An issue regarding business ethics have been the circumstances that led up to and the reaction that followed the collapse of the Bangladeshi garment factory in April which resulted in over 1100 deaths. In that factory, large commercial retailers such as Joe Fresh, Mango and Walmart had garments produced in crowded conditions by poorly paid workers.

When the building collapsed, many looked to the corporations that utilized the workers’ labour to take responsibility and properly compensate those affected. Instead, many of these corporations tried to distance themselves from the incident, saying that they were not directly involved and therefore should not have to provide reparations. This leads us to wonder about the ethics of their decisions regarding production.

Why was the building’s condition not checked more often or closely for safety? Why are companies distancing themselves from the incident when the factory’s products were being sold in their stores? It is clear that responsibility needs to be taken especially when lives are lost. Obviously, within businesses, profits and cost management are areas that should be closely monitored. The main issue is how businesses can balance those areas while being cognizant of the welfare of those involved in the process.

http://www.dw.de/bangladesh-textile-workers-await-compensation/a-17046711

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/06/rana-plaza-collapse-victims-compensation_n_3713408.html