Modern scientific technology
Environmental considerations are increasingly becoming necessary in terms of ethics in business operations and enhancing production. Since environment is the main basement of production at all levels, all entities should raise their level of ensuring environmental sustainability is achieved by holistically addressing the resultant impacts in their activities (Cahill, 2002). 1. Commitment. Having realized that the future sustainability of the company depended on the ability of the environment to supply the company with the raw materials, the company fully committed itself to addressing the environmental impacts arising from it’s activities.
Policies and procedures were established to meet the required compliance standards. Besides, the company set the priorities that would enhance increased collaboration with environmental and agricultural stakeholders for higher efficiency in conservation of environment (Altria group, 2004). 2. Ability of the commitment to address the environmental issues. This commitment will greatly assist the company in offsetting the environmental issues from the various areas of raw materials supply and it’s production unit.
Having identified air and energy, agricultural practices, solid and waste management as the main sources of degradation for the environment, the company set objectives to counter the emergent problems. Environmental impact 2008 reduction goals included 10% for the carbon dioxide emitted, 10% for the energy consumed, 15% for the water purchased, 15% for the waste water nutrients discharged and 15% for the all the solid wastes disposed off. Besides, the company established immediate alternatives to be used for the overall reduction program (Altria group, 2004)..
Use of cleaner renewable energy forms and promoting energy security would ensure the emissions reduction goal was achieved. To add to that, higher technology like cleaner coal, highly efficient energy consuming systems and recycling would reduce the wastes from the company to the environment. Cooperation with Keep America beautiful would ensure that the the cigarette butt litter menace was fully addressed. Emphasizing on the need to sustain the company to future prosperity, the company cooperated with the farmers via Tobacco Farmers Partners Program (TFPP) to improve efficiency and promote sustainability of the natural resources.
The company also educated the farmers to increase their awareness on the need to conserve the environment. To add to that, it cooperated with the land grant universities to develop improved nutrient management programs. Finally, it also focused on reducing the nutrients getting into the water systems by treating the water and removing the harmful elements from it before discharging to the natural water ways (Altria group, 2004). 3. Altria’s real strategic reasons for the environmental initiatives. Main reasons for the company to initiate these environmental strategies was to comply with the legal requirements of the state.
Environmental Protection Agency sets standards in the field of environment that deals with air quality and emissions, solid and waste water management which are supposed to be followed by all entities whose activities affect the environment (Cahill, M. 2002). Also, the company wanted to focus on lean management which calls for reduction in all the wasteful practices from the company (Jouni & Lowe, 2005). Besides seeking the assurance of continued supply of high quality raw products from the farmers, the company would have reduced production costs and increased profit margins (Altria group, 2004).
4. Conclusion Environmental impacts all over the world have become increasingly important to address for higher production as well as enhanced intra and intergenerational equity in resources management and utilization. PM USA operations are holistic in nature since they address the problem from the point of policy, energy consumption, waste production and disposal, emissions reduction and the overall relationship with the farmers who sell the raw material to the company.
Commitment and application of modern scientific technology in all the operations should form the basis of environmental impacts protection by different companies (Cahill, 2002). Reference list Altria group. 2004. Environment and Agriculture. Retrieved from: http://www. altria. com/responsibility/4_6_environmentagriculture. asp Cahill, M. 2002. Environmental Issues and Social Welfare. NEW York: Blackwell Publishing. Jouni, P. & Lowe, I. 2005. Environmental Values in a Globalizing World: Nature, Justice and Governance. Washington: Routledge.
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