ETHICS AND PRODUCT CONSUMATION

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Business ethics refers to the all aspects of the code of conduct in the day to day business activities of individuals within an entity or the entire organization and arise naturally from a company’s values detailing how to tackle and solve ethical challenges.

Safaricom limited is the market leader in the mobile network operations in Kenya. In April 2008 Safaricom ltd made its first Initial Public offer to be listed in Nairobi Stock Exchange. To this day Safaricom is the first company in the Nairobi stock exchange with its share capital estimated to be close to 6.2 billion US dollars. The mobile network has an estimated 14 million subscribers that access voice calling, short message service, internet and multiple mobile money transaction platforms the major one being M-PESA a mobile money transfer that has brought about change in the banking trends in Kenya and across the globe where a subscriber can easily access their money through mobile banking from a nationwide network of M-PESA Agents. Vodafone a stakeholder in Safaricom Ltd intends to roll out the M-PESA service internationally as it resembles the Western union money transfer platform. The company boosts to be an equal employer of persons and a job creator, directly; Safaricom Ltd has over 1800 actively engaged employees and over 100,000 indirect jobs. Over the years the remarkable growth and expansion of operations to across borders to other East African countries for Safaricom as a company can be attributed to its strict and enabling use of ethical practices to run its business. This has created and enhanced the company’s competitive edge over its competitors namely: - Airtel of the Bharti Group of companies in India, YU mobile of the Essar group from South africa, Orange Telkom owned by the Kenyan Government and France Telkom.

Honesty

This pillar can be taken to mean, safeguarding the integrity of an organization by effectively eliminating vices of stealing or lying that would otherwise dent the image of the company. Safaricom as a business has created over ten customer care stations across the country to diligently tackle customer concerns as well as recruiting dealers to collectively achieve a faultless system of mobile communication services. The reliability of Safaricom services has been enhanced by the real time response to customer complaints and transmission hiccups. The same honesty has been extended to the media communication where emphasis on the truth especially in the M-PESA money transfer platform has been insisted and proven thereby enabling the company to gain and maintain the trust of its subscribers.

Responsibility

This is pillar lays emphasis on providing accountability to the shareholders and stakeholders in the company’s pursuit of excellence. This should be in a way that everyone is facilitated to conduct business efficiently and with self restraint. Safaricom as a business aims to maximize the shareholders returns, therefore as a company and through its able management it has been able to efficiently generate revenue and has shown its responsibility against sacrificing shareholders gains to other concerns that would be in violation of its fiduciary responsibility.

Caring

This pillar stands for the acts of charity and compassion within the organizations context. Safaricom Ltd has been involved in numerous charitable activities most popular being Walks against cancer, children home visits, facilities rehabilitation in schooling institutions, mobile clinics to remote areas amongst others.

Respect

This pillar emphasizes on treating others within or outside the organization with courtesy, decency and dignity. Stakeholders within the Safaricom company have consistently learnt that the opinions of others matters and one should respect and offer their piece of mind. The employees in the company have also had to learn that the resources of the company should be used responsibly.

Fairness

This pillar seeks to provide impartiality and enhance equality in transactions of a business. Within the Safaricom business the company has come up with considerate human resource practices that acknowledge the equitable compensation for efforts committed physical or mental and the provision of welfare services to its employees. Safaricom offers competitive and salaries such that most graduates want to work with the company. Safaricom has a daycare program operating within the business premises to provide support to lactating young mothers.

Citizenship

This pillar assists a company like Safaricom Ltd to practice the spirit of democracy as well as honor its corporate citizenship by paying taxes duly, through corporate social responsibility provide innovative ways to improve the quality of life without the limitations of regional, national or international borders. This pillar also allows the business to use its expertise to protect its immediate environment. Safaricom as a business is involved in numerous corporate social responsibility activities such as offering scholarships to less financially intelligent individuals to pursue their international studies in universities across the world. Safaricom is also behind the sponsorship of the Safaricom Safari sevens the rugby team, sponsors the Lewa marathon n order to effectively feed and protect the near extinct white rhinos.

In the current market trends companies like Safaricom ltd have indulged in corporate social responsibility activities to identify as trustable and responsible. The adoption of the green initiatives such as recycling, tree planting, energy and water saving ways amongst others. These charitable activities should enhance the best of corporate activities and not to act as ways to defraud the government its taxes by channeling by fraud their incomes to disguise their real revenues. By the corporates sharing their expertise and resources to the environment around them be it in green initiatives or philanthropic commitments the best solutions to community problems would be solved as well as provide ground for exceptional governance. Some projects created by Safaricom that include the empowering the Child in need serve as a springboard to changing the livelihoods of most in dire need communities in countries in Africa. The empowerment of the girl child to a responsible female adult with education and power to freely make decisions would in a great way assist reduce the maternal deaths as well as create economic growth areas that would see the general upgrade lives of the communities especially those living below the poverty line.

References

En.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safaricom