What is ethics? Ethics are the moral standards constituted by values and judgements with respect to right and wrong. It is the study of morality and its application of reason to depict specific rules and principles that determine right and wrong for any given situation.” What is the difference between right and wrong and how do we determine it in our actions? The origins in ethics have historical value from multiple cultures (different cultures have different points of view), religions (moral/spiritual guidelines/rules), and society (increasingly important; reaction to globalization/environmentally). Ethics and self-interest are not mutually exclusive where self-interest is not a comprehensive guide to ethical behaviour. The short-term and long-term requires consideration as they encompass the consequences of our actions. “morality is the persisting norms, values and beliefs that are embedded in social structures defined by right and wrong per individual and community.” In business, this would require owners to evaluate their activities and decisions on the basis of right and wrong, but the values that are used can be relative to the geographical location. Judicial locations differ, for example common law in North America has a different ethics and morality structure than that of Sharia law . Decisions could be legal but not ethical, or ethical and not legal. Business ethics is incredibly important for corporate governance has changed the landscape as the responsibility of business to society has increased. Businesses have the power to influence society as they create economic value for its citizens, and have potential to provide major contributions to society, but also have the potential to inflict harm. There are increasing demands from stakeholders to incorporate corporate governance to combat any lack of business ethics education or training that may or may not have caused occurrences of ethical infractions. There are many ways to evaluate the different ways of managing ethics with rewarding benefits. The morally and ethically “correct way of acting” is based on normative ethical theory that is used as like an antidote, whereas descriptive ethical theory requires ongoing decisions actually made by the business. Some perspectives of ethics for corporate governance take a stance of absolutism where claims are eternal and universally applicable, the vice versa being ethical relativism that applies contextual dependent and subjective rationale. Some societal examples would include feminism, nationalism, patriotism, pluralism, and protectionism – on a scale from relative to absolute , where do you think this fall into? Emerging Issues In Business Ethics When multiple cultures meet, their ethical frameworks collide and there are competing values that ensue: Gift giving in Japan Child labor in Pakistan Facilitation payments in the Congo Gender issues in the Persian Gulf These multiple forces must be acknowledged and respected in order for the world and business to move forward successfully. There are two lenses through which we may interpret emerging issues so that we can evolve our ethical structures, which lends to the importance of evolving corporate governance. The "Lexus" is our power over technological futures and our drive for modernization. The "Olive Tree " represents the importance of our sense of identify, geography, ethnicity and our past. This evolution has been attributed to two major types of societies: progressive (tech and innovation, economic wealth distribution, and globalization) and traditional (cultural, religious, and linguistic). A holistic measure relates to respecting all cultures as a means of relativism , which is the belief that all cultures are equal in sovereignty with no international rights and wrongs. If an activity is believed to be acceptable within a specific culture, then it is void of ethical implications from other cultures. This is more true in international law because each country reverts to its country’s sovereignty. Ethical Issues In Intl Business There are proactive vs. reactive management types that can address key ethical issues if the business operates internationally so that corporate governance has embedded business ethics. Strategies to tackle theft of intellectual property (unique and individual ideas), bribery and corruption (e.g. Lockheed scandal ), intentionally selling dangerous products (pharmaceuticals in Africa, Nestle baby formula), and intentional misrepresentation in negotiations (bait and switch, hidden costs, requests for facilitation payments). Political issues can take precedent depending on the severity. Sanctions have taken precedent in the past 30 years in South Africa, Iran, Iraq, Cuba, and Burma. Even when the sanctions are not to or from the nation you reside, such as sanctions on Russia by the US, there can be repercussions on Canada, the UK, and Australia due to Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) that Russia is part of (add FTAs Russia is part of). This affects corporate governance because businesses should be weary of unethical behaviour during politically and internationally unstable times. Unethical behaviour such as profiting from war, selling weapons to both sides (i.e. the Rothchild and Rockefeller families). Doing business with regimes that are unethical such as Saddam Hussein. Major questions ensue: Should corporations sell to governments that are corrupt? Or