Question

What are the moral and ethical responsibilities of multinational corporations and or developed nations governments to prevent such catastrophes such as what happened in Bhopal?

Answer 1

Ans: Moral and ethical responsibilities of multinational corporations and or developed nations governments to prevent such catastrophes such as what happened in Bhopal

The two most important factors leading to the catastrophic gas leak in Bhopal were the structure of the plant and the company’s policy on cutting back on expenses. The negligence of both the company and governmental authorities in the aftermath of the accident were seen to have worsened the impact of the leakage on people’s lives. So followings are the moral and ethical responsibilities to avoid such types of catastrophes-

1. To prevent industrial catastrophes, regulations and declarations from government are necessary.

2. To make these regulations effective, the driving force for companies is financial, rather than ethical or moral. The economic pressure that will actually result in change comes from two directions: from the legal system, by means of fines, taxes, etc., and from the consumer side, i.e. the social society.

3. A strong legal system requires a state that is democratic and open, without corruption and it is the task of transnational organizations like the UN, EU, OECD etc. to support and maintain development in this direction. But, the development in some countries is in fact progressing in the opposite direction.

4. A conflict usually emerges between a workers’ demand for employment and a society’s desire to reduce pollution. This conflict can be solved when trade unions start to co-operate with employers and governments to make the plants more environmentally friendly.

5. Further pressure from the social society might be effective as long as there is real competition in the market – which is not always the case at present. If a transnational company maintains ownership of the fully chain of food productions, from seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and processing to packaging and selling, and if its market is worldwide, there might be very little choice for the consumer – limiting their influencing power. In that sense, consumers’ organizations have to cooperate worldwide to effectively make changes.

6. Companies themselves should understand that a society’s positive opinion about their organization is a valuable asset, leading them to change their corporate image. So companies should take safety precaution without force of government. There are several methods for avoiding hazards for the companies that are prepared to change their focus from short to long term planning.