Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Where Does the Responsibility Ends?

A company facing protests in media because somewhere down the supply chain, the raw material is causing deforestation.

A celebrity being hackled for endorsing a brand because the company has been discovered to have connections with sweat shops in third world countries.

An industry cannot buy land just by giving fair price. It has to ensure that displaced people are located at other place and have employment.

A pharmaceutical firm, which has found a cure for a disease after huge R&D investment, cannot charge high prices and is forced to subsidies the drug in poor third world countries or risk patent infringement.

Is it a curb on freedom of speech and creativity if a TV series is being banned for being perceived as bad influence on children, if a painter is being banned for the paintings can offend some sections of society?

Whether we like it or not, the responsibility of ours as an individual or a company extends beyond our usual circle of concern. My Prof Mr. David Bach once mentioned that being not responsible for a problem does not absolve one of the responsibility to find the solution.

As global problems surface like climate change, energy crisis, terrorism and others, the individual and companies will soon find themselves being help responsible for lot of things which they would not have imagined earlier.
For instance, no sooner, everyone (individual and companies alike) may have to answer for their carbon footprint.

Are we (individuals and companies) ready for taking more responsibilities?