Running head: ETHICAL SUSTAINABILITY 1
Ethical Sustainability in Business Firms
Liberty University
ETHICAL SUSTAINABILITY 2
Abstract
This research paper will discuss the analyze the topic of ethical sustainability within the
workplace environment. It will provide thorough research of the topic of environmental
responsibility on the secular and biblical ideas. It will compare and contrast the thoughts on
environmental ethics of a secular worldview compared to a biblical worldview. This paper will
emphasize the importance of environmental responsibility playing a role in daily business. It will
look at the work of companies such as Nike, Patagonia, IKEA, and Ben & Jerry’s. It is intended
to encourage other businesses to be aware of the role that they play in maintaining the beauty of
the Lord’s creation and controlling their carbon footprint.
Keywords: sustainability, environmental responsibility, ethics, secular, biblical
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Ethical Sustainability in Business Firms
In a world where profit seems to have become the main priority within a business setting
it is important that companies also identity the impact that their production line is making on the
world. Most businesses nowadays are no longer just trying to sell a product but also attempting
to make a name for themselves. This comes with having more than just a good creation but also
having a mission. Companies like Nike, IKEA, Patagonia, and Ben & Jerry’s all put the
environment first when it comes to the production and packing of their product line. It is more
than just having something out there for the company to sell but creating merchandise that is not
harmful to the environment, encouraging other companies to be just like them.
Christians are called as believers to subdue the earth but often many do not even
understand the full meaning of that command. Though the prioritization of profit and fame have
taken over the business world multiple companies in the secular world attempt to make a name
for themselves by not just selling a good product but by also making a difference in the world. In
a biblical worldview, for a company to make the sustainability of both their products and the
environment a priority, believers are able to take better care of the world that the Lord has given
them. For even business owners that may not even be believers, those individuals are able to
create a long-lasting product but focusing on reducing waste and maintaining a minimal carbon
footprint but monitoring the environmental impact of their production line.
Secular Worldview on Environmental Responsibility
It is a common theme in the secular worldview for individuals to take all they can
because their time on this earth is limited. Often times it can be the common thought of the world
to believe that all that is on this earth is ours and needs to be used up as much as possible as fast
as possible, however that is not the case. Though many see the earth as something that can be
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used for profit, due to the increase of environmental ethics being prevalent within the workplace
more and more company are working towards utilizing renewable energy sources and supplying
a sustainable product that is not harmful to the environment.
Everyone is responsible for taking care of the environment in the actions they take every
day. However, when large corporations and companies are doing nothing to combat the effects of
the production and products on the environment then the impact of a single individual
minimalizing their daily waste or another recycling and reusing all that is available to them
seems inefficient. It has become a responsibility of not just individuals but of all people and
groups including businesses to get involved and to try and combat the negative impact humans
have on this earth (Rouanet, 2016). Though there are things that the world’s carbon footprint has
placed in the world Sustainable business also proves to give businesses a competitive advantage
in the corporate world by putting a focus on the world that is around us (Schuler, Rasche, Etzion,
& Newton, 2017). This earth is their home and any efforts that a business makes in order to help
sustain it is going to attract customers to their business. By taking this mentality within a
business and spreading it throughout the company culture into the minds of their stakeholders,
businesses are able to achieve the sustainability that they so desire (Bowles & Ruhanen, 2018).
By spreading the thought of environmental ethics throughout a company’s culture and
establishing that as a central thought to keep in mind companies can avoid the backlash in
different departments if all departments are able to hold the same mindset about putting the
benefit of the environment first.
Biblical Worldview on Environmental Responsibility
In Genesis 1:28 it says, “And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and
multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the
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birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Though this world is
only a temporary home for believers before they are to go to rejoin God in heaven it is important
to recognize that this is not a world that they can let rot if they want to live a good and fruitful
life that honors the Lord. To have dominion over something is so much more than to just have
power over it. For example, if a king only exercised power over his kingdom and did not take of
the people in it, the kingdom would eventually fall and crumble. In the same way, this earth is
one that should not only be taken from but one that is cared for and given back to (Genesis 2:15).