that violate human rights? Or that actively pollute? Should corporations sell to companies that are attached to “evil” regimes. What would you do if your supplier participates in child labor? Minimum wage or living wage? Would you take a bribe? Would you allow your products to be produced in a sweatshop? What if you had no other choice? What if your business partner lives in a nation that hangs gay men? What do you do? There is a cost-benefit analysis to every aspect of business, not just in the negotiation stages. Sending employees to dangerous locations is a predicament many companies have and there requires a company structure that can protect them or bring them home swiftly. Corporate governance is the structured approach to conducting your business ethically with every decision, or at least always aiming to. Union Carbide in India, also known as the Bhopal disaster , is an example of missing the mark in terms of local skill levels were not high enough to ensure safe use of technology and using the appropriate protection of India’s citizenry and their environment. Environmental pollution is another example of how businesses today are working to make change, to engage itself and its employees to participate in education of environmental affairs around the world. Disposal of hazardous materials (e.g. PCPs in Nigeria, or asbestos in Ukraine); research what standards a nation has is part of a businesses corporate governance and due diligence. Make sure to note which standards apply – home or foreign. Other key information a business must educate itself on is gender issues, social customers, and animal rights. A business’s ability to perceive interdependence while thinking ethically and responding effectively will produce a valuable trust between customers, employees, leadership, and other businesses. Corporate Social Responsibility & Corporate Citizenship Business keeps evolving, and as society’s expectations evolve with it there are particular aspects of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate citizenship that must be acknowledged – legality and ownership. Although corporations are legal entities or “artificial persons”, and owned by shareholders, they act independently. According to Milton Friedman , businesses only have responsibility towards profit. Except businesses such as Patagonia and Google show how vigorous a company can be to thwart Friedman’s perspective so that there is a higher moral compass to be responsible for human being, to have a shared value beyond that of shareholders, and address economic, social, and environmental issues (the triple bottom line of sustainability) of a community. These are the particular corporate governance activities that create an atmosphere of transparency that help businesses connect with society. There is a level of responsibility that is shared to society about the actions of the business, and although there are long and complex debates on business etiquette, some even argue of “information overload”, which is too much information about company activities, that society is now bombarded with company information that is too complex to navigate and acts as a means for business activities to disappear into a sea of data. Ethics And Corporate Governance A company is built to address issues through their shareholders who can ultimately influence managers into decisions. Except there are monitors that balance this dynamic such ad a board of directors, auditors, analysts, bankers, credit agencies, and attorneys. It is a common understanding that if a company with reputable ethical behaviour and high levels of corporate social responsibility must also have effective systems of corporate governance. These systems should be stated in the company mission, vision and values. Legal requirements should also be followed along with industry standards. Other issues arise that can affect ethical decisions depending on the acceptable levels of ethics in a country. Some possible signs of unethical behaviour could include: shirking work responsibilities nepotism excessive perks high risk Culture and Corporate Governance Companies must have an integral motivation to search out culture. Enculturation is the non-intentional process that includes learning valuable information in a new environment. This can be culture shock when entering a new country. Primary socialization is the intentional learning of new cultures and subcultures to develop and understanding of ethnic groups’ backgrounds, language, religion and other characteristics from the majority population. Secondary socialization happens after the primary socialization and helps to equip people with knowledge, skills, and behaviours for successful activities with other cultures. There are 3 main levels of understanding culture: artefacts: surface level, visual manifestations; easy to observe and hard to decipher beliefs and values: explicit level, normative, focus on what is judged to be important underlying assumptions: difficult to reach, integrated, unconscious perceptions Strong cultures tend to persist over time and are difficult to change once many people have assimilated to its norms. Some issues may arise such as tyrannical leaders, who are many times also charismatic. They can cultivate autonomy and decision making in themselves and their citizens, and act as if they are a member of an ideal kingdom of ends that justify its means. They envision a future