W-50

Caux Principes is a declaration made by world business leaders in 1986 in Caux, Switzerland to affirm business ethics for a post Cold War world. The code that was drawn up emphasized the Japanese concept of Kyosei(living and working together for common good.) Business behavior for a better world as the Principles envisioned has also the Western concept of human dignity at its core. The code exhorted for ‘centrality of moral values’ in economic decision-making.
What is globalization and international business without holding the lowest denominator for their raison d’etre in sights? Man as consumer, labor and producer may take on as many roles. Without getting that right nothing will work to satisfaction. The end user in Thailand is as important as the President of the Philips Electronics.
Industrial disasters whether at Chernobyl or at Bhopal cannot be avoided altogether. As and when such accidents take place one has to assume wider geographical areas and generations shall be affected than what official accounts might indicate. It does not matter whether was by chance or by some false sense of economy of those who are responsible. They have caused a great loss to the host nation. By the same token what profits reaped by multinationals in a Third World country are to be shared by the host nation as well. In a fair and equitable fashion.
Introducing fast foods in regions where a laid back style is the norm and using strong-arm tactics to change the food habits of the youth ‘to be cool’ must be considered as unethical. Of course culture is always in a flux and it must work spontaneously from within by those who are the inheritors of the particular culture and not by Nike, Levis or McDonalds. Similarly renting large tracts of lands for agribusiness multinational may cripple traditional agricultural practices. Remember how Britain swallowed up great parts of Africa in the 19th Century and well into the early part of 20th Century. For all their beggaring the native states whether in Africa or India they are now left with the realty: Great Britain is as much a multicultural society directly as a result.
Tailpiece: The question of face veils will be as much as hot as the Poll Tax.