Pointing the Finger

Corporate Responsibility is a topic that is covered in chapter 14 is at large a huge controversial issue in today’s business world. Corporate responsibility is refers to “consideration of, and response to, issues beyond the narrow economic, technical and legal requirements of the firm to accomplish social benefits along with the traditional economic gains which the firm seeks”.  Seeing that BP’s disaster with the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico incorporated so much of corporate responsibility I figured it would be the perfect example of the lack of corporate responsibility. While the oil began to spill into the Gulf of Mexico BP stated that only 1000 barrels of oil where spilling into the ocean, where individual scientist where stating that number was merely not accurate and stated that it must be at least 70,000 barrels. BP refused to allow scientist to test the spill to establish an accurate number of what was actually spilling into the gulf. While Tony Hayward stated that “I think BP’s response to this tragedy has been a model of good social corporate responsibility. It has mounted an unprecedented response”.  All the while they refused to release video of the spill to the news. Not to mention BP continued to blame others for the spill where they stated that they well, equipment, and employees where all Transocean’s. They refused to take responsibility for not being responsible for the mishap. Not to mention Tony Hayworth gain 18million dollars after leaving BP and BP refused to put money toward the people who where effected form the spill until everything was said and done. BP claimed that they where a perfect model of corporate responsibility. If BP is the model for corporate responsibility then we are all in a bit of trouble because there lack of care and willingness to cooperate with common laws is unacceptable.