Believers should be quick to learn from the mistakes of those before them. The united
nation of Israel took and took from the land that the Lord had given them and had ruined His
name just as it says in Jeremiah 2:7, “I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich
produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable.” By not caring
for the land as the Lord intended for them to, the Israelites made a mockery of the God they
served. They were not being good to the land that the Lord had given Him and disgraced His
name. Therefore, believers should learn from the mistakes of those who came before Him by not
just taking from the earth to provide for themselves and to provide for their companies but also
being aware of how much that can affect the environment. This is not just so the people of this
earth can have an earth to call home but to have something that the Lord can be proud of. The
earth is a creation that God gifted to His children and not something that should be taken
advantage of but something that should be cared for and nourished in order to honor the Lord
that gifted it to them (Proverbs 12:10).
Comparison of Worldviews
As evidenced through the extensive research of biblical and scholarly sources, one can
find that there are many similarities and differences between the secular and biblical way of
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thinking on the topic of environmental responsibility. It can be seen that both ways of thought
have the preservation of the environment as of upmost importance. Both worldviews
acknowledge this planet as our home. However, there are different motivations behind the
necessity of the care that businesses should put into the environment. The secular thoughts on
ethical sustainability believe to use the mission of environmental ethics as a competitive
advantage (Schuler, Rasche, Etzion, & Newton, 2017). However, many organizations are
mission-based nowadays and not only are selling a product to the common consumer but are also
looking to support a mission. Ben & Jerry’s supports all sorts of different campaigns from GMO
labelling to racial justice (Thompson, 2007). Utilizing a play like this within a company can
allow the business to have a foothold in their industry by setting them apart from the ice cream
shop down the street that sells the exact same product but raises money to save the turtles. Both
Christians and non-believers both share the same ideal of the importance of persevering the
environment. However, believers see the world as something that the Lord has left them in
charge of (Genesis 2:15). Due to this responsibility, Christians have a call to be good stewards of
not just the possessions and the things that the Lord has given them throughout their lives but
also to be good stewards of the world that they live in. Both worldviews show that there is a
purpose in caring for the environment and that each individual and company has a responsibility
to care for the environment that they are living in.
Business Examples
Companies aware of their carbon footprint are on the rise as the importance of
environmental conservation grows. Businesses like Nike, Patagonia, IKEA, and Ben & Jerry’s
are all taking steps to lessen their harsh impact on the environment and attempting to give back
by creating a sustainable and lasting product. This can be seen in the different efforts these
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companies are making in order to take responsibility of caring for the earth that provides for the
production. Each company makes it their priority to care for the environment not only in their
production but also in their company culture and ethics.
Ben & Jerry's Homemade Holdings Inc
The famous mission motivated ice cream company, Ben & Jerry’s, not only cares about
where their ingredients come from and social justice, but they also care about the environment.
Natural resource manager Andrea Asch regularly measures the company’s carbon-dioxide
emissions and commits the company to using renewable energy sources (Thompson, 2007). The
company prides themselves in maintaining their impact on the environment. The company
purchases their clean renewable energy resources from Native Energy, a Vermont-based energy
provider with methane-capture, wind and solar projects (2007). In 2002, the Ben & Jerry’s went
beyond the limitations of their own four walls of making a difference and launched a campaign
known as “Lick Global Warming” (2007). This campaign motivates individuals outside of the
company to get involved in the fight against global warming. It also reaches out to one of their
top consumers, children. Ben & Jerry’s offers children the opportunity to write postcards to send
to Congress to support emission-reducing efforts (2007). In 2005, the company went as far as to
build a 1,140-pound, four-foot-tall dessert to symbolize the environmental damage drilling in the
wildlife preserve would cause (2007). The ice cream company makes environmental
responsibility a priority in their business not only increasing their sales but as well as their
popularity as they continue to give back to the environment that gives to them.
Patagonia, Inc.
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The company of Patagonia takes strides every day in order to achieve a sustainable
product. This business markets and sells outdoor clothing to a market that is conscious of the
environment. Therefore, the company has an ability to make their consumer also care as much as
they do about the effect of their product on the environment. However, Patagonia combats the
tensions of the supply chain management while attempting to create a product that will last and
that is not harmful to the environment (O’Rourke & Strand, 2016). As the company works to
create a sustainable product, they also fight against the combat of dealing with Durable Water
Repellent (DWR) treatments that are harmful to the environment (2016). Though a long-chain
(C8) fluorocarbon-based treatment proved highly durable and effective in order to create a
lasting DWR the treatment also was incredibly harmful to the environment. The company
continues to fight back against the harsh chemicals that these DWR treatments put into the
environment by implementing a C6 treatment that broke down faster but proved to be less
harmful to humans, wildlife, and fish overtime (2016). Though Patagonia faces backlash for the
decisions the company makes in order to create a product that lasts but does not leave a negative
impact on the environment, they still make strides to create a quality product.
