Blue Shield - Consumers, the Environment, and Employees - Essay Example

? Project Identify one company that you believe treats its consumers, the environment, and employees in an exceptional and morally praiseworthy manner 1.0 Company Background Information The company chosen for study is Blue Shield, based in California. The selection is mainly because of its outstanding reputation, as shown in its committed service to the community in health care provision. It is a health care corporation, dealing in provision of health insurance coverage, and it aims at providing heath and financial services to the community (Boylan, 2013). Blue Shield was started in 1939 by the Medical Association of California. It is based at San Francisco, California. It is one of the oldest health insurance companies and has over 3.5 million members and approximately 65,000 physicians (Richards, 2010). The company has developed several health plans. The main ones are individual health plans and family health plans as some of its products, as it offers to the community. The main purpose of the company is to ensure quality provision of health care services and effective costs favorable to the community. These outstanding motives make the company excel in meeting the needs of the consumers, its approach to the environment, and general employee treatment. 2. Determine at least two (2) ways in which the chosen company behaves in a morally responsible way toward each of the following: a. Consumers b. The environment c. Employees 2.0 Ethical Behaviors practiced by the company towards the Environment The company wants to develop to be a responsible health care institution. This has been defined by its support of the community development and commitment in taking care of its consumers, who are mainly registered members. The effort made in this case is working hard to be socially responsible. This includes reducing the environmental pollution, recycling of material wastes and provision of composite services as explained below. 2.0.1 Reducing environmental pollution This is one of the vital steps taken by the company. It aims at maintaining good health in the surrounding community, as well as the whole environment. Blue Shield believes in a healthy environment as a critical contribution to the well being of the people of California. Pollution has been reduced by curbing air pollutants that come from the Bay Area including treatment of chemical wastes and dumping products in a safe and environment friendly manner (Reece, 2004). These pollutants are presumed to carry substances that make asthma condition of the affected patients worse. It is in the company’s mission not to only see profitable activities but also to strengthen and protect both the community and environment. 2.1.1 Providing Recycling and Compost Services This has been one of the company goals in its intention to maintain a healthy environment. The company recycles several materials that are environmentally unfriendly but reusable. Items such as plastics, bottles, and used cans and paper are recycled. These materials are not just from the company’s outputs, but also those by the community delivered to the company through a third party. In addition, to ensure a clean environment, there is an effort to use recyclable wares by Blue Shield. The materials can decompose, hence contributing as important nutrients to the soil. The company has also employed the services of a vendor, who takes IT materials for recycling (Reece, 2004) 2.1 Ethical Behaviors of the Company towards Customers The company service to customers is explained in their goals, which state clear adherence to complete and satisfactory service to its consumers while ensuring quality and affordable health care. High customer retention rate and ability to have repeat clients are the measures through which the company uses to gauge the effectiveness of ethical behavior and Blue Shield has realized the customers are satisfied. Secondly, the employees mandated with the responsibility to serve and take care of customers and attend to their needs, are required to give full service while adhering to the policies guiding direct relation with customers. Some of these policies include ensuring that there is no ignorance in service delivery. The employees should also make sure that they serve customers with good intentions as indicated in the Blue Shield customer relation policy and service delivery (Kuratko, 2009). Other contributions made to the customers are; 2.1.1 Provision of care to community The company has ensured that it enjoys the presence of employees capable of supporting the whole community. These employees participate in volunteering programs, which attend to different needs of the community. These are supporting education through providing education facilities and creating product awareness to its customers (Jannings, 2012). The main aim for these programs is to show the customers that they are the most important partners in the progress of the company. The company provides scholarships by the company to community students. These scholarships are provided for students to pursue their studies in health education and other supporting courses. This ensures that the community knowledge on health is growing. Blue Shield does this by financially assisting needy students in the community to continue with their studies (Liu, 2011). 2.1.2 Carrying Out Advertisement Services Advertisement of the company is done to ensure that the products offered are well known to its customers. The company does this through social media such as Facebook and Twitter in addition to embracing traditional media i.e. newspapers and television. The company has a link to its website that is provided to customers so that they can access important information they require on better health care practices and vaccination dates (Reece, 2004). 2.1.3 Ensuring Security and Confidentiality of Customer Information Security and confidentiality of information are important factors as the company deals in the health sector, where much private information of patients is accessed by the company to understand them better for effective service delivery. Confidentiality is achieved through use of hotline number, which embraces anonymous display of caller details. Access to this information is limited to need to know basis reducing the number of employees who have access to client information (Richards, 2009). 