while energizing and enabling followers into fervent loyalty. Some examples are Adolf Hitler and Josef Stalin. These are also examples of “transformational leaders” who can create basic structures to operate and are capable of amplifying response, reshape focus, and direct loyalty by putting emphasis on “mutual empowerment”, that they are able to liberate their citizens out of whichever strife they are facing. These types of people are usually enamored by their own visions, but usually begin in the “ Bathsheba Syndrome ”, which is when leaders make ethical errors in a downward spiral during high success. They are obsessed with positive benefits and become privileged and controlling. Corporate governance is sometimes about employees spotting bad leadership and helping to correct the problem. The following can help to pinpoint the Bathsheba Syndrome: leaders in a position of power who should be focusing on doing what is right for the company but are never where they are supposed to be and doing what they are supposed to be doing. Temptations can be a serious issue for a leader. Know what can tempt a leader and keep an eye and open ear. Leaders who frequently place greater emphasis on personal gratification If it is difficult or “impossible” to act unethically A leader who tries to cover-up activities that may otherwise seem ethical without close analysis A leader who doesn’t get caught for smaller unethical activities may be self-deluded into getting away with larger unethical activities. A leader that has dissatisfaction for a company or progression, and is unmoved by the destruction a company and its employs may face for unethical behaviour

Ecosystems To better understand how ecosystems work you must know the terms: Energy Nutrients Food chains Producers Decomposers Primary producers Secondary producers Tertiary consumers Trophic levels Energy provides power for life and moves through communities within ecosystems through a one-way flow . Nutrients on the other hand pass as atoms and molecules derived from the environment and cycle within and between ecosystems. Energy flows through a process called " photosynthesis ", and passes nutrients through food chains of decomposers, primary and secondary producers. Light energy comes from the sun, which is our main source, a reaction of thermonuclear conversion of matter such as hydrogen into helium. Photosynthesis ables energy from light to convert to chemical energy from the 1% of radition from the sun that reaches the earth. This conversion is depicted in the picture below. Finally, a small amount reaches the earth in waves of energy: heat (low energy), visible light (usable energy), and UV light (high/dangerous energy). Made up of atoms and molecules from the environmental, nutrients pass through organisms that require them for survival. Nutrients cycle through ecosystems - land, water, air, and make their way through the food chain. Harnessed energy into biological matter - invertibrates, mammals, fish, and birds. Dead organisms, or " decomposers ", carry energy and nutrients just like consumers that is passed on to future organisms. Producers are the bottom of the food chain, they are our plants that harness energy from the sun, water, and air through a process calleed " photosynthesis". Our primary producers are capable of producing complex organic compounds from simple substances by consuming plants. Most common primary producers are herbivores. Secondary producers cannot harness energy from light or other sources, so much "feed" on primary producers. These are omnivores and carnivores. Lastly, we have our tertiary consumers , such as larger mammels, fish, and birds. There are many interconnected food webs, in the picture below you can see the lion and the hawk at the top of the food chain as tertiary consumers, while producers, primary producers, and secondary producers underneath share energy for other creatures. Trophic levels describe the position of energy in food chains and webs. To better understand the percentage of energy distribution will help better understand the issues of populations of animals (average number of animals per species) in an ecosystem, and the seriousness of population changes. Energy is transfered in the form of nutrients, and 90% is actually lost during the conversion pyramid. The image below shows the distinct percentages per stage and the changes as energy converts and transfers. Trophic cascades is the changes in population that happen so quickly that it makes a large change on an ecosystem. This is a domino effect that causes serious changes in other populations. An example would be killer whale populations failing because of salmon populations depeleting due to over-fishing. Tracing population changes is extremely difficult and requires ongoing assessments to determine ecosystem changes. The picture below depicts life distribution across the globe. Find your current location and do some simple research of the ecosystems in your area so that you have a better understanding of what creatures live in it, how it has changed over time, and what you can do to help conserve it.