Ethics Viewpoint: Aim2Fliourish Approach

Aim2Flourish is a UN-supported platform that recognizes untold stories of profitable business innovations, discovered and written by business students.  These stories are published on a global basis (on line) with the intent of motivating other organizations to copy/ follow similar approaches to serving the needs of society while also generating a profit. A list of the 17 UN goals is attached as Attachment A. Organizations such as Starbucks buying only sustainable coffee beans and awarding health benefits to even part time employees to start-up organizations like Plastico (recycled plastic) have all built their company and success on the UN goals.

— Questions:  

— From an Ethics viewpoint, should society mandate that all companies support and follow the Aim2Fliourish approach

— Do the Aim2Flourish / UN Goals meet the ethical standards we have discussed in class. Why?

— What can society do today to bring more organizations into the process of supporting the UN Goals?

Assignment:

Write a two to three page paper, 11 font, double spaced that supports the  Aim2Flourish approach to ethical businesses. What constraints or incentives do you see? Has every company that supports the UN Goals had a novel or creative approach to meeting market demands, please discuss.

Due date:

This paper is due in class as a hard copy on March 24^th.

Attachment A

UN Sustainable Development Goals*

1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere

Although we've made great strides in poverty alleviation over the last 30 years, more than one billion people still live on less than $1.25/day. We won't be able to reach our other global goals if we can't move the needle on this one. Let's eradicate extreme poverty and halve the number of people living in poverty by 2030.

2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

Small farmers around the world depend on their environment, but climate change, habitat destruction and political instability are destroying their resources. What's more, agriculture, forestry and fisheries not only provide nutritious food but also create jobs and support healthy, prosperous communities. It's up to us to end hunger by 2030 through advancing sustainable agriculture and achieving food security.

3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

We live in the most advanced age of science and medicine; yet preventable disease, untreated drug & alcohol abuse, preventable birth defects, and avoidable traffic & industrial accidents still kill millions of people each year. Where a person lives or how much money she has should never keep her from receiving the medical attention she needs. Let's make sure that every person, child or adult, gets the resources they need to live a long and healthy life.

4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

As the world's population grows, more resources and policies are needed to make sure that students everywhere get a good education. The world needs two million teachers and four million new classrooms to make sure every student can get an education. Full access to quality education is the first step to achieving sustainable development, poverty eradication, gender equality and women's empowerment. Let's make the sound investment in quality education by ensuring that primary and secondary schools are free for every child by 2030.

5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Gender inequalities are still deeply rooted in every society. Many women still lack access to employment opportunities, basic education, and healthcare, and they're often subjected to violence and discrimination. The math is simple: in countries where there's higher equality, there's less poverty, more economic growth, and a higher standard of living. Let's improve opportunities for everyone by dismantling barriers to women's participation in economic, social and political life.

6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

More than half of households worldwide have access to clean water in their homes; however, the number of people without adequate sanitation (a safe toilet) is increasing as people move into more crowded cities. Diseases caused by contaminated water kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. By prioritizing clean water, we can improve the health and livelihoods of millions of people.

7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

Clean, sustainable energy is not just about the environment. Around 4.3 million people die every year from pollution resulting from indoor cook stoves that use fire or toxic fuels. These deaths are entirely preventable. With your help, we can make sure every person has access to renewable energy by 2030.

8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

Economic recession has taken a toll on both the quantity and quality of jobs around the world. For the 190 million unemployed, job availability is the key not only to economic growth, but also to more equal wealth distribution. Economic prosperity and opportunities for gainful employment are critical for safe, stable societies.

9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Without the right infrastructure and technology, developing countries can't make the most of their human and natural resources. Industry plays a critical role in innovation and research, which are crucial for job creation, poverty eradication, gender equality, labour standards, and greater access to education and health care. Together, we can promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and technology development.

10. Reduce inequality within and among countries

We cannot live in a truly developed world without equal opportunities for both countries and their citizens. Equality is at the core of all the sustainable development goals. Together we can empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all people irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, economic or other status.

11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

By 2030, almost 60% of the world's population will live in urban areas, and most of that urban expansion will be in the developing world. Rapid urbanisation puts pressure on supplies of fresh water, sewage systems, the living environment and public health. Let's embrace the technological and social benefits of cities by making sure they are safe for everyone and sustainable for decades to come.

12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

Sustainable consumption and production are all about doing more and better with less. The global population is projected to reach ten billion by 2050, adding further pressure on our planet's finite resources. Let's promote sustainable lifestyles so that everyone--including our grandchildren--can enjoy a good quality of life with access to food, water, energy, medicine and more.

13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

The world's industrialised nations have changed the balance of the earth's carbon cycle over the last 150 years by burning large amounts of fossil fuels. Climate change has the potential to derail other efforts toward sustainable development by altering weather patterns that threaten our food production and increasing sea levels which will displace coastal communities. We need to increase awareness and convey urgency to world leaders so we can begin combating climate change before it is too late.

14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development

Our oceans and seas are being threatened and destroyed by human activities like marine pollution, overfishing, and destruction of marine habitats. Oceans cover three quarters of the earth's surface, and they are home to nearly 200,000 species. That marine and coastal biodiversity isn't just beautiful; it provides the livelihoods of more than 3 billion people. We can stop and reverse the damage we have done to our world's oceans if we act quickly to conserve and protect our marine resources and habitats.

15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

Pressures from our growing global population, urbanisation, and climate change are causing biodiversity to decline. Most developing countries rely on meat from wild animals for food. Let's work to restore and protect our planet's biodiversity in order to prevent land degradation, ecosystem imbalance, and food insecurity.

16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

We can only look forward to a more equal and sustainable world if we have more peaceful and inclusive societies. That means we'll need to reduce crime, violence, and exploitation. The illegal arms and drug trade will have to stop. Public institutions that we all rely on will have to be effective, transparent and accountable.

17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

The realization of these 17 goals is not some idealistic dream. We've seen global goals work in the past, and we're taking the new goals even further to address the root causes of poverty. We have the means and experience to finish this fight -- but only if people everywhere understand how close we are.

*Source: UNSDG summaries extracted from www.GlobalGivingFoundation.org, September 2, 2017.