Nike, Inc.
Nike Inc. goes beyond just the production and packaging of their product in order to
foster sustainability. The features of the firm that highlight the company’s ability to go above and
beyond in the game of sustainability are leadership, organization design, market strength, market
positioning, and culture (Epstein, Buhovac & Yuthas, 2010). Due to the company leadership’s
support from the CEO and board, Nike is able to push the movement of sustainability within
production to create a quality product that is not harmful to the environment like when the shoe
company reduced the level of regulated toxins in their shoe designs while still creating a product
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that their consumer enjoys. The company even has a department within Nike that focuses in on
their responsibility to be environmentally responsible known as the Sustainable Business and
Innovation department (2010). Nike gives a lot of credit to their ability to be sustainable to its
market strength and position. Due to the company’s power in the field of shoe manufacturing and
their consumer market being those who spend a lot of time in the environment, Nike is able to
explore and experiment with different options to provide sustainable products to a market that
cares about the environment (2010). Lastly, Nike’s corporate image fosters a culture that cares
about sustainability making it achievable for the company to be a leader in its field.
IKEA
The furniture company giant, IKEA, has also taken a stance in the realm of sustainability.
IKEA’s current sustainability efforts are found in their renewable energy and sustainable product
(Cosmo & Yang, 2017). The furniture company is setting the bar for the use of renewable energy
after investing $3 billon in 2009 on wind and solar projects. IKEA works on providing a
sustainable product by offering products that use recycled materials and products that encourage
customers to care for the environment (2017). The company has laid their claim to already being
set apart from the rest of the furniture industry. As long as the company continues to make
changes within their business to grow in their sustainability efforts, IKEA will find a new way to
set themselves apart in the industry of furniture making.
Each of these companies take their environmental responsibility to the next level by
providing a sustainable product that is pleasing to the consumer and not harmful to the
environment.
Conclusion
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Through this study, an individual can see the importance of taking action within the realm
of environmental responsibility within the business world. Not only are companies able to
provide a quality product but they are also able to give back to the planet that is supplying them
materials in the way that they manufacture. Nike has incorporated the responsibility of
environmental sustainability into the culture of their corporation allowing them to keep a
foothold within their industry but still supply an environmentally friendly product (Epstein,
Buhovac, & Yuthas, 2010). Ben & Jerry’s bring their responsibility of maintaining the
environment to the consumer by not only making sure they are known for being environmentally
conscious but also giving their customers an opportunity to get involved (Thompson, 2007).
Despite all the obstacles surrounding them, Patagonia still makes diligent efforts to supply a
product that is sustainable and non-toxic to the environment (O’Rourke & Strand, 2017). IKEA
has claimed their status and set the bar for the furniture industry as the continue to attempt to
reduce the waste in the world by using recycled materials and utilizing renewable energy
resources (Cosmo & Yang, 2017). Both the secular worldview and a biblical worldview can
agree that the conservation of the environment is of the upmost importance. The biggest
difference between the two can be found in how each are motivated to maintain their
environmental responsibility. Believers are motivated by the responsibility to be good stewards
of the earth that the Lord has given them in order to maintain a world that He will shine His face
upon and secular companies are motivated by the opportunity that taking action for the
environment gives their company by helping them making a name for themselves (Schuler,
Rasche, Etzion, & Newton, 2017).
This study is limited in the amount of current environmentally responsible companies that
were used in order to research the topic, but others should be encouraged to continue the research
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of this topic by going beyond just looking at companies as individuals but comparing them with
one another. This can provide data into how different companies show different success rates
even when they are all driven by the same mission. This can include doing a contrast and
comparison study of companies at different income levels to see the steps that the companies
take in order to maintain their carbon footprint and how that can affect their gain and cost levels.
The maintenance of the earth is of upmost importance to not only the world of believers but also
to those who may not believe in the God that created this world. Companies are called into action
to start taking care of the planet that helps them to make a profit.
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Epstein, M. J., Buhovac, A. R., & Yuthas, K. (2010). Why Nike Kicks Butt in Sustainability.
Organizational Dynamics, 39(4), 353-356.
O’Rourke, D., & Strand, R. (2017). Patagonia: Driving Sustainable Innovation by Embracing
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