Mattel Responds to Business Ethics

I would have to think that manufactures of products for children absolutely have a special obligation to consumers and society especially because these are products that small children will be using. The raw materials that go into the production of the product should be safe for all the things a child might do with the product such as placing it in their mouths or touching the product then touching their eyes. Also the design of the product should be safe for a small child to handle. Manufactures should take into account that children are likely to handle these products everyday and should make sure the product is safe for a child to handle and not have sharp or pointy edges or pose a choking hazard if swallowed.

I would say Mattel is trying to make a difference by encouraging ethical and legal conduct by its manufactures. Some measures they are taking such the Global Manufacturing Principles they introduced in 1997 encourage Mattel owned and contracted manufacturing facilities to have the same ethical standards as Mattel, safe working conditions, fair wages, and adherence to local laws. Though Mattel has auditors that check on these standards, there is no penalty in place if they are not obeyed. Mattel should stiffen the consequences for those that do not adhere to these standards in the form of progressively higher fines for frequent offenders to ultimately cancelation of the contracts. I would also have one representative of the company stationed at the manufacturing sites, almost like a compliance officer, to routinely oversee that the proper standards are being used at all times. So this compliance officer can not be bribed in anyway they would also have to personally sign off on their reports so any type of deceitful reports would put them personally responsible.

I feel that ultimately Mattel has full responsibility of any and all defects on the final products that are produced in China. Mattel is hiring these companies and paying them for the finished...