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Christmas time can be stressful, but you can always find ways to feel better about your activities while reducing your environmental impact. The Triple Bottom Line of sustainability is: ecological, social, and economical. Start by cutting down your own tree at an organic tree farm that is pesticide free. This will reduce toxins in your home and provide your family a fun activity to start your Christmas season. An even greener option would be purchasing a live tree so that you can replant your tree in your backyard or in a local area. Remember that energy use can be reduced at Christmas time by making a few small changes. Incandescent lighting is hotter to the touch and uses more energy than LED lighting, and both can be reduced simply by having them turned on when you are enjoying it and then off the rest of the time, remember to add a timer if you find yourself too busy. Save additional energy by monitoring your thermostat, replace other incandescent lighting with compact fluorescents, this will reduce energy consumption dramatically. The above picture shows a gift wrapped in a grocery paper bag adorned with 100% merino wool yarn, two cedar branches, and stars cut from recycled paper plates. The idea of reducing our carbon footprint at Christmas time comes with the ability to reuse much of what we already have at our disposal with recycled materials. Other forms of gift decor include red-twig dogwood, red berry branches, small pinecones, and/or fresh flowers as an alternative to bows. Christmas time will remind us with sensory overload of beautiful scents and add a stunning addition to your home. The rustic or organic option is a fancy alternative to high amounts of waste. Start with reusing scrap boxes. A couple of weeks before Christmas, save boxes that you find will help for gift-giving. Grab small branches and paint them white, red, and gold and put them into rustic pottery for the Christmas dinner table. Bare branches will bring the beautiful outdoors into your home. Creative wreaths made from a variety of outdoor options provide a splended addition to your Christmas decor, a high cost-saving option that will take less time to make then to drive, spend, and drive more for that perfect Christmas wreath. Mini Christmas trees made with pine or spruce cut offs into multiple cannisters around your house will add an extra layer of sustainable decor, just as a bouqet of flowers adorns your home, you can have a simple addition that makes for fun and creative outlets for children who want to participate in decorating. Digital christmas cards (e-cards) are an alternative to the millions of Christmas cards purchased and sit in the bottom of your basement. You save on paper use while saving cost of purchasing cards and mailing expense. Wrapping With Fabric The above pictures shows taking any sory of old fabric and repurposing it into reusable gift wrap. The concept sprouts creative genius with a low-cost lens to shape a sustainable Christmas. Get into nature. Gather in groups and go to the slopes. Taboggoning, skiings, snowboarding, or even gather around a fire pit and sing Christmas carols while drinking hot cocoa or hot apple cidar. There is nothing better than positive Christmas spirits. Sustainability Food Purchases and Food Waste Remember that there are multiple ways to reduce your carbon footprint with your food purchases. Choose to opt-out of single use plastic. Bring in your reusable bags, containers, or hand grab your items. Food waste is particularly high at Christmas time and you can find new and fun ways to change your annual celebration. Food scraps go in the green bin but can also be added to a vermiculture. Watch this video to find out how you can start an ecosystem in your house. Children's Toys Start by shopping online to reduce driving. Find a wide range of non-electronic toys. You will reduce the need for batteries and/or electricity usage. Buying or sharing used items at a time where money is not easy to come by is popular on Facebook. "Mommy" groups have tons of items for first-time families and growing families. Cultural Differences Remember that you may celebrate Christmas, but not everyone does. Although you might find that gifts are shared, decor is sprawled, and even a tree is up, a home that does not have the Christmas tradition may simply be respectful or participatory. Also remember that Christmas trees, gifts, and candy canes are novelty items that are not representative of religious beliefs. Be positive about your Christmas cheer, but when you hear "Happy Holidays", this is an inclusive and respectful term that helps recognize all of our differences. Sustainability Education Teach the next generation how to see through a sustainability lens. Energy saving items, green-living reading material, outdoor instead of indoor activities, participate in organic farming, and donating to community organizations or community gardens. Buy Fair Trade items that direct education, finances, and supply chain operations to the global south. Coffee, cotton, and food items are great ways to integrate sustainability through Fair Trade certified items. Find a food or gift drive that donates to families in need Experience Gifts Buy your family, friends, or coworkers and experience gift this Christmas. Reduce your environmental impact with a spa day, bungee jumping, sky diving, or scuba diving. In cold climates, you may need to wait for a summer day to experience your gift. Other popular options are hikes, picnics, skating, movie theatre, laser tag, camping, escape room, photo shoot, or a gym membership. Carbon Footprint Find out what your carbon foot print is here , and find ways to reduce your impact.