BUS670 Wk 6 Rply

Legal Environmental   POST 1    Greenwashing Amanda Gallagher  6/16/2015 12:31:28 PM   I have thought about this concept before but didn’t know the official name was called greenwashing.   My communications education is kicking in and telling me that this is yet another public relations problem that should be addressed.  Much of the problem involved is honesty.  Organizations need to stick to their core values if they want to remain in good standing with their consumers.  You would be hard pressed to find a company that doesn’t incorporate trust, honesty, or integrity into their core values in some way.  Greenwashing breaks the bond of trust between the organization and the consumer. From a business standpoint the article gives good advice to organizations on how to avoid the six sins of greenwashing (TEMI, 2007, pg. 7).  On the other hand the article also give good examples of how consumers can identify greenwashing within an organization, (TEMI, 2007, pg. 6).  Basically it is a bout research and educating yourself on the products you buy and what is important to you.  I think about how snack food companies out “No Trans Fats” on their products.  Almost no one uses trans fats anymore.  This is meant to mislead the consumer into thinking what they are eating is healthier because the “trusted” company is concerned about them and the dangers of trans fats.  In reality, the organization is just trying to make you feel better about eating junk food. As a marketing director I would have a policy in place for greenwashing.  Personally I know I need to do more research on ways I can make a difference in global sustainability.  I would like to think that if I held a position in a company that allowed me to influence these choices I would try to keep the integrity of the company intact.  At some point you have to consider the cost of actually being green and what it would cost if your consumers found out you were purposely deceiving them.  That mistake could cost more than actually being green. For anyone interested in a similar topic there is a good documentary on Netflix instant streaming called Fed Up.    TerraChoice Environmental Marketing Inc. 2007.  The Sins of Greenwashing.  Retrieved from http://sinsofgreenwashing.com/index6b90.pdf     POST 2   Claims to Environmental-Friendliness Jermaine Morris  6/18/2015 12:25:51 PM   Well business is in the business of making money so any advantage that a company can get to better market their products they will take it.  Now I completely understand how people feel about green technology.  But people aren’t going to stop driving big cars or building massive houses.  This will create tensions between people who care or even pay close attention to how products are produced.  If you don’t way chemicals in your product then you’re better off not shopping anywhere.  No matter what products are going to have some chemicals in it?  The dangers of greenwashing for a business are massive if the right people pay attention this could destroy the credibility of your business.  Terrachoice (2007) stated that “Well-intentioned consumers may be misled into purchases that do not deliver on their environmental promise” (pg. 1).  So I would be very careful as a business owner as to destroy the reputation of my business.  I would be as truthful as we could be and tell the facts as we know it.  Yes as a marketing executive we would definitely have a policy against greenwashing because of the negative impacts to our business.  Also because lying is wrong and we want our consumer to trust in our brand and if we say something then we mean it and stand by our statements.  TerraChoice Environmental Marketing Inc. (2007). The ‘Six Dins of Greenwashing’: A Study of Environmental Claims in North American Consumer Markets [PDF file]. The Six Sins of Greenwashing. Retrieved from http://sinsofgreenwashing.org/index6b90.pdf   ENVIRONMENTAL STATUS Post 1 Bequi Leuck-Week 6-Disc 2 Awilda Leuck  6/18/2015 10:39:17 AM   My company has a lot of connections to several of the environmental laws as we are a corporation that has its own gym, pharmacy, clinic, cafeterias, and so much more; but one that stood out to me was the Occupational Safety and Health Act because one of my close friends works in this department and I have heard her speak to getting permits and having to do reviews of different areas to ensure all waste is being disposed of properly and meeting with waste companies to have them pick it up and taken away correctly. We have many offices in different parts of the US, so she has to fly out there as well to do checks on those buildings along with submitting the paperwork to ensure all the properties have permits submitted and she trains employees that work on the buildings. She works in line with the Act as “OSHA assures safe and healthful working conditions for workers by authorizing enforcement of the standards developed under the act” (Coniglio, 2010). I believe the Act truly does help, but the process is one that is very involved and many steps must be taken and if you miss one you will get in trouble which then puts your company at risk. Our company is one that gets many awards for compliance with OSHA from a national perspective, so I do know this task is stressful but can add great value at the same time. As The goal of the act is to ensure that employers provide their workers a working environment free from recognized hazards to safety and health such as exposure to toxic chemicals, excessive noise levels, mechanical dangers, heat or cold stress, or unsanitary conditions (United, 2012); my company is one that definitely performs its due diligence and ensures that the employees working are safe-as well as those employees working to ensure compliance with OSHA are professional and take the role with the utmost care. Coniglio, J. (2010). OSHA inspections. Professional Safety, 55(12), 39-41. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/763614987?accountid=32521 United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2012). Laws & Regulations. (n.d.). U.S. EPA. Retrieved from http://www2.epa.gov/laws-regulations/laws-and-executive-orders   Respond   POST 2   Environmental Statutes Krista Fletcher  6/16/2015 6:43:24 AM   One environmental law that is relevant to my current employer, Bronson Healthcare Group (BHG), involves medical waste.  The Medical Waste Tracking Act of 1988 defines medical waste as “any solid waste that is generated in the diagnosis, treatment, or immunization of human beings or animals, in research pertaining thereto, or in the production or testing of biological” (epa.gov).  BHG maintains compliance with this statute by properly disposing of medical waste in the appropriate waste receptacles.  For example, used needles are disposed of in a sharps container. Environmental regulations, such as the Medical Waste Tracking Act of 1988, help businesses by providing oversight.  Without environmental regulations, hospitals and other medical facilities could dispose of medical waste in any manner it chose to do.  This would not only put patients and employees at risk of contamination, but the general public and environment as well.  Government regulations are intended to protect the public from harm. Krista Fletcher United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2012). Laws & Regulations.  (n.d.). U.S. EPA. Retrieved fromhttp://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/industrial/medical/index.htm