The main lesson for SHEIN is to learn that sustainability is a prudent long-term investment. The long-term financial well-being of the company is tied to how the firm affects and is affected by the natural environment. As of right now, SHEIN's long-term prospects are not sustainable due to the reputation the company has for unethical environmental and social practices. The company has two options: stay the same or change to be more environmentally and socially responsible.
My reasoning for SHEIN becoming a sustainable and ethical brand is based on the deontological ethical framework. This framework states that "in making ethical decisions we should first consider those decisions as potential universal truths: if everyone acted this way, would it be acceptable? If it is universally acceptable, then it is a Truth- and it is our duty to act with regard for what is true."
If everyone (all fashion brands) made products using synthetic and cheap materials it would be extremely detrimental to the environment. It would contribute to microplastics in the oceans and overflowing landfills. It is SHEIN's corporate social responsibility to take care of social goods like clean air and water which are priceless. SHEIN could adapt its system to be a closed-loop design. Byproducts would be reintegrated into production processes or eliminated. SHEIN could assume life cycle responsibility for their products which means that the company would be responsible for the entire life of the product from production to disposal. In order for this to work, the brand would have to upgrade the quality of the materials used for their products.
Sources
Class notes (Ethics and the Environment Powerpoint)
Class notes (Ethical Frameworks)
Do you believe that the brand will sacrifice certain compensation benefits of executives or shareholders however to benefit the employees and environment? I ask this as Shein's ethics are somewhat questionable.
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