Apple, a Socially Responsible Corporation

apple, a Soci every last(predicate)y obligated Corporation It is no mystery that companies exist and liking to make a profit from their product or service being offered. However, it is adequate change magnitude popular that companies desire to achieve social responsibility in regularize to add their public image, which in turn should lead to increased profits. In this class, we learned that social responsibility is the duty to take an action that go outing benefit the interests of society and the organization (Kinicki & Williams 2011).One of the ways to become more than socially responsible that is adopted by many companies is through and through jet management, which is referred to intent various policies to get down surroundal problems (Tim Barnett, n. d. ). More and more companies atomic number 18 becoming concerned ab extinct the uphold their organization is having on the natural environment. thousand management bathroom, and should be, done by small and large o rganizations since it erect increase the public image of the organization, thus affecting consumers perspectives and investors behavior.In the short-term, going green means that management assists in saving the natural environment. However, in the long-term, the be will be decreased, thus increasing profits as thoroughly as achieving green management through wasteland minimization and change brawniness efficiency. Therefore, making going green a win-win situation. By contrast, those companies that ceaselessly ca hold pollutions will be criticized as companies of social irresponsibility, which will deadening their public image and affect the gross sales of their products. For this research piece of music I crap chosen to discuss orchard apple tree Inc. nd how they are a socially responsible corporation. apple (then orchard apple tree Computer) was built by Steven Wozniak and Steven Jobs in April of 1976. For more than cardinal decades, orchard apple tree was predominan tly a manufacturer of ad hominem computers, including the apple I, II, macintoshintosh, and Power Mac lines. In 1985 Jobs was fired from the corporation he had help start. However, due to the low market share and rocky sales experienced during the 90s, Jobs returned as orchard apple trees CEO in 1996 (Company History, n. d. ). apples products now include MacBook, iPod, iPhone, iPad, as vigorous as s legerityly online services like iTunes and iCloud.Since apple is currently the largest technology firm in the world, its policies roughly environment nourishion are certain to carry metric weight unit by public and even have some level of impact on the behavior of its suppliers. update One way that apple has become socially responsible is by creating products that are multi-functional. In 2010, Apple launched a bare-assed product, the iPad. The iPad provides multi-functions such as e-book reader, cameras allowing for Face Time and HD video recording, Wi-Fi, 3G, and theater an d practice of medicine repository to name a few.This means that consumers who own an iPad no longer need to purchase e-book reader, camera, mp3 or mp4, and even the DVD player since it has collect the functions of various products in one. In other words, it has fulfilled the different desire of the consumers in just one product. Perhaps this is why the iPad had been sold out in the setoff quarter of the 2010 financial year. Apple has also successfully developed a longer-lasting battery which outlasted competitors batteries.This means that consumers could pre direct money since they will need not to buy unexampled batteries frequently, which is classic to consumers in deciding which technological products to choose. Moreover, Apple is also concerned with the energy efficiency. Every single Apple product not only when(prenominal) meets just now exceeds the United States Environmental Protection Agencys strict capability STAR guidelines for efficiency. Apple is the only com pany in the industry that put forward make this claim. The experience about designing the software and hardware governance gives Apple a convenience to achieve this mission.For instance, the index number consumed by Mac mini is one-sixth of power consumed by a typical send bulb Such design can satisfy the essential of consumers since it can subject the expenditures of electricity and thus can reduce their living expenses. In long-term, it can help this company to increase sales of their products. Apple has also developed a small and lighter advancement which has the ability to protect the products as sanitary. For example, the new version of MacBook is fifty-three percent smaller than the first generation of MacBook.This kind of efficient packaging design not only enables the company to reduce the raw heartys needed in and waste brought from the production process, it also helps to reduce the emissions produced during product transportation since a vehicle can carry more products, thus, reducing the amount of boats and planes utilisation in distri only ifion. Obviously, the smaller packaging decreases the cost of production such as fees for wareho implements utilize and fabrics used as well as make their product easily carried by