Introduction
It is extremely important to maintain a safe and secure environment because the result of such an environment is a prosperous area of livelihood. Moreover, a safe environment ensures the wellbeing of both animal and plant life all over. It is because of such reasons that company and the staff members need to be extra vigilant in dealing with any issues that may result to the detriment of the environment. According to Laws & Regulations (2017), companies that mainly deal with manufacturing and processing that release harmful waste must ensure to abide by ethical and environmental restrictions to ensure the safe upkeep of the environment and the entire society.
The scenario insists that Eric, an Assistant Vice President at the marine paint manufacturing plant discovers an email from his boss, the Vice President, addressing the President. The email informs the President of findings from an internal study showing that the paint leeches emanating from the bottom parts of the boats enter the marine environment. The result of these leeches entering the marine life is the creation of birth defects in the marine life. Eric further sees the response of the President to the Vice President’s email that directs the Vice President to delete and completely erase that email. Eric is seriously concerned about the study findings and would want to do something in regards to the same but fears the loss of his job.
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Making of decisions is an essential part of any business or business activity because it greatly influences future developments. The Vice President acted accordingly when he informed the President of the leeches from the boats and the adverse effect it had on the marine life. However, the President proceeded to make the wrong decision. Hiding the information regarding the paint leeching from the findings of the study and their effect on marine environment would and the authorities of the marine paint manufacturing plant in trouble because not only would that be a legal mess but also one that is unethical.
Administrative Agencies
Every country in the world has certain authorities or organizations that oversee companies to ensure they comply with standards and regulations set by the ethical and legal frameworks. The organizations help in the establishment of control over the behaviour and compliance of a company to the industry rules and help them in pursuit of their objectives. The Environmental Protection Agencies remain the primary agencies that deal with the measures of regulation in companies in the United States. Other agencies also exist such as the department of interior, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Occupational Health and Safety (OSHA) as well as others (Laws & Regulations, 2017). The agencies oversee the direction and monitoring of the area of aquaculture then report the ventures to the states that fail to comply to the stipulated or set rules and regulations.
Environmental law entails a given set of rules and regulations put in place by the federal government in order to regulate compliances and issues resulting from human activity on the natural environment. It insists that all organizations need adhere to the rules set up in a bid to maintain a natural balance in the ecosystem by ensuring it remains safe for living organisms. Organizations thus need to comply to the set rules in a bid to avoid any legal action taken against them.
The Occupational Health and Safety (OSHA) is the administrative agency that best suits the above scenario and would do well to govern he regulatory compliance of the involved company. OSHA was established in the year 1970 as a health agency at the national spectre by Congress and aimed at ensuring that workers do not have to choose between their lives and work (Richards et al., 2000). The agency was created to safeguard the safe and healthy conditions for workers by enforcing the set standards.
Ethical Issues Involved
The following case has a number of ethical issues. First Erica is the Assistant Vice President at the Marine Paint Manufacturing Plant that accidentally comes across an email conversation that takes place between the President and Vice President of the company discovering the conversation as a dangerous one bearing serious information regarding a substantial amount of damage being done to the marine environment by the company. The President puts both himself and the Vice President in a position that is unethically wrong by making an unethical decision. Eric remains confused even when sharing the information with relevant authorities because he fears losing his job.
It is well that Eric contacts and shares the information with OSHA. Furthermore, Eric needs to contact a lawyer to ensure he stays on the safe side so that he gets legal counsel on why he should inform relevant authorities and why he cannot lose his job over the same. It is ethically right for Eric to report the incident to OSHA as well as have legal representation even if he eventually loses his job. It remains the ethical thing to do for Eric because his duty is to ensure he does not harm the life of other living beings. The Marine Plant Manufacturing Plant must and should be held to the same stringent standards as other institutions to ensure the maintenance of a safe and quality environment on its part.
Conclusion
Ethics must drive every person and firm in every situation for the benefit of maintaining quality standards that ensure a safe and secured environment. In the case above, the company President does the ethically wrong thing by directing the Vice President to erase all information pertaining to the research findings regarding the company. Eric is in an ethical dilemma but would do well to act ethically and inform the right agency, OSHA and seek legal counsel to ensure he does not fall on the wrong side.
References
Laws & Regulations US EPA. (2017). US EPA. Retrieved 16 July 2017, from https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations
Richards, J., Glegg, G., & Cullinane, S. (2000). Environmental regulation: Industry and the Marine environment: Journal of Environmental Management, 58(2), 119-134. http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/jema.1999.0315
