Summary and Ethical Dilemma
Published on the 28 th of January 2016, the article titled Why Companies are Blind to Child Labor was authored by Danny Zane, Julie Irwin, and Rebecca Walker Reczek. The authors have brought to the limelight how some big global companies are using products linked to child labor. Further, the article reveals that adherence to strict policies regarding child labor is a mere claim. In a real sense these companies have continued to engage in trade with companies that exploit children for labor. According to a recent report by Amnesty International, it is evident that major technologies companies such as Apple, Samsung, and Microsoft, as well as automotive manufacturers such as Daimler Ag and Volkswagen are aligned with child labor (Zane, Irwin & Reczek, 2016). Specifically, child labor is being used in the Democratic Republic of Congo to mine Cobalt that is used in the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries necessary or running most tech devices.
The above companies have failed to conduct an analysis or rather a check to get clarity of whether some of their raw materials are mined by child laborers. Upon inquiry by Amnesty international, Apple, Samsung, Daimler, and Microsoft claim they are unable to verify whether their products use cobalt from DRC that is mined by children (Zane, Irwin & Reczek, 2016). Further, they cite the complexity of the supply chain. They all seem to turn a blind eye to the issue and do not take into consideration ethics and integrity in the process of doing business.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Authors of the article attempt to elaborate on why such global companies are turning a blind eye to such a critical issue as child labor. The article explains that human beings tend to willingly ignore because some circumstances where ethical dilemma is involved can be difficult to withstand or process the information. As a means to cope with ethical dilemmas, human beings choose to give a blind eye. The same goes for organizations. For instance, in this issue of child labor, the companies in question ignore ethical information of child labor being involved in supply chains to avoid potential consequences such as facing a lawsuit or even incurring losses as a result of their products not being purchased by consumers. Reports or news from organizations such as Amnesty international for this case may result in companies being obliged to face the ethical issue(Zane, Irwin & Reczek, 2016). In such instances they become fast in attempts to try and correct them. However, this is not enough because after things cool down, they return to their old ways and even distance themselves from doing business with companies they feel are openly ethical.
Further, the article reveals that although reports steer companies to make a change, they are not enough. Global organizations should be committed to adhere to ethical actions and resolve unethical behaviors when reports and news uncover them. A good example is the Intel Company in 2014 which resolved the issue by opening claiming that all of its manufactures would use materials that were devoid of child labor associations. The objective behind such a bold step is to encourage other companies to follow suit before being exposed and offset the exiting willful ignorance. A company that has fully corrected the issue is Nike. Prior to being exposed by reports and news, Nike faced numerous controversies due to negligence and blissful ignorance of issues relating to child labor. Following the exposure, a lot of changes were made including audits in all of its factories and the formation of the Fair Labor Association that ensures the code of conduct is strictly adhered to.
Kant’s Categorical Imperative
Devised by Immanuel Kant, the Categorical Imperative is a provision of a set of requirements that must pass for an action to be considered a moral obligation (Robinson, 2019). Rather it is an expression that action is needed to be the way it is for itself and without being subjected to any set of conditions. The first formulation of categorical imperative is to always act in manner that you wish your action becomes a universal law (Robinson, 2019). In this problem of exploiting children for labor, companies should ask every time they get supplies from the Democratic Republic of Congo whether they are contradicting every other organization if they act in the same way. Of course they are because global requirements are that companies should adhere to strict policies and not engage in business where children are exploited for labor. Not observing the code of conduct while doing business as morality is utter contradictory.
Kant’s second formulation of the categorical imperative states “Never treat a person as a means to an end” (Robinson, 2019). People are ends in themselves and therefore Kant urges that we should not exploit anyone for whatever purpose. In the article Whey Companies are Blind to Child Labor, it is without a doubt that they are exploiting children as means for their ends which is to get supplies for their businesses. It is clear that by being willful ignorant about the issue, Apple, Samsung, Daimler, and Microsoft are using children as instruments for their interests. Since the companies are not holding onto the dignity principle of humanity, they are acting unethically by using child labor indirectly to get raw materials for their industries.
Personal Analysis
The fact that global organizations are caught up in indirect exploitation of children for labor is an ethical dilemma. They are going against the global requirements that require companies not to employ anyone below the age of fourteen (Saget, 2017). In most developed nations the rules are adhered to. However, in a country like Congo the majority of its population are living below the poverty level (Kismul et al, 2015). Thus they cannot afford the basic needs like food, shelter, clothing, and education for their children. They send their children to the mines as a means of survival. In such a case a conflict is created because despite child labor being illegal, parents cannot afford to provide for them. The conflict leaves the parents to choose between sending the child to work and keeping them at home to starve. On the other hand, children are entitled to education and protection from child labor. Besides they are not physically fit to be involved in such manual labor. Being involved in child labor deprives the child of their rights to education and leading a healthy life. However, if it is the only means of survival then it cannot be judged as morally wrong according to the theory of utilitarianism. In my opinion, however, subjecting children to labor is unethical.
Conclusion
From the analysis of the article, it is clear that companies are giving a blind eye to child labor as long as their business interests of getting supplies are met. That is why reports and news are intended to make them correct their supply chains and make them ethical. My recommendation is for companies to recognize that child labor is unethical. In addition, it derives them their dignity, childhood, and education opportunities. Companies should come up with policies, and combine them with willingness to correct the highlighted problems and ethical issues surrounding child labor. It is the only way they will stop being willful ignorant and giving a blind eye to exploitation of children in supply chains.
References
Kismul, H., Hatløy, A., Andersen, P., Mapatano, M., Van den Broeck, J., & Moland, K. M. (2015). The social context of severe child malnutrition: a qualitative household case study from a rural area of the Democratic Republic of Congo. International journal for equity in health , 14 (1), 47.
Robinson, R. M. (2019). Kant’s Categorical Imperative and Moral Duties. In Imperfect Duties of Management (pp. 11-38). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Saget, C. (2017). Employment policy in the International Development Agenda and its relevance in India. In Employment Policy in Emerging Economies (pp. 25-41). Routledge.
Zane, D., Irwin, J., & Reczek, R. W. (2016). Why companies are blind to child labor. Harvard Business Review. Link: https://hbr. org/2016/01/why-companies-are-blind-to-child-lab or (last accessed on Jan. 16, 2019) .
