The Ethical Dilemmas

The Ethical Rules?

The present ethical rules that govern the cosmetics industry are complicated, as cosmetic rules are often blurred between consumer and health laws. Since many of the popular cosmetic companies in the industry are large global corporations, they are able to evade global industry production laws and restrictions. Furthermore, the ethics of the cosmetics industry is currently made problematic by the practices of the blurring of the cosmetic and health industry.

In “The changing face of skin care,” Amy Tsao talks about the increasing practices of dermatologists acting as skin-care cosmeticians. According to the article, “Plenty of dermatologists view selling cosmeceuticals as good medical practice.” While doctors certainly can help to educate the public about basic skincare, without regulations in the cosmetic industries, doctors might be able to be unreasonably paid for telling lies.

  

Responsibility! Action!

Doctors should not be able to recommend cosmetics without taking responsibility of their actions. Other than these present lack of boundaries between cosmetics and medicine, the present ethical regulations in the cosmetic industry in the States is increasingly better. Cosmetic companies have finally started to understand the need of asserting a positive and socially aware image. One of the businesses that started successfully mass marketing as an eco-aware corporation is The Body Shop.  

In The Economist “Idea: Corporate social responsibility,” Tim Hindle asserts how ethical business sells: ““Being good”, said Anita Roddick, founder of an “ethical” cosmetics firm, The Body Shop, “is good business.”” The Body Shop has shown how consumers are willingly to pay more for a community conscious product that does not harm the environment. This sense of community consciousness is one of the important marketing techniques and ethical consciousness that is gradually spreading in the cosmetic industry.

It is usually through the spread of these consciousnesses that become the force to enact laws and regulations. Other than these growing concerns, the actual regulations towards the cosmetic industry have also become increasingly ethical in the Western markets. “EU bans cosmetics with animal-tested ingredients” reports how while “industry trade body Cosmetics Europe said the ban comes too early and acts as a brake on innovation,” animals rights groups were highly encouraged by the ban.

 

This ban on animal-tested ingredients reflects the difficulties and paradoxes in setting up ethical rules today in the business world. The cosmetic industry, being such an intimate product with the consumer, requires high health regulation to ensure product safety. However, corporations have long treated animals inhumanely in the name of science to test products on animals. This ethical dilemma is seemingly resolved by banning the testing of human cosmetic problems on animals, however the real difficulty is in both ensuring the safety of these lab animals as well as the safety of the human consumers.

After animal testing is banned, corporations will be forced to either move their researching labs to areas with less restrictions, or create and innovate new ways in producing and researching cosmetic products. If the cost of innovation is too high, some companies might still resort to unethical research methods involving animal testing.

Moreover, animal-testing is just one dimension in the ethical issues in cosmetic industry regulations. The increased ease of cosmetic forums and product reviews has really changed the environment in cosmetic marketing strategies. Consumers have a heightened awareness of product ingredients and affects from such ingredients. Ethically conscious, all natural cosmetic brands have come to be a significant factor in both mass retail and departmental chains. With the success of Roddick’s The Body Shop, consumers have started to exhibit awareness towards the community trade and social responsibility, with some even critiquing the Body Shop for false advertising of sustainability. While awareness of the ingredients in cosmetic products reflects consumer awareness of their individual health, consumer awareness in community and social responsibility reflects consumer awareness in the overall goodwill of our future society.

Furthermore, Roddick’s marketing plan of incorporating all natural, globally conscious products has proved that cultural sustainability and consumer awareness is here to stay. This will only result in heightened restrictions of corporate ethics in the future. With this outlook of sustainability in the future, companies should brace themselves for the future restrictions to come, and start adjusting their company strategies towards more sustainable, social, and eco-friendly methods. It is important for companies to take a stance in funding a sustainable business plan because companies should uphold their social and ethic responsibilities back to societies.

Possible Outcomes

In upholding these responsibilities, companies will ensure they increase their target population and expand their profit margins. Since cosmetic companies have benefited greatly from this foundational force in globalization, cosmetic corporations should also pick up the social responsibilities as well. Through upholding social responsibilities, companies will be sure of their long-term welfare in this global economy as well.

As a result, companies that invest in ethical processes will also benefit in profit in the long term because of the increase call for ethically restrictive laws and regulations in countries everywhere.                        

                                                                                                            

References: 

Hindle, Tim. “Idea: Corporate social responsibility.” The Economist. Sep 9, 2009. Web.

            <http://www.economist.com/node/14298797>  

Tsao, Amy. “The Changing face of Skin Care.” Bloomberg Businessweek. Nov 29, 2004.

            Web. http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2004-11-29/the-changing-face-of-skin-care.

“EU bans cosmetics with animal-tested ingredients.” Bloomberg Businessweek. Mar 11, 2013.

Web. http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2013-03-11/eu-bans-cosmetics-with-animal-tested-ingredients