consumers. Another example is the packaging for the iPhone.It is almost entirely recyclable and its retail box is made in the beginning from bio-based materials. In addition, its packaging is extremely material efficient, allowing more units to be transported in a single shipping suss outer. The paper used in packaging of every unit of iPhone 4 were reduced from 136g to 120g compared with that of the iPhone 3GS. Apple iPhone packaging is now getting smaller and smaller with severally and every generation which is more economical and environmental. On the other hand, Apples retail stores implemented a no plastic bags polity in order to cut back on unnecessary packaging a few years ago.Plastic bags are difficult and co stly to recycle, they will break down into tiny particles that contaminate the soil and waterways and penetrate the nutriment chain when animals ingest them. They clog up gutters and drains causing water and sewage to overflow and become the breeding grounds of germs and bacteria that cause diseases. Therefore, this policy taken by Apple can help to significantly reduce the pollutions caused by thrown away plastic bags, especially since the quantities of products sold by Apple are over millions.Apple uses the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to forecast greenhouse gas emissions for each product. The Natural Resources and Environmental Protection deport requires that manufacturers of new televisions, computer and printers must have established an electronic cycle course by April 2011. (Roger Mock, 2011) As one of the manufacturer of technology production, Apple offered Electronic Waste Takeback Program which was established as part of myocardial infarct Law which refers to proper disposal of hazardous materials.Hazardous material can pervert our health by increasing cancer risk, damaging our body system of rules and even lead to death. The European Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive restricts the use of lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ether, which Apple complies with. Apple also complies with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement stage of 2008 which pertains to the lead content of consumer products and the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals Regulation CH (REACH) which pertains to chemicals and their safe use.In addition, Apple is on the European Chemicals Agency list for producing products that do not contain any substances of very high concern. Further, Apple, along with other top irreverent resound companies, signed an agreement on the standardization of mobile phone chargers which reduce the electronic waste and greenhouse gas emissions of such by the thousand tons (Apple Inc, 2012). To minimize the environment impact, Apple refers to precautionary precept to reduce and authorise environmentally hazardous substances from their products.There are three all-important(prenominal) elements of this principle preventative action, voluntary elimination and proactive search for safer substitutes ( latest News about Environmental Protection Laws and Regulations, 2010). They planned to staring(a)ly eliminate the use of hazardous substances such as PVC and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in its products by the end of 2008. They have drilled with the manufacturing partners to eliminate BFRs and scatheful toxins. Finally, all Apple products are now free of BFRs and PVC and Apple plans to eliminate all forms of chlorine and bromine.The effects of hazardous substances can be skin irritation, asthma, losing consciousness, cancer, transmission system from bacteria and other micro-organisms, and on occasion, death. So, it is necessary to eliminate these harmful substances. Apple carefully manages the environmental impact of its facilities, and as a result they represent only two percent of its assessed greenhouse gas emissions, which come from the production, transport, use, and cycle of products (Apple Inc, 2011).Apple now discloses full product lifestyle emissions and carbon footprint it primarily reports on their facilities as a gauge of its environmental impact. For purpose to reduce the environmental impact, switching off the light and recycle office waste are not enough. There is the biggest impact of this company on the environment when using Apples products. Thats why Apple focuses on their products design and innovation. Apple has taken significant steps to lessen greenhouse gas emissions produced by its facilities worldwide (Apple Inc, 2011).Code of Ethics is a formal document that states an organizations primary values and the respectable rules it expects managers and non-managerial emplo yees to follow. The code of ethics for Apple is Ethics The Way We Do contrast Worldwide, 2005. It is applying all employees, including its top management. Apples stated policy includes expectations about maintaining high standards of caper conduct, to be ethical in business dealings, to stay off conflicts of interest, to respect confidentiality, to conduct business within the law and to conduct business which benefits communities.Apple now requires suppliers to commit to their comprehensive Supplier Code of Conduct as