Assignment 2: Challenges in the Global Business Environment
Assignment 2: Challenges in the Global Business Environment
Introduction
Apple as one of the largest companies hascodes of conduct that aims in ensuring the safe conditions of the workers at work. The company also ensures that there are no forms of discrimination and that the employees are treated with respect and dignity disregarding the race or position in its company’s in different countries. Also, they are environment-friendly; this is to say that they take care of the environment by ensuring the proper responsibility of its technical procedures. Moreover, the company certifies that all people are treatedfairly. Moreover,the code states that the suppliers are not supposed to mistreat or abuse their employees. The providers are governed by the acts, guidelines and protocols in each and every country Apple operates. Apple requires the providers to work according to the codes if not they will be terminated as Apple dealers as well as the permitted act. By doing this, the company creates a peaceful environment for the employees to be in, thus creating good working conditions and smooth running of the business on a day to day basis.
The codes of conducts that are used by Apple in governing the company includes;
Labor and Human Rights
Workers empowerment
The environment, health, and safety
Ethics
Explanations of each and every code of conduct
Labor and Human Rights
Regarding labor, Apple as a company has ensured that individuals looking for self-employment are not asked for the hiringfees because employment is not payable. The company guarantees that the suppliers involved in the collecting of worktaxesare punished by returning the money to the individual. Also, no children are allowed to work if he or she is still under age if the child is found working the company takes the child and enrolls him or her in school. The purpose of this is to stop child labor; the company states that if the child finishes school, they are to be reemployed (Martin & Bravo, 2015). Seemingly, the company keeps arecord of the child’s performance and growth. Moreover, the company not only pays for the child’s school fees but also the fundamental necessities. Additionally, the company has made it possible for the employees to work 60 hours in a week.The time range includes the overtime, thus enabling the workers to be in good health and their safety (Emmelhainz & Adams, 1999). Regarding human rights, the firm ensures that no employee is subjected to any form of discrimination because of their color, race, religion, incapacity, gender and culture or the country. Furthermore, suppliers should not differentiate pregnant women or indulge employees in pregnancy testing unless the law requires the test.
Workers Empowerment
Regarding the training of jobs, Apple teaches the employees the understanding of the laws, strength and the code of conduct that guides Apple. The purpose of this teaching is to create awareness amongst the people and the company. Also, communication skills are taught, this is for helping them to talk uniformly and at an understanding amongst them and also the clients (Martin & Bravo, 2015). The main aim for the empowerment is not about the jobs and acquiring of new opportunities. Apple does not necessary want the employees to be successful in their factory but also to be able to venture and know new opportunities. Supplier Employee Education and Development (SEED) were introduced to offer the educational facilities. SEED offers bachelor’s and associate's degrees to those who have completed their study (Emmelhainz & Adams, 1999). Moreover, the company offers some programs to the workers that help them in the flexibility of job functioning, awareness of life skills and literacy in finances. The company has raised the standard of education by involving in the functions of the school. The involvement of Apple’s assistance to the schools is seeing that the number and the level of children dropping out of school decreased. Also, it is proven that many students have increased in their level of skills amongst other things.
The Environment, Health, and Safety
During manufacturing, the factories emit harmful substances that affect the environment. For Appleto protect the environment from pollution, the enterprise united with the sellersto control and condense the carbon duplications.Besides, with the act of replacing old and worn out solar heating, refrigeration, and the lighting systems and the repairing of some worn out objects the company controls the emission levels. Similarly, the recycling of some materials helps the company in the reduction of pollution of the environment (Martin & Bravo, 2015). Also during the disposal of the wastes the company works together with the government to ensure suitabledumping of the garbage. The introduction of grouping scheme helps in the assessment of all the resources, heightening and cataloging effectiveness as well as the increase in ability to reuse. The firm is mostly dealing with the water safety;there has been theintroduction of facilities that have helped in the recycling and the reusing of fresh water. Furthermore, there has been a reduction of personnel dealing with the health and the safety skill. For the improvement and the employees’ well-being, the company developed Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) School for educating the managers on how to control and safeguard the workers’ health conditions (Emmelhainz & Adams, 1999). Also, the company ensures that chemicals that are very harmful are placed in different industrial proceduresand out of the reach of people.
Ethics
The element of Apple’s code of conduct is the most sensitive one in the company. The code of conduct requires that the people involved mostly the suppliers to be of high standards and should be of high integrity. The providers are not supposed to go against the law that is committing fraud or extracting of money from customers or the firm's property. The providers are not expected to accept or offer enticements for his or her self-interest (Martin & Bravo, 2015). Moreover, the vendors are not meant to remove any form of information about the company to anyone but only whenever it is needed. The providers are supposed to be discrete and should introduce facilities that will protect the workers and secure a location that is best for the employees to air their grievances (Emmelhainz & Adams, 1999).
In conclusion, the codes of conducts governing Apple are suitable for they safeguard the interests of its employees from the suppliers and ill-treatment. The use of the conductsbrings a sense of unity amongst the employees and their superiors. Moreover, due to the teachingswere given to the workers, the employees gain knowledge on how the business should be managed.
References
Emmelhainz, M. A., & Adams, R. J. (1999). The apparel industry response to “sweatshop” concerns: A review and analysis of codes of conduct.Journal of Supply Chain Management, 35(2), 51-57.
Martin, J., & Bravo, K. E. (Eds.). (2015). The Business and Human Rights Landscape: Moving Forward, Looking Back. Cambridge University Press.
