Introduction
It is important for human beings to make good use of the market forces while at the same time regulating and modifying our natural reliance on it to be able to secure the environmental and social values. However, this has not been the case over the years as companies and international corporations went ahead to violate environmental and human protection rights. Organizations and businesses have a responsibility of ensuring that they protect the environment from destruction while at the same time adhering to the human protection laws and principles. In regards to the above information, the paper answers questions on ethics of enterprise and exchange according to the class text “Just Business” by John Ruggie.
Question two on Smith’s and Ruggie analyses on how human being can make good use of the market force while securing environmental and social values
According to Smith and Ruggie’s analyses today's, the free market system is hindering social and environmental values as every company or individual in the marketplace is motivated by self-interest and no one cares about the environmental effects resulting from their own actions. To be able to make good use of the market forces, it is crucial that we develop policies and laws that will protect us from our own actions. The world has changed to a profit-maximizing world where countries and multinational corporations are jealously safeguarding their sovereignty for private gain (Ruggie, 8). Communities are suffering as individuals became displaced from their land without even adequate compensation or negotiations to pave the way for technological company installations in an effort of maximizing their profits without minding the effects that they cause to the environment and the general human population. Some countries have even gone ahead to provide security protection to the company’s operations by providing officers who shoot, rape and torture individuals who oppose these activities.
This is not the right way of doing business, and there is a need to protect the social and environmental values even when trying to make good use of our marketplace. In doing so, it is essential to regulate government and corporation conduct in preventing and mitigating possible adverse effects that are consequences of their actions. Every player in the market force needs to be held responsible and accountable for his or her actions. Multinational corporations and companies should not subordinate the public good for their private interests. In doing so, the entities should act in accordance with the human rights laws to protect human beings rights and prevent the destruction of the environment. This ensures that the environmental laws and human rights are secured, promoted, respected, and protected at a global level. Human rights advocacy organizations need to be developed to help in the implementation process of these rules. This will greatly assist in the modification process of how human beings rely on the environment and market forces in preventing negative results. Corporations and governments that fail to comply with these laws should be held accountable for their actions and their operations completely banned to prevent further abuse.
Question four on Ruggie’s conclusion in the last chapter and the difference anticipated
According to Ruggie’s conclusion in the final chapter, governments need to agree that lack of a company’s cooperation in the NCP process, by either ignoring the negative findings of its actions or failing to engage in the process will result in official consequences taken to the company. This entails withdrawal of public support from the company as well as the export credit and investment insurance policy until the particular company adequately demonstrates complete support and compliance to the process. This is a very crucial step that will help companies and corporations adhere to the stipulated environmental and societal laws and values (Ruggie, 107). No company will be willing to face such consequences, therefore; such an action will be of significant importance. Companies are a primary source of investment, and lack of public support will undoubtedly lead to company’s failure. Customers are the greatest assets of a company thus; every business must do all that it can to gain the trust and support of the public.
Companies and corporations are powerful forces that are capable of reducing poverty and enhancing economic growth. They also have a responsibility of acting in accordance with the rule of law contributing positively to the realization of human rights. They need to be embedded within the legal and social rules, norms as well as the institutional practices (Ruggie, 119). To be able to manage adverse effects of organizations dynamics will protecting the public, it is important to develop policies and rules that will ensure complete implementation of the human rights guiding principles. In achieving this, different governments need to come together to be able to generate enough support that will keep companies and corporations on toes. This is because authority on human rights advocacy is still fragmented in territorial states and international human rights organizations cannot adequately keep these entities on toes due to lack of the civil society actors global reach, and as well these organizations are tightly constrained by territorial states on the other side.
Question five on ways to better protect human rights and the environment
Ways to better protect Human rights
Strengthening the adoption of human rights guiding principles - It is important to strength further the adoption process of human rights laws such as by seeking support from influential leaders and global organizations. Harsh penalties can also be developed to punish governments and organizations that do not comply with these principles. This way, it will be possible to strengthen human rights protection as companies and agencies will feel pressured to adopt these laws (Ruggie, 43).
Establishing more international accountability human rights coalitions such as the International Corporate Accountability Roundtable Organization a collection of coalitions of human rights organizations such as Global Witness, Human Rights Watch, Earth Right International among others that join and ensure that corporates adhere to the human right laws. Such coalitions are necessary for the development of new approaches to ensure corporate accountability is upheld (Ruggie, 100).
Human rights public advocacy and education- It is essential for human rights organizations around the world to dedicated more efforts in educating the public about their rights. This can be better achieved through websites created education where violations are documented to advocate for remedial actions when rights are violated. These organizations also need to create public support for generating a stronger public advocacy platform.
Ways to better protect the environment
Environmental education and advocacy- it is important to educate companies and the public on the importance of environmental protection. International corporations need to know that they have a responsibility of protecting the environment in their daily operations to prevent harmful environmental effects. Strict counter actions should be employed to those companies and organizations that fail to comply with the stipulated environmental protection laws. Workshops can be developed in furthering collaborative environment protection learning.
Seeking support from influential leaders- In an effort of enhancing environmental protection, it is fundamental to seek political support so that governments can make sure that all operations conducted within the nations are environmental friendly. Influential leaders can also be used to mobilize corporations and companies to act by the environmental protection laws.
Establishing more international environmental protection organizations- it is crucial to develop international environmental protection bodies such as the Oil and Gas Industry Association that deals with social and ecological issues. This ensures that corporations, governments and companies all act in accordance with the stipulated environmental laws in an effort of protecting the environment from destruction as their activities are closely monitored (Ruggie, 103). It is, therefore, crucial to increase the number of such organization that advocates for environmental protection.
Conclusion
Today’s free market system is hindering social and environmental values as every company in the marketplace is motivated by self-interest. The world has changed to a profit-maximizing world where countries and multinational corporations are jealously safeguarding their sovereignty for private gain. To make good use of the market forces, it is crucial that we develop policies and laws that will protect us from our own actions. Strict measures need to be employed to punish companies that fail to comply with the stipulated environmental and human rights protection laws such as withdrawing public support and insurances policies. More strategies also need to be sought in enhancing the current strategies employed to protect human rights and the environment.
Work citied
Ruggie, John G. Just Business: Multinational Corporations and Human Rights. , 2013. Internet resource.