condition of their contract with them since Apple is committed to ensuring that the highest standards of social responsibility end-to-end their supple base. Apple requires suppliers to provide a safe and healthy work environment, so suppliers must eliminate chemical hazards or minimize the use of some harmful materials according to the legal requirement (Apple Inc. 2012). In 2005, Apple started a recycle program. At that time, Apple decided to hold a free recyclin g program for its iPod digital music player.Their customers were able to pay off the iPod to any of Apples (then) one hundred retail stores in the United States for free, environmentally friendly disposal. Besides that, those who brought their iPod in to recycle would play ten percent discount on the purchase of a new iPod on that day. This program continued until 2010. In 2010, Apple announced the updated program which increased the products eligible to be recycled. Now, iPod, iPhone, iPad and Mac can be sent to Apple retail stores for recycling (Apple, 2012).They have two categories on the recycling program which are computer reuse and recycling as well as iPod and mobile phones recycling. For the computer reuse and recycling program, they undertake the society to solve the environmental problems, especially the pollutions which may be caused from Apples productions. People can bring their old Mac batteries or computers whether they are working or nonworking. If it can be reuse d, then they will be given an Apple gift card which can be used to purchase Apples products. Otherwise, they will recycle it responsibly at no cost to the customer.Apple also accepts the computers which are non-Apple-brand because Apple contracts with WeRecycle to process recycling for those products. iPod and mobile phone recycling is a program that is similar to the two programs mentioned previously. However, if the person doesnt live near any Apple retail store, he or she can simply go online to the Apple website and complete the form and recycle the iPod or mobile phone via mail (Apple 2012). Finally, Apple has become a socially responsible corporation with the implementation of a commuter train alternative program which has more than ten thousand employee participants.At Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California, the company pays one hundred dollars per month of employees bus, train, light rail, vanpool, and other transit costs through its Apple Commuter Alternatives Program. They have more than eleven hundred Apple employees that ride their free biodiesel commuter coaches daily. Apple also provides lockers, showers, and turn-up subsidies for their employees who cycle, walk or run to work. In addition, Apple maintains a database of the employees addresses and working schedules for those who are interested in ridesharing or carpooling.Further, Apple has offered free shuttle services for its employees as their workers transport among the Bay Area and Cupertino. Those shuttle buses provide seats with individual power connectors to run and charge notebooks while in transit as well as being equipped with Wi-Fi for internet connectivity. Apple estimates that these programs have eliminated the use of over a thousand single-occupant cars per day, thereby saving the environment of the pollution of over a thousand single-occupant cars per day.As you can see, Apple has put out a lot of efforts in green management and being more socially responsible. According to Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, bottle cork Mansfield (2012), Apple makes the most environmentally responsible products in our industry. They achieve this through several perspectives the product (e. g. multi-functional products), the employees (e. g. commuter alternatives programs) and the environment (e. g. reduce using material that will harm the environment). Apple is strict and has a high demand in environmental safe programs.Thats why they design them to use less material, ship with smaller packaging, be free of toxic substances, and be as energy efficient and recyclable as possible (The yarn Behind Apples Environmental Footprint, 2012). Further, Apple not only meets government requirements, but they exceed them and still continue to improve their products to continually reduce the harm to the environment. Perhaps other companies should consider using Apple as a role model and together try to save the environment. After all, it is the only one we have. Refer ences 1. Unknown. (n. d. ). Company History 1976-1981. In undefined.Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http//www. apple-history. com/h1. 2. Mansfield, sour grass. (July 13, 2012). A Letter From Bob Mansfield. In Apple and the Environment. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http//www. apple. com/environment/letter-to-customers/. 3. Unknown. (2012). The Story Behind Apples Environmental Footprint. In Apple and the Environment. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http//www. apple. com/environment/. 4. Apple Inc. (January, 2012). Apple Supplier Code of Conduct. In undefined. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http//images. apple. com/supplierresponsibility/pdf/Apple_Supplier_Code_of_Con