What is pollution?

Pollution is an undesirable change in the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of the air , water or land that can harmfully affect the health, survival, or activities of humans or other living organisms.

Pollution photos

Pollution statistics and examples

In 2006, air pollution in Pakistan's major cities were among the highest in the world, causing serious health issues in the process. Dust and smoke particles are generally twice the world average and five times higher than the developed world. This was found out in the Pakistan Economic Survey. The survey also found out that the number of vehicles on the roads in Pakistan have increased five times in the past 20 years. One of the biggest increases is seen in the automobile sector in diesel- powered goods lorries. These vehicles are among the most polluting in the world.

Many towns and factories are build near rivers so that they can use water from the river. However, sometimes the water is not cleaned before it is put back into the river. Pollution can make rivers smell. Pollution kills water plants and animals. Polluted water also carries diseases. When animals drink the water, they may get diseases which can kill them. People can also get these diseases if they eat the infected animal. This happens a lot in Africa where people get untreated water directly from the river.

Water supplies to about 200,000 people in Central China have been contaminated by pollution. The Xinglong, Tianguan and Dongjing rivers were affected by the pollution. About 60,000 people in Xinguo have been left without running water because of this. They are relying on bottled water and limited underground supplies. China has faced problems in the past with careless or dangerous use of chemicals for industry or agriculture.

In December 1984, a Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal, India, leaked over forty tons of a poisonous gas into the community surrounding the plant. Indian officials estimate that the gas leak left nearly 3000 people dead and 50,000 people permanently disabled and that 15,000 people died from subsequently from exposure to the poisonous gas. Hundreds of tonnes of waste still lays inside a tin-roofed warehouse in the corner of the old grounds of the Union Carbide pesticide factory in Bhopal, India.

When the Asian tsunami of Christmas 2005 washed ashore on the east coast of Africa, it discovered that tonnes of radioactive waste and toxic chemicals drifted onto the beaches after the giant wave dislodged them from the sea bed off Somalia. Tens of thousands of Somalis fell ill after it came into contact with a cocktail. They complained to the United Nations (UN), which began an investigation. They stated that "There were reports from villagers from a wide range of medical problems such as mouth bleeds, unusual skin disorders and breathing difficulties." Three hundred people are believed to have died from the poisonous chemicals.

What is exploitation?

Child exploitation is a term which includes forced or dangerous labour. The term is used to refer to situations where children are abused- physically, verbally, or sexually- or when they are submitted to unsatisfactory conditions as part of their forced or voluntary employment. Many of the children who suffer from exploitation do so because they have no other choice. They may also have been forced into child labour, either in their own country or somewhere internationally. Child exploitation occurs all over the world, and for many different reasons. Some of the more dangerous forms of child exploitation occur outside of the UK- in developing countries in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa where labour is cheap and people do the jobs usually reserved for machines and factories.

Exploitation of Third World economies

The Third World is the economically underdeveloped countries of Asia, Africa, Oceania and Latin America, with common characteristics, such as poverty, high birth rates and economic dependence on the advanced countries.

These countries are poor and economically weak, so it is quite easy for the governments of developed countries to exploit them. Governments do this mainly in relation to multilateral trade agreements. Multinationals do this by making sure that the benefits of their operations in poor countries mainly go to their shareholders instead of the governments and people of the country. A multinational business is a business that has been participated in by more than two nations or government parties.

Key points about economic and social exploitation of children and young people are:

1) Many forms of child labour involve the economic exploitation of children and young people.

2) Commercial sexual exploitation of children and young people involves sexual abuse and payment of money to them or a third party.

3) Forms of commercial sexual exploitation include sex tourism involving children and child pornography. Early marriage is considered a form of sexual exploitation.
Many forms of child labour involve the economic exploitation of children and young people. For example, a study in Zambia revealed that the most common forms of child labour includes quarrying and stone crushing, work on the streets and work in commercial farms. Some people regard all child labour as exploitative.

Exploitation photo

Exploitation statistics

The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF in the mid '90s estimated that the number of street children worldwide was 100 million.

According to UNICEF, there are about 25 million street children in Asia and an estimated 10 million in Africa (1998).

In Dhaka, Bangladesh, there are 10,000 girls living in the streets (World Vision).

UNICEF estimates that there are 16,000 street children in Vietnam.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that 250 million children between the ages of five and fourteen work in developing countries.

Some fifty to sixty million children between the ages of five and eleven work in hazardous circumstances. In addition to traditional involvement in agricultural and domestic work, children are now involved in a whole range of extractive and manufacturing sectors, often in dangerous and exploitative conditions.

Of the world's 1.2 billion people living in poverty, more than 600 million are children (UNICEF: The State of the World's Children, 2000).

Politics and business

Governments often make decisions that affect the international business environment to put pressure on other countries to make political changes. Sanctions help stop businesses trading with those countries, either by buying their goods or selling products too them.

International sanctions are actions taken by countries against others for political reasons.

Economic sanctions are penalties applied by one country (or group of countries) on another. Economic sanctions include import duties. This means that imports from outside the European Union (EU) into the UK must be declared to HM Revenue & Customs.

http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCES&itemId=1077947854

Well known examples of economic sanctions include the United Nations sanctions against South Africa and the United States embargo against Cuba (1962-present).

Other ways that governments can affect the international business environment include protectionism or buying and selling land in poor countries.

Protectionism is the economic policy of restraining trade between states, through methods such as tariffs on imported goods and a variety of other restrictive government regulations designed to discourage imports.

The Cambodian government has sold almost half of its land- without reference to the people who live there.

Who am I?

I work as a consultant on international business and have dealt with many businesses operating internationally. Recently, I have become increasingly aware and disturbed by the social and environmental impact of international business operations, especially in poorer or less economical developed countries (LEDCs), such as Ethiopia, Kenya and Madagascar which earn low income and less economically developed countries (LEDCs), such as China, Mongolia and Iran which earn low-middle income from selling goods and services.

The countries shown in blue are the high income countries.

The countries shown in green are the upper-middle income countries.

The countries shown in purple are the lower-middle income countries.

The countries shown in red are the low income countries.

I urge you to read this blog and understand the issues described and how it affects businesses operating internationally. Examples will be provided to show this. Ethical issues will also be described using relevant illustrations, giving links to specific resources that can be read by anyone and explaining what ethics are.

What are ethics in relation to business behaviour?

Ethics are the principles guiding behaviour. In relation to business behaviour, an ethical corporation would be expected to take into account issues of right and wrong when making decisions. Attention to international business practices must earn the respect and confidence of their customers in relation to their legal behaviour.

Many terms in business ethics refer to corporate offices and programs intended to communicate, monitor and enforce a company's values and standards. The term "ethics" can cause problems in an international context because the term can be difficult to find a common understanding for other countries because the term does not translate well, some organisations choose to use other terms, such as integrity, business practices or responsible business conduct.

http://www.business-ethics.org/primer.asp