Behaviours, Actions and Communications of Boeing - Case Study Example

SOCIAL BEHAVIOR, ACTIONS, AND COMMUNICATIONS OF BOEING Name: Course: Date: Introduction Boeing is one of the leading American multinational organizations that manufactures and sells aircrafts, rockets, and satellites. With a majority of their profits generated from sale of aircrafts, Boeing serves more than half of the countries worldwide. With more than 85 billion dollars in revenues per year, the company has established itself as the largest aircraft manufacturing country in the world. After the invention of airplanes in the early 20th century, Boeing founded the company from a purchased shipyard and ever since, profits have soared. Today the company employs more than one hundred and sixty thousand employees worldwide in their various subsidiaries. The five major divisions include Engineering Operations and Technology; Boeing shared Services, Engineering operations and Technology, Boeing Commercial airplanes, and Boeing Defense Space and Security1. As a multinational corporation, one of the company’s major forms of corporate social responsibilities is reduction of waste materials that pollute the environment. The airline industry is estimated to produce about 11 percent of carbon emissions that contribute to global warming. As such, a majority of the airline corporations have employed feasible measures designed to mitigate the effects of environmental pollution while ensuring that they remain not only operational but also profitable. The Case against Boeing Boeing has faced many environmental issues in regards to how they have impacted the environments in which they operate. One of the most recent environmental cases was the lawsuit filed against them by the residents of Algona, Washington. The lawsuit consisted of more than one hundred plaintiffs who have alleged that their groundwater has been contaminated, thus posing health issues.2 The primary chemical of concern was the cancer-causing Trichloroethylene (TCE), a chemical that was used by the company to clean the aircraft parts a few decades ago. Though the site is far from the area of residence, extensive research revealed that TCE had managed to seep through the water supplies underground and found its way into the residential area, nearly a mile away. The lawsuit indicated not just health concerns, but also property damages. Some of the residents in the area stated that although there may not be sick, they are uncomfortable enough to avoid using their garden to plant food. In a particular home, a man and his wife got cancer, and even though they know that it would be difficult to provide evidence, they believe that the polluted groundwater was the cause.3 In another household, a mother, who was party to the case, has taken two of her sick children to the hospital dozens of times. Doctors have performed several tests on their children but nothing conclusive was established. After thorough research in her neighborhood, the mother realized that the water they consumed was actually contaminated. Other residents who own homes for rent have discovered that people are moving out of the area to search for a safer environment.4 This has forced the home owners to rent their properties t significantly lower prices. Other plaintiffs have thought about moving to new areas, but they have discovered that there was little possibility of selling the house, since nobody would want to move to an environmentally hazardous area. The lawsuit seeks eight counts of damages including loss of property value, repair and restoration costs,medical costs, interference of use and enjoyment of property, cost of future medical monitoring, attorney’s fees and subsequent damages. The lawsuit was also extended to Landau Associates, the environmental contractor hired by Boeing in that area. Attorneys have stated that the lawsuit for each plaintiff will exceed over 75000 dollars, meaning that if Boeing loses the case they are liable to pay up to nine million dollars in damages. Organization and state investigations were carried out in a bid to determine whether there have been negative environmental impacts of Boeing in the area. Initially, Boeing carried out tests in the area through taking air and water samples5. Later on the investigations were carried out by the Washington Department of Ecology. A series of tests resulted in the conclusion that the effects of pollution by released chemicals were insignificant to cause harm to the residents. Even though the tests revealed minimal effects to the area of King County continue to pursue the case, as according to them, the effects of Boeing operations are vivid in how negatively they have affected their lives and those of their families. Subsequent tests revealed that the TCE chemical is not significantly high, but high enough to be concerned about. Department of Ecology revealed that long exposure of the chemical could cause several types of cancers. This has led them to set aside an undisclosed amount of money directed towards extensive research into the quality of the area. However, as of now, the company has denied any claims of environmental harm, and has termed the lawsuit as having no merit. The department of Eco logy has promised to build a well in order to be able to keep track of the air quality over time.6 This will be a strategy aimed at enhancing their longitudinal study of the state of underground water in the area. Officials have admitted that the process may take time, and that if the water supply is actually contaminated, the process of restoration could extend to a few years. The Case for Boeing Although much controversy has surrounded the efforts of the corporation in regards to their environmental impact, there has been considerable action that has led to an improvement in how they use their raw materials. For large multinational companies such as Boeing, corporate social responsibility is seen as one of the key driving forces towards their success. Following several issues that the company has faced concerning pollution and use of environmental resources, Boeing has taken several measures to mitigate their negative effects