BHP Billiton: The Largest Social Issues In Global Society

As our knowledge of the way in which human societies impact on the natural world develops, society’s expectations of corporate conduct have evolved. Quite rightly, our stakeholders expect us to consider the broader, long-term implications of our operations as a part of our decision-making processes.

Businesses who participate in environmentally friendly practices will become more profitable. There are difficulties and costs that a business will face and profit takes time but is proven to positively impact a business. “The reluctance to address the forces that are polluting the planet always comes down to money (Smith, “6 Reasons Nations Don't Go Green.”). Implementing environmentally friendly practices within a company “will win them customers, and increase profits” (McDonald, “Why Do (or Don’t) Companies Go Green?”). Many global companies today carry out environmental management tools to adapt to environmentally friendly practices, which helps gain customers, and in turn becomes more profitable. In this paper, I will go into further detail explaining why businesses should be more environmentally friendly, the benefits to be gained, costs that come with being environmentally friendly, and management ways that help a company become environmentally friendly.

Many firms are learning that being environmentally friendly and sustainable has numerous benefits. (O.C Ferrell, Fraedrich, Ferrell, 2015). This could enable them to increase goodwill from various stakeholders and also save money in the long term. This will mean that they are being more efficient and less wasteful of resources, which will enable them to be more competitive by satisfying stakeholders. The CEO of

Moreover, Canada should know their environmental responsibilities as companies need space for land and lots of water for dumping waste. This increases risks for injuries to occur as employees enter harsh environments. Workers end up exposed to coal dust and silica for long periods which causes serious health problems. In areas of mining companies exists pollution at an increased rate that makes the soil and water enriched with heavy metals and livestock. Globally, businesses corporate social responsibilities that are essential as they consist of four strategies: the shareholder strategy, the alustric strategy, the reciprocal strategy, and the citizen strategy. The shareholder strategy is where the corporate social responsibility is looking for an overall profit and the same to reach threshold. Secondly, the alustric strategy is where the company declares themselves unaccountable for society and allows for responsibility to fall towards the person leading the firm - the manager. Next, the reciprocal strategy has an individual who looks for the flaws in both economic and social perspectives. Lastly, the citizen strategy is where there is a business analysis that includes individuals who have different expectations and interests for continuing the company’s goals. NGOs also pressure companies to fix remedies to help the victims of the violations.

LO1: Understand the principles supporting environmental sustainability in a business environment 1.1 Describe current legislation in relation to environmental sustainability in a business environment The UK’s economy relies on global trade and resources. Issues such as climate change and a growing world population mean there is more pressure on energy, natural resources and the wider environment. A more efficient use of resources such as water, energy and natural resources directly benefits businesses in the UK. Savings of up to £23 billion a year, reducing carbon emissions and more resilience to climate change and inflated prices of supplies are a few benefits that have been anticipated.

As we have seen an increase in awareness around sustainability and climate change, with the help of Al Gore’s Inconvenient Truth documentary in 2006, we see organizations moving towards mitigating the effects of climate change in various ways (Al Gore, n.d). As this corporate social responsibility has become more prevalent, organizations are now pushing their green agenda by publishing sustainability reports, doing mass marketing and implementing sustainable business practices to portray the image that they too are working towards protecting the earth’s natural environment all the while focusing on their underlying goal of selling their products and

To a regular person, the global concern about ‘going green’ might appear as a result of speculation from nervous politicians and alarmed citizens. But the reality is totally different. In recent years, businesses have gained much knowledge about the impact of their activities on environment and in turns their customers. Businesses are successively venturing to earn greater revenues. In this process, they are trying out every best possibility to entice their contributors- from customers to investors. Regardless to say, stakeholders these days are more socially responsible than ever. So to keep up to their expectations, businesses are also trying to expand or limit their activities to save the environment- from doing relentless research on lowering waste to lean management and even trying out various eco-friendly activities. Despite of all these, the ultimate question remains unanswered if it is financially beneficial to adapt those initiatives that is going to serve the

