Apple Company’s climate change-aware is working towards zero emission of carbon. Various strategies have been put in place to be carbon neutral for the firm. According to a report by the firm, Apple emitted approximately 22.6 million metric tons of carbon in 2020 (“Apple commits,” 2020). The emission was mainly from the manufacturing process and the use of the products. However, through moral judgment and management, Apple is currently operating towards cutting down its level of greenhouse gas emissions. A moral operating strategy involves practicing within ethical standards by seeking economic opportunities that uphold ethical boundaries (Carroll et al., 2018). Apple Inc. is currently implementing morally operating strategies such as the use of renewable energy to reduce carbon emissions. As a way to reduce carbon emissions, the firm is using recyclable materials for manufacturing its products.
Apple is set to ensure that all its suppliers use clean energy as a way to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2030. According to Apple, 175 of the company’s suppliers will transition to the use of renewable energy (“Apple charges forward,” 2021). Together with its suppliers, Apple intends to bring 9 gigawatts of clean power to the rest of the world (“Apple charges forward,” 2021). Apple is determined to work within the boundaries of normative ethics, expecting its suppliers to act with honesty and morality. Normative ethics seek to develop principles within which a business can be judged based on ethical or unethical practices. Apple, therefore, requires its suppliers to conform to the company’s outlined code of ethics. For example, the company refuses to work with suppliers who are not ready to transition to carbon-neutral 2030 plans (“Ethics and compliance,” 2022). Henceforth, Apple will only keep business relations with suppliers willing to use renewable energy sources.
Apple Company practices its moral obligation to effect climate change solutions to marginalized communities. A sense of moral obligation is shown by developing fairness and justice through actions toward other people (Sroka & Szántó, 2018). The organization is currently running a first-of-a-kind power impact initiative with several projects to support the creation and distribution of clean power. Apple is offering renewable power, including solar energy, geothermal energy, and wind power energy, to under-resourced communities (“Apple commits,” 2020). The firm aims to reduce the effects of climate change while socially and economically impacting these societies.
Apple Company integrates managerial and moral competence to make ethical decisions in stakeholder management. The firm acts ethically by considering the needs of its stakeholders and meeting them (“Ethics and compliance,” 2022). The stakeholders of Apple’s firm include customers, employees, suppliers and distributors, and investors. Apple engages its stakeholders through a middle level of engagement where they communicate via social media, conferences, emails, surveys, and newsletters, among other ways (Sroka & SzántĂł, 2018). The firm is also working towards achieving a higher level of engagement, where it aims to involve most of its stakeholders in the decision-making process. Through different means of the middle level of engagement, Apple informs its stakeholders about its operations updates and ethical values that favor the interests of these groups.
The technological company practices ethics of care by seeking to maintain positive relationships with its stakeholders. Beyond legal compliance, Apple Inc. shows care and responsibility toward its stakeholders by meeting their interests (Carroll et al., 2018). The organization meets its customer needs by charging prices that match the quality of products and developing product recycling programs that favor the consumer’s business environment, thus bringing sustainability. Apple puts the employees’ critical needs as a top priority by offering proper compensation and career advancement (“Apple commits,” 2020). As the second major stakeholder from consumers, the organization addresses the employees’ interests through the most favorable compensation packages in the industry.
Apple equally meets the expectations of the firm’s investors, suppliers, and distributors. The company meets the interests of investors by effecting excellent financial performances. Apple is ranked as one of the most profitable firms that maximize its profits by charging high prices for high-quality products (Azim & Nahar, 2020). The company operates under a compliance strategy to properly manage the business and stay out of debt. The management practices religious, professional, legal, and personal values to bring the best for the company (Azim & Nahar, 2020). Apple assures the needs of suppliers and distributors through proper compensation and job security. The firm has developed a supplier code of ethics within which it willingly operates. Suppliers that deviate from the ethical principles are deemed to lose their jobs.
Apple has developed a strategic stakeholder dialogue to maintain relations and earn trust. The firm communicates with the stakeholders by providing the information they highly need to progress. They offer product information to the consumers, career information to job applicants and employees, and corporate information to investors (Azim & Nahar, 2020). Suppliers and distributors are also offered information on growth and competitiveness. Through advertising campaigns, the company communicates with all its stakeholders. Apple practices religious values by providing holistic approaches to solving conflicts with its stakeholders (Azim & Nahar, 2020). The religious values impacted by the company teach several moral norms to the groups. Stakeholders are therefore expected to act within moral boundaries. Employees are taught to be kind to others, while suppliers are expected to be honest, including in their internal organizational practices.
References
Apple charges forward to the 2030 carbon-neutral goal, adding 9 gigawatts of clean power and doubling supplier commitments. (2021). Apple.
Apple commits to be 100 percent carbon neutral for its supply chain and products by 2030. (2020). Apple.
Azim, M. I., & Nahar, S. (2020). How green is the apple? Understanding apple’s CSR disclosure practices. Accountancy Business and the Public Interest,19, 309-329.
Carroll, A. B., Brown, J. A., & Buchholtz, A. K. (2018). Business & society: Ethics, sustainability & stakeholder management (10th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Ethics and compliance. (2022). Apple.
Sroka, W., & Szántó, R. (2018). Corporate social responsibility and business ethics in controversial sectors: Analysis of research results. Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, 14(3), 111-126.