to the environment. Over the past decade, there has been a considerable reduction in the amount of pollution they have emitted to the environment. The Boeing World Environmental Report (2014) indicates that the company is coming up with unprecedented and effective forms of technology designed to use less materials in the manufacture and use of their products. According to the report, the annual environmental performance targets have been met while new ones have been set for the coming years.7 The new technologies have assisted the company to Design more aircrafts that are fuel efficient. Enhance their customized business efficiency to their customers. Discover more efficient fuel that has less environmental impact. Reduce the overall environmental footprint of the company. Ever since the creation of Boeing, their efforts to improve on their negative environmental impacts have been a continuous process, and remain to be so. The 21st century airplanes are 70 percent more fuel efficient and 90 percent less noisier than the mid 19th century ones. This means that their efforts will continue to improve in time. The design for environment includes the environmental consideration of the organizational operations in the process of utilizing resources. This means that the company takes into consideration how the environment is affected throughout the life cycle of their product including manufacture, use, and disposal. The design for environment has pushed the company to develop the eco demonstrator program. The program is designed to carry out tests for new technologies which will improve aviation performance on the environment. The program has enabled them to align with related companies in the aim to achieve an acceptable rate of global resource conservation. These companies include National Aeronautics and space Administration, Federal Aviation Administration, Continuous Lower Emissions, energy and Noise. Boeing is also developing a number of efficient products used on planes. These products are more efficient and light, thus saving on fuel use during air travel. An example of this is the Digital Aviation Unit that has designed more efficient digital flight manuals and charts. Previous ones flight manuals were made of paper and were thus much heavier than the ones replacing them. Other innovations include Wind update, Direct Routes (Environmental Report, 2014). Part of Boeing’s major achievement has been in the Defense, Space and Security Department. Spectrolab, their subsidiary was able to develop a solar panel that was able to convert almost 40 percent of the received sunlight energy into electricity. This energy has gone a long way in providing power to spacecrafts and aerial vehicles. Previously, much energy was used into catapulting and navigating aircrafts into outer space. With the invention of the solar cell, Boeing has been able to become a leading force of energy conservation in the aeronautics industry. Boeing has also taken steps to increase the use of recyclable materials in their operations. The company has developed a more efficient method of manufacturing materials. Particularly in the manufacture of boats, the new materials are now lighter and less corrosive than the previous ones, thus saving on fuel use. Boeing has also recognized the need to team up with several other nonprofit and individual organizations to enhance their mission of environmental conservation. The goal was designed to involve community members in strategic projects aimed at reducing environmental pollution. The company has been able to contribute up to ten million dollars in environmental projects globally.8 The company has provided grants to several organizations such as: The Green Corridor: An organization that educated children on environmental consciousness through educational activities and visits to botanical gardens. Bio Trek: part of a Science Department of California Polytechnic University that carries out research in environmental conservation Bolsa Chica conservancy: A not for profit organization aimed at conserving the wetlands of pacific coast through a number of programs. Conclusion Ever since the creation of the Boeing Company, much scrutiny has surrounded their business operations and how it has made an impact to the environment. As a company responsible for manufacturing and selling aircraft around the world, Boeing has contributed to major forms of pollution through depletion of natural materials and greenhouse gas emissions. Over the decades, the company has faced many allegations and even lawsuits concerning their lack of social responsibility in regards to their operational surroundings. Aside from risking their brand image from becoming tainted, the issues have affected all stakeholders and communities involved. However, there have been major moves taken by the company aimed at improving their negative impacts to the environment through technological innovations, conservation programs and provision of grants to other organizations. These steps have seen the company gain much recognition globally in their vision of achieving a sustainable environment to them and within the entire communities within which they operate. Through the environmental design, the company has been able to achieve superior standards of recycling, manufacturing, utilization, waste management and disposal. Bibliography Boeing.com. 'Boeing: 2014 Environment Report'. Accessed November 28, 2015. http://www.boeing.com/aboutus/environment/environment_report_14/. Boeing.mediaroom.com, 'Boeing Reports Environmental Progress - Jun 5, 2015' Accessed November 28, 2015. http://boeing.mediaroom.com/2015-06-05-Boeing-Reports-Environmental-Progress Chen, Natasha. 'Homeowners Sue Boeing Over Groundwater Contamination'. Kirotv.Com. Accessed November 28, 2015. http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/homeowners-sue-boeing-over-groundwater-contaminati/nfgjH/ Moreno, Joel. 'New Round Of Testing In Algona To Trace Boeing Pollution'. KOMO News. Last modified 2015. Accessed November 28, 2015. http://www.komonews.com/news/boeing/New-round-of-testing-in-Algona-to-trace-Boeing-pollution-262457521.html. Read More