2.2 Company Ethical Behaviors to the Employees The employees in any company are an important part in driving performance, and their relation to the company needs to be taken seriously. The ethics that have been employed by Blue Shield ensure that they recognize the vital part played by employees, shown through the provision of a good working environment and ensuring confidentiality of employee information (Richards, 2009). 2.2.1 Providing a Good Working Environment It is provided in the policy of the company that all employees have the right to be in an accommodative and conducive working environment. This includes making sure issues such as discrimination and harassment does not prevail. The company employees are given respect they need in their service to the company and their suggestions are always given consideration (Jennings, 2012). 2.2.2 Ensuring Confidentiality of Information Concerning Employees Confidentiality of employee information concerns cases when personal details are requested by any external person, for instance, if an employee has been terminated and his personal information is required by other employers. In Blue Shield, it is a policy and a right to all employees not to have their personal details disclosed without their consent thereby protecting their confidentiality. 2. Predict the effects that these morally conscious decisions would have on the company's bottom line 3.0 The Effects of Moral Ethics on the Future of the Company The company has incredible moral responsibility to the above three categories which is very praise worthy. The basic effects of moral ethics on the company will include; a) There are reduced social costs regarding health Conserving the environment will ensure that future health conditions are improved. This will help cut down on costs resulting from health hazards caused by pollution. b) Good service to customers facilitates future loyalty as customers are assured of good services from the company and thus become confident. Customers feel cared when satisfactory service is delivered to them by a company. Customers are the basic system of growth and progress of any firm. This explains why there has been rapid increase in the number of members in the Blue Shield Company (Kuratko, 2009). c) The fairness with which employees are treated works to create harmony and improved delivery of service. There is a conducive environment for employees to perform their work effectively without external distractions. Good environment shows good future state of employment in the firm. The employment opportunities will hence be competitive as more and highly skilled personnel will be willing to work with the company. This means there will be competitiveness in service delivery in addition to applying professionalism. Furthermore, good working conditions create fewer distractions thus, giving employees harmony to do their job well. 4. Review the company's policies from a critical perspective, and list at least two (2) areas where the company could improve its treatment of consumers, the environment, or employees 3.0 The Areas for Improvement in the Ethical Behaviors In spite of the fact that the company has made good progress in its relation to customers, environment and the employees, it is important for the company to check itself in the following areas, a) Provide Compliance procedures that vendors should follow in their service. The company policies have not outlined procedures for the vendors to take into consideration when applying for tenders in provision of support services for the company. These procedures are required as they are very crucial to ensure support services are of high quality (Kuratko, 2009). The company should, i) Make a registration program for all visiting vendors ii) Ensure that all visitors make appointments These procedures will enhance service delivery and reduce staff disturbance hence aid in meeting consumer and employees ethical needs. b) Increase diversity in People and Services The company policies have not explained much in details, how to take the advantages that come with diversity in culture, language, and skills. This is an important part to boost the progress of the company since it will enhance an all inclusive employment platform. For example, diversity will ensure that physicians and other employees are taken from different backgrounds and come with varied specialization. This will augment the ability of the employees to interact and improve the company’s employee ethical consideration by being open to all. Conclusion It is very important for any company to ensure that it works hard to embrace its responsibility to the customers, environment, and even the employees. Responsibility is displayed in the company’s harmonious co-existence with various parties that are like stakeholders of the company’s progress. Taking care of customers as well as the community and the environment should be given priority. There is always the need to not only put profitability goals ahead but also take concern of the social issues in the environment. In this case, Blue Shield has strived to make sure that ethical behavior to employees, customers, and the environment is achieved to the best of the company’s ability, thus improving the company’s relations with the community, customers, and employees. References Boylan, M. (2013). Business Ethics. Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons. Jennings, M. (2012). Business ethics : case studies and selected readings. Mason, OH: South- Western, Cengage Learning. Kuratko, D. (2009). Entrepreneurship: theory, process, practice. Mason, Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning. Liu, A. (2011). Resilience and Opportunity Lessons from the U.S. Gulf Coast after Katrina and Rita. Washington: Brookings Institution Press. Reece, B. (2004). Effective human relations: interpersonal and organizational applications. Mason, OH: South-Western. Richards, C. (2010). Coding basics : medical billing and reimbursement fundamentals. Australia Clifton Park, NY: Delmar Cengage Learning. Read More