Assessing the second objective, permits the first policy for Community Relations in BHP Billiton’s Sustainability Framework to come to light. The first policy statement is that the company “engages regularly, openly and honestly with our host governments and people affected by our operations, and take their views and concerns into account in our decision making”. This policy

Although mining positively benefits the needs of people in our daily lives, but it has a negative downfall when it comes to environmental issues. To be capable of extracting the ores from deep below the earth’s surface, it requires miners to excavate the land, removing all necessary living things just to construct a pit to proceed with the operation. Forests being harvested, wildlife habitats being destroyed, Rivers being diverted to some other areas making other plantations die in dehydration. Not only the animals and plants suffer from the impacts of mining, people also faces problems ahead of them too. Mining impacts the people by forcing residents out from their lands, preventing the residents’ access to clean water source. The worst of all, residents exposed themselves to

When looking at the corporate businesses and the undoing of the human habitat; the United Nations has sanctioned many organizations to track climate change such as the UNEP, the World Meteorological Organization and the IPCC. Since the mid-eighties, these agencies have monitored the changes, yet have failed to convey the significance. Studies done by these agencies have concluded that the last fifty years are attributable to human activities and big corporations which lead to the changing in the compositions of the atmosphere throughout the 21st century (Saltori). These activities that are mentioned are those by means of businesses that grew into national conglomerates. Concurrent with business growth, the greenhouse gas emissions have grown seventy percent from 1970 to 2004 (Lehner). Recent studies have shown that 122 corporations produce eighty percent of greenhouse gases (IPCC). The climate is going to drastically change the world forever, but at whose expense? What exactly does the political eminence of these companies have

Over the past few decades, sustainable business practices have become more prevalent and required in corporations. Australian organisations are required to be responsible for being sustainable socially, economically and environmentally, here we focus on the environmental factors. Australia’s government is constantly coming up

In a culture based on consumption and consumerism businesses are the forefront of society providing every good and service imaginable. Although, in today’s society there has been an increase in significant issues concerning the ecology of our planet that have come along with this consumer culture. With issues such a lack of clean water, lack of food, lack of energy and a rapid decline in biodiversity. This rapid decline in natural resources is due to mostly to the over consumption and alteration of the planet and its resources. Where do we start though in the process to protect and preserve our resources? It starts with the very businesses that we all buy from; a major part of our everyday lives and the largest consumers of resources businesses can play a large role in sustainability and climate action. Increasing pressure is being put on businesses to create a more sustainable society, this is being done through many business sustainable business efforts.

Intro: This report will aim to define responsible business, in relation to the vast range of topics such as Corporate social Responsibility/Corporate Citizenship, sustainability, whilst comparing these through academia and their different meanings relating to Responsible Business. Furthermore, this report will also aim to critically analyse climate change and its effect in relation to making Business more responsible as well as the drawbacks/opportunities this holds for business. Finally, this report will exploit the relation between government and Business; identify possible barriers for businesses through government via academic views and evidential impacts on businesses and how government supports business to create a more sustainable world, through incentives such as the climate change Act 2008.

In our days, mining for resources is inevitable. The resources we need are valuable in everyday life. Such resources mined up are coal, copper, gold, silver, and sand. However, mining poses environmental risks that can degrade the quality of soil and water, which can end up effecting us humans if not taken care of and many of the damages are irreversible once they have occurred.

The mining industry has seen an explosive growth from the past few decades. It has played an important role in economic growth, infrastructure development and a raise in the living standard of the whole world. According to the Australian National Accounting System, the mining sector has made contributions of 9.8% GDP growth to the Australian economy between 2008 to 2009 (Australia Bureau of Statistics, 2012). However, the mining industry has caused many environmental issues such as adverse effect to air, land and water quality and continues to affect global environment as a whole. According to the World Health Organization, it evaluated that 25% of worldwide death are directly associated with environmental pollution (Blacksmith Institute, n.d). This essay will outline the environmental issue raised by the mining industry with pinpoint focus on the effects to air, water and land. It will also provide strategies for mining companies to improve the environmental conditions.