Please grade and critique my Issue Essay!

[sdias]

ISSUE TASK
Some people believe that corporations have a responsibility to promote the well-being of the societies and environments in which they operate. Others believe that the only responsibility of corporations, provided they operate within the law, is to make as much money as possible.
Write a response in which you discuss which view more closely aligns with your own position and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should address both of the views presented.

My response:

The prompt brings into focus the role of powerful corporations in people's lives, which is quite subtle and behind the curtains but significant. A grocery store chain, retail stores, restaurants and so on, may seem like a small part of our daily lives, but they involve many business functions that directly or indirectly depend on our other functions of our lives. Hence, I am of the opinion that corporations most definitely have an ethical responsibility towards society because along with money they possess tons of power.

It's pretty much an established fact that money isn't the only defining factor for the success of a project or even an individual's accomplishments for that matter. It's essential for keeping it afloat, but only focusing on this one aspect leads to deterioration in other more important supporting factors of a business like employment satisfaction, affecting social changes in the society, business practices that affect the environment, ethical foundations and so forth. Large Corporations that have been in an industry or market beyond a significant period of time, tend to have strong influence which also is an ode to their evolution because of how they have thrived in the domain they work in for so many years. Let's take Amazon as an example. It began as a small book keeping business that now, almost two and a half decades later, has become a powerful and a well known conglomerate and the most well known brand in our time. Maybe 25 years ago, they didn't have much of a responsibility because they were still finding their way through cementing their establishment in the industry. But now, after seeing their company grow and becoming an expert, which eventually led them to succeed, also brings in the responsibility factor towards other industries, consumers, the environment and their own corporation as well. After gaining all possible insights, you can only improve your services which doesn't always mean making more money. 

Let's look at the ethical repurcussions of corporations. Let's say a hypothetical company would like to expand their offices and buildings to increase productivity and they seem to focus on building projects in rural areas due to access to space and lower costs of building compared to cities. In such situations it is essential that the company seek permission from local communities since there's a possibility people will be displaced and also consider how much the local biodiversity is going to be affected by their project; The local flora and fauna must ideally not be disrupted as this can, in the long run, have dire consequences in the form of negative environment changes. Alternate arrangements must be made in order to protect these communities as well as the biodiversity in the area. If these factors are considered, the people in these areas are going to be relieved, while also creating new opportunities for both the local community as well as the expanding corporation and all in all leading to development with less problematic and more positive consequences.

While it is true that in the initial years of starting and handling a business, yes money plays a huge role in determining its success. But in hindsight, this must not be done at the expense of others which includes the society as well as the environment. Hence focus on sustainable business practices is a must, as a solution to balance the money and society factor to lead to a more prosperous, enlightened future.

In conclusion, being focused on the company goals while essential shouldn't lead to being inconsiderate as it will most definitely disrupt certain factions of society and the environment. For any large corporation, being mindful of their impact and taking steps to curtail the negative effects is of utmost importance for a more optimistic and brighter future for them as well as everybody else.

Edited January 27, 2021 by sdias