Case Study- Ethical Issues

1. What are the ethical issues in this case?

Ethical issues for this company relate to how much of an impact they have to the environment in regards to waste. An ethic problem NBB is having is to whether or not to put their product into cans. They will be reducing the amount of co2 by 30% since cans are lighter to transport. Another problem would be the amount of water wasted. NBB is a company that relies heavily on water to brew their beer. The problem is to reduce the amount of water wasted while still producing a quality product.

2. What keeps other companies from having the commitment to environmental sustainability that NBB has evidenced?

Their lack of commitment could be from many possibilities, so it’s difficult to pinpoint the main reason. However, it could be from greed and cutting corners to make some sort of a profit. Some companies may not want to pay millions or however much it cost to convert to energy efficient machinery. Some may have no interest in “going green”. Another possibility may be that the company is ignorant about the programs available to reduce the impact of their business. They are just unaware of the changes they can do to make sure they are doing they most they can do to save the environment.

3. Are you more than likely to purchase a product from a company with a strong commitment to sustainability?

Honestly, I purchase things purely on price and quality of a product. If the ethical company can produce an item at the same price as an unethical company, then I would most definitely would choose the ethical. I can’t afford to be picky nor do I know much about a company when I purchase an item. Sounds very ignorant of me, but it’s the truth.

4. The environment sustainability benefits of cans over bottles are well established. Should NBB make a greater commitment to cans even if it means forgoing the distinctive aspects of its bottles and the potential loss of craft beer status in customer’s perceptions?

Customers...