The Nike's Ethical Ethics Of The Nike Company

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The company which I chose to research and assess their ethical practices is the Nike Company. The company is the world’s leading maker of athletic clothing and footwear however, Nike has long been facing issues since the 1990’s for their mistreatment of employees and horrible working conditions in sweat shops overseas. This makes them a perfect example of a company who is trying to overcome the tarnished image consumers have placed on the company, by turning to a new set of ethical standards The first principle in the Better Business Bureau’s Ethical/Enterprising principles is transformation at the top. The real shift in the company begins with a May 1998 speech by then-CEO Phil Knight. “The Nike product has become synonymous with slave wages, forced overtime, and arbitrary abuse,” Knight said. “I truly believe the American consumer doesn’t want to buy products made under abusive conditions.” Also during that speech, he announces Nike will raise the minimum age of workers, The leader and leadership team transfer their ethical ethos by their active engagement with their industry and the communities from which the organization derives its customers, workforce, vendors, investors and governance (BBB). This investment can be from a number of different things, however for the Nike Company, they should worry more about focusing on a Kantian Traditional view. To do this first, they must attempt to diminish the unfair treatment accusations of their overseas employees and begin to respect the dignity of each individual human being. Second, acting according to those rules that can be universally agreed on by all people will tremendously aid in the investment of employees and consumers. Third and last, Nike must treat all people as an end in themselves and never as a mean to their own ends which is where their ethical issues were rooted from in the first

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