
able to fulfil their responsibilities. The article that has been selected for this essay is taken
from ethical performance, 2016 naming “Primark to expand ethical trading team as DFID
partnership kicks off”. This essay will mainly highlight the above mentioned ethical theories
thereby developing an argument on ethical trading through corporate social responsibility of
Primark (De George, 2011).
Discussion
Primark and ethical trading
Primark is an Irish retailer that is mainly owned by AB Foods and possesses its headquarters
in Dublin. It was funded in 1962 and has its presence in more than 325 global destinations. It
mainly caters to its consumers in clothing and apparel segment. It sells products like men and
women clothing, children clothes, cosmetics and other accessories and so on. As recorded
during 2015, the company exhibited annual revenue of £ 5347 million. There are around
more than 70,000 working lives related to the business. Further the company is also known
for its “fast fashion trending” concept. However according to the article, it is studied that the
association has been looking forward to collaborating with DFID (Department for
international Development) which is present in UK (Ethicalperformance.com, 2016).
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The collaboration is aimed to develop the existent working conditions pertaining to the
clothing industry workers especially located in developing markets. Primark has also stated
that the partnership will usher and amalgamate the presence, business grid as well as the
talents and expertise corresponding to both enterprises. Furthermore, the objectives have been
such set that it will mainly focus on protecting the health and safety of the workers thereby
bringing in national economic improvement which in a way will work towards eradicating
the issue of poverty in 5 significant markets of Primark. Nonetheless, the business is
witnessed to work along with as many as 700 suppliers, where many of them belong to
nations like Bangladesh, India, Burma, Ethiopia as well as Pakistan. The company has
initiated training concerning the areas of gender inequality in the clothing factories as well as
aimed for training nurses (Lindgreen & Swaen, 2010). However, the collaboration is also
known to highlight the areas concerning the working conditions that the female workers have
to persevere.
Therefore it can be noted that Primark has always been working on its trade ethics thereby
linking the issue with that to corporate social responsibility (Groves & LaRocca, 2011).
Corporate social responsibility and Primark
The term corporate social responsibility refers to the responsibilities corresponding to the
business enterprise which it possesses towards the stakeholders involved. CSR is mainly
addressed by the associations so that they are able to conduct fair business through the
implementation of ethical trading thereby dealing with the requirements of the stakeholders
fairly. Primark is definitely no exception to this case. It is already known that the company
possess an international supply chain system with an ever rising retail base thus believing in
the approach that businesses must be conducted with ethics and responsibly (McGee, 2010).
Nonetheless, the business enterprise also believes that through the implementation of this
approach, it will initiate change that might be a “force for good”. However, the organization
has been providing bread to as many as 700,000 working lives and therefore considers it as a
responsibility to safeguard their working rights and security. Moreover, the business
enterprise does not possess any entities or any factories that manufacture the products it sell,
however, possesses a strong conviction that it is legally and ethically responsible towards its
consumers as well as the shareholders. Thus Primark came up with the HER project
pertaining to Bangladesh thus looking forward to inculcate positive changes corresponding to
the lives of the workforces employed under the suppliers. Moreover, after the Rana Plaza
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incident, the company has been traced to become more active while evaluated through the
lens of CSR. This is because the Rana Plaza incident that took place during 2013 witnessed
the death of several thousands of workers in the Rana Plaza building of Bangladesh (Griseri
& Seppala, 2010). There were also workers that worked for the suppliers of Primark and thus
in this scenario, the company was vehemently criticized. Primark was witnessed to spend
almost more than £ 10 million as compensation towards the families of the workers of Rana
Plaza.
Primark CSR activities and utilitarianism
The above mentioned evidences suggest that the business enterprise has been putting
incessant and conscious effort in order to promote the harmony, good health, safety and
security of its workers through the application of several projects that might come under the
banner of CSR activities. Nonetheless, according to utilitarianism theory, it is stated that any
action must be considered right if it succeeds in promoting happiness as well as wrong while
it produces just the opposite impact. However, the aspect of happiness does not singly imply
to the happiness of the doer but also includes the other beings that are affected by thus
happiness. In this case, the doer can be taken as Primark while the other beings might be
considered as the different stakeholders including the suppliers, workers as well as the
consumers (Brenkert, 2010).
Primark’s CSR and ethical egoism
The aspect of ethical egoism highlights the factor that a business entity acts in such a manner
that is good for their own interest. However, if the CSR activity of the company is viewed in
this light, then it can be derived that it is for its own future growth and development, the
company has invested in the social causes and social responsibilities. It is in fact to earn its
branding and promote itself in the global market thereby highlighting its ethical behaviour
thus linking it with the CSR factor of the company; Primark might have strategized the
approaches (Caroll & Buchholtz, 2014).
Conclusion
Kant’s theory of ethics is absolutely non-consequential in nature which states that there are
some sorts of actions that must never be committed while pertaining to the conditions while
the actions might render more happiness compared to the alternative chosen. For instance, a
political murder might appear apt while bringing in greater joy in murdering a tyrant but is
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strictly not committed and is against the law. Therefore the evaluation of the action whether it
is right or wrong in this theory is independent of the consequences. Hence, in case of Primark
this theory cannot be validated as the business behaviour of the enterprise is consequential
where the company is answerable to its shareholders and the global society at large (Suliman
et al., 2016).
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References
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