Many sports beverage companies use cola products that are sourced from local small farmers in lesser developed countries. These companies purchase their raw materials from local "buyers" who purchase the crops of cola nuts grown by small farmers. In an attempt to eliminate unfair buying practices, some smaller beverage companies have announced that they will only purchase "Fair Trade" certified ingredients for use in their products. Ravi recently received a letter from a Fair Trade group outlining abuses suffered by these small farmers and asking Zip-6 to join in the Fair Trade initiative. Fair Trade ingredients are slightly more expensive than traditionally sourced ingredients. Ravi is weighing how to respond. Read the following Philosophical Approaches to Ethics:
Cultural Relativism- (p.144-145)
Justice Theories (P.149-150)
Rights Theories (p.148-149)
You are asked to select one particular approach to apply to the above scenario and respond to the checklist items below:
Which ethical approach do you feel would best address this issue and why?
Based on your chosen ethical approach, what should Ravi's response be to the request, and why?
Write your thoughts and impressions about this exercise in your Journal in an entry exceeding 100 words before the close of Unit 2.