The Positive Public Image of the Business - Essay Example

Business Submission Writer’s name: Title of course: Instructor’s name: Date: Business submission Shell is identified as one of the global groups of energy and petrochemical producing companies. Our main aim is to meet the energy requirements and needs of society through economic, social and environmental viable ways, now as well as in the future (Shell General Business Principles 2010, 1). Our objective as the shell group is to engage efficiently, profitably and responsibly in oil products, gas, chemicals, and oil and also participates in searching for sources of energy required to meet the world’s growing demand and evolving customer needs (Shell General Business Principles 2010, 1). Our role as a global company is to ensure that the extraction and delivery of our products are done in a socially and environmentally responsible way. At shell, we believe that we are judged by how we act (Shell General Business Principles 2010, 1). Therefore, it is important for us that we uphold our reputation by how we live up to our integrity, values and respect for people (Shell General Business Principles 2010, 1). In doing so, we developed our eight business principles that are based on the company’s core values and indicate how we promote teamwork, trust, professionalism, openness and pride in what we do (Shell General Business Principles 2010, 2). To legitimise our corporate commitment, we have been an active contributing member of the United Nations Global Compact (Royal Dutch Shell plc Sustainability Report 2012, 6). By optimising our compliance with the principles of our business and those of the global compact, we pride ourselves in being one of the internationally recognised companies that lead in both social and environmental performance (Shell General Business Principles 2010, 3). The submission aims at continuing our ongoing commitment towards an improved global community as well as encouraging other corporations to follow our lead (Shell General Business Principles 2010, 3). This report outlines two of the ten United Nations global principles (United Nations Global Compact 2013). Principle 6: "Businesses should uphold the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation." (The Ten Principles/ Principle 6 2013). Principle 8: "Businesses should undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility." (The Ten Principles/ Principle 8 2013). Having reviewed our operations in these fields, shell has devised two recommendations that enable it to comply further with both principles six and eight (United Nations Global Compact 2013). Recommendation 1: dedicated to diversity and inclusion in the organisation’s culture. Recommendation 2: redefinition of the company’s strategies and policies to accommodate the advanced technology and new ways of operating that ensure greater environmental responsibilities. Recommendation 1 As a multinational company, we aim at providing equal opportunities and creating a suitable workplace which supports all our staff members and their differences (Shell General Business Principles 2010, 3). By valuing staff member differences, we work to give each person the chance to expand their talents and skills in line with our organisation’s values and objectives (Shell General Business Principles 2010, 4). To achieve this, shell embeds diversity and inclusion in its culture through its core values of integrity, respect and honesty for people. The shell general principles also state that its aim is to create an inclusive work environment with emphasis on equal opportunities (Shell General Business Principles 2010, 3). Additionally, we have established individual standards, which aid us in effecting resourcing, developing and engaging the staff. Through these personal standards, we select employees on the foundation of their capability to work and no distinction, exclusion or predilection made on other grounds (Shell General Business Principles 2010, 3). We work to value different opinions and views, respect each employee’s personal needs and promote a place of work that is gratis of discrimination and harassment. In all aspects of our business activities, we strive to include diversity and inclusion practises and principles (United Nations Global Compact 2013). These activities are part of our Human Resources Functional Plan. Benefits and implications To employees: it promotes the development and best use of employee’s talents and skills. Additionally, it encourages creativity and teamwork among employees which leads to increased and efficient productivity (Shell General Business Principles 2010, 3). To business: it helps it understand better its customers across the globe in addition to build a stronger relationship at the local level. The other benefit is that the business develops a positive public and brand image. Additionally, the business prevents losses that might accrue due to lawsuits and court cases (Shell General Business Principles 2010, 3). To shareholders: it increases a company’s profitability due to increased and efficient employee production. Likewise, the company’s profits are not used for legislative reasons arising from lawsuits from discriminating employees (Shell General Business Principles 2010, 2). Recommendation 2 We at shell know that energy is vital to peoples’ daily lives, and as such, we use human ingenuity, technology and innovation to unlock energy for our customers while limiting our impact to the environment (Royal Dutch Shell plc Sustainability Report 2012, 9). In a bid to ensure greater environmental responsibility, we have redefined our organisation’s strategies and policies to those which accommodate the use of advanced technology and new efficient operating methods (Royal Dutch Shell plc Sustainability Report 2012, 9). The advanced technology and new operating methods aim at lessening the organisation’s impact on biodiversity in the area of their operations (Royal Dutch Shell plc Sustainability Report 2012, 9). Additionally we partner with environmental experts who advise us on activities that help trim down the impact of our operations on the surroundings (Royal Dutch Shell plc Sustainability Report 2012, 9). Some of the activities carried out include product stewardship from development, production, sale, transport, use and disposal, limited emissions of local pollutants, usage of less fresh water and limited oil spillage due to advanced technology (Royal Dutch Shell plc Sustainability Report 2012, 9). Benefits and implications To business: increased positive public image of the business. The business will have a competitive edge compared to competitors due to its improved public image (Royal Dutch Shell plc Sustainability Report 2012, 5). To environment: limited environmental destruction, low levels of pollution and preservation of the natural flora and fauna (Royal Dutch Shell plc Sustainability Report 2012, 9). To the shareholders: by being environmentally responsible, the company avoids any future legislation and financial problems that would reduce its profits due to repercussions (Royal Dutch Shell plc Sustainability Report 2012, 9). To the local community: it ensures that the sensitive cultural needs of the community are met and helps the community to solve arising social problems (Royal Dutch Shell Sustainability Report 2012, 8) Challenges The process of providing equal opportunities and creating a suitable workplace which supports all staff members and their differences might be quite challenging to any organisation. This is because the process requires a lot of resources, time and energy. It is also a costly exercise and may require a huge budget allocation (United Nations Global Compact 2013). Most organisations do not take the initiative of promoting greater environmental responsibility as it is not a commercially viable venture. Therefore, companies may choose to ignore the creation of a net conservation benefit as it may seem costly to them with no direct benefit to the organisation (United Nations Global Compact 2013). However, we at shell will always succeed in our endeavours due to our intrinsic responsibility to individuals and the environment that sustains us. Through the creation of credible CSR initiatives, both our business and society benefits maximally. References List Royal Dutch Shell plc Sustainability Report. 2012. The Shell global homepage - Shell Global. http://reports.shell.com/sustainability-report/2012/servicepages/downloads/files/approach_shell_sr12.pdf Shell General Business Principles. 2010. About Shell. http://s02.static- shell.com/content/dam/shell/static/aboutshell/downloads/who-we-are/sgbps/sgbp- english.pdf United Nations Global Compact. 2013. "The Ten Principles." United Nations Global Compact. Accessed April 30, http://www.unglobalcompact.org/aboutthegc/thetenprinciples/index.html Read More