Altria Company
Altria Company formerly known as Phillip Morris Company is one of the leading tobacco and cigarette producers and markets across the globe. With over 180 years of experience in the industry, the company has made significant efforts in manufacturing some of the world’s renown brands such as Marlboro, Copenhagen, Skoal and Black and Mild. The major ethical dilemma the company faces is the fact that there is a trade-off between business and health. With the fact that tobacco causes deaths of thousands of users across the globe, Altria has to engage in various tobacco control programs to ensure that users smoke responsibly, and that young populations do not engage tobacco use.
How perception of tobacco differs across cultures
Tobacco is accepted in some cultures while other see it as a social disruption which causes health risks among users. In some cultures, tobacco is believed to be a purifier such that its use has a connection with the divine. In such cultures, tobacco is food to the soul and is used to directly contact the spirits. In some cultures, tobacco is seen as a social drug hence used by addicts to satisfy their needs. In other communities, use of tobacco is believed to enhance some sense of belonging and social cohesiveness from the way people share the cigarettes. This means that smoking is seen as a way of developing rapport such that non-smokers are often alienated from smokers. Moreover, tobacco use among the youths is a way of making them feel older or tougher as they would want to feel like the elder members of the society.
How Altria handles ethical implications of its tobacco products
Altria identifies the fact that it has to make significant steps in restricting the addictive use of tobacco. The organization is, therefore, focused on ensuring its business practices are in line with the requirements of its stakeholders with a priority on listening to customers. Altria invests billions of dollars in research and development to manufacturing innovative tobacco products that have lesser damage to the human system. The company is focused on reducing the harm caused by tobacco by developing and marketing lower risk products and helping reduce underage use of tobacco. Since the youths pose a serious threat of addiction, Altria engages in programs that make youths aware of the need to abstain from tobacco use. Positive youth development programs reduce exposure of young populations to the influence of peer pressure which means that youths have the chance to make healthy decisions. Additionally, Altria has made steps in communicating to the public about the health effects of tobacco so as to promote responsible smoking. The need to communicate tobacco health effects is considered an ethical practice since it shows compliance with standards set by FDA and other public health authorities. The company also offers quit assist for those who would like to stop tobacco use with a website designed to provide key information on ways to successful quitting smoking.
Role of leadership is instilling a culture of ethics within marketing department
Leaders have the role to ensure marketing staff sees themselves as consumers too so as to avoid relying on deceptive advertisements. Leaders within the marketing departments need to ensure their staff understands the changing needs and expectations of tobacco users and the need for innovative products that are less harmful to the health of consumers. It is, therefore, the role of leaders to ensure they influence marketing department to focus more on communicating harmful effects of tobacco as well as collecting data from users on ways through which the company could improvise its products to reduce the effects they have on the human system. Leaders also need to ensure accurate and well-placed labels with the warning signs visible to current and potential users.
References
Brusvang, K. (2012). Philip Morris USA Inc. & Corporate Social Responsibility. Washington, DC: US, HHS.
Helweg-Larsen, M., & Nielsen, G. (2009). Smoking cross-culturally: Risk perceptions among young adults in Denmark and the United States. Psychology and Health, 81-93.
Quinn, M., & Mujtaba, B. (2011). Global Tobacco Sales Dilemmas: The Clash of Freedom and Markets with Morality and Ethics. Journal of Business Studies Quarterly, 107-124.
WHO. (2004). Tobacco industry and corporate responsibility. Geneva: World Health Organization.
