Business firms have a responsibility to maintain and improve the environment in different locations where they operate. This essay will take a position in favor of the main argument which states that business firms have a responsibility to maintain the environment. The list below is a summation of important points from various articles that talk about the subject:
Business firms have a responsibility to protect the environment from different forms of degradation which have negative impacts on living and non living things.
Business firms need to use clean energy sources to reduce the amount of carbon monoxide and other harmful greenhouse gases they emit into the atmosphere.
Business firms have a responsibility to act in the best interests of their stakeholders to ensure they do not get exposed to various environmental hazards.
Enterprises need to ensure their operations conform to high quality environmental practices to build positive relationships with their clients.
Environmental conservation enables business firms to preserve scarce natural resources such as water and forests for future generations.
Discussion and Summary
Business organizations need to formulate important policies that compel them to observe high quality environmental practices in their operations. Business firms need to increase their awareness on high quality environmental practices which impact on their operations in various locations they operate in. During periods of economic boom, some firms do not take their environmental responsibilities seriously. Such firms are likely to engage in harmful environmental practices which endanger the wellbeing of people living in communities which are located close to where they operate (Rivera & Delmas, 2004, p. 230).
Therefore, business firms need to conduct an audit of their internal and external operations to ensure they conform to high environmental standards. As a result, this approach enables them to be considerate to other people, animals and plants which depend on different natural resources for their survival.
Managers need to integrate high quality environmental practices with other long term business strategies to enable their organizations to conform to sustainable development practices. They need to implement appropriate energy policies to reduce their overall carbon footprints. Therefore, business firms need to use renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power for their internal operations. Fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum and natural gas emit harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. As a result, increased levels of air pollution expose human beings and animals to respiratory health problems (Walker, Redmond, & Giles, 2010, p. 3).
Managers also need to encourage employees in their firms to reduce their overdependence on personal cars. Therefore, increased usage of public transport by commuters in major urban zones will reduce global warming and air pollution.
Lastly, manufacturing firms need to come up with better ways of managing waste generated from their operations. They need to recycle waste water before releasing it into important water systems which serve other domestic and industrial users. They also need to adopt effective water management practices so that they avoid wasting scarce water resources (Stubbs & Cocklin, p. 108). Lakes, rivers and oceans host different types of living organisms which require clean environments for them to thrive and regenerate. Therefore, business firms need to form partnerships with people in local communities to make them understand the importance of environmental conservation. As a result, this will help them to be remembered for making positive impacts to communities living in various locations they operate in.
References
Rivera, J., & Delmas, M. (2004). Business and environmental protection: An introduction. Human Ecology Review, 11 (3), 230-234. Web.
Stubbs, W., & Cocklin, C. (2008). Conceptualizing a “sustainability business model.” Organization Environment, 21 (2), 103-127. Web.
Walker, E., Redmond, J., & Giles, M. (2010). Preface to special issue: Environmental sustainability and business. International Journal of Business Studies, 18 (1), 1-5. Web.