2.6 Social, Moral and Ethical Issues Flashcards
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) - Lego group
- Targeting 100% renewable energy capacity
- Targeting the use of solely sustainable raw materials by 2030
- Working with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) on methods of reducing emissions
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) - Disney
- Encourages workers to volunteer for charity work
- Provides significant support in natural disaster situations such as earthquakes
- Plants trees in rainforests, using the revenue from natural history film revenue
Military technological developments
Military technological developments sometimes bring benefit to society
Miniaturised mission guidance technology - PillCam internal medical imaging system
Anti-chemical weapon syringe - EpiPen for diabetes and allergic reactions
Radars - global air travel and microwave ovens
US defence location system 1970s - GPS devices
WW2 penicillin - increased use of antibiotics
WW1 unmanned winged torpedoes - drones
Jet engines WW2 - global air travel
Parachute materials WW2 - nylon and synthetic materials
Sustainability and ethical problems examples
Substantial damage caused by metal ore extraction - e.g. Minas Gerais (Brazil) iron ore mine dam disaster, many died
The dangers of manufacturing toxic chemicals - Union Carbide, Bhopal (India). Methyl isocyanate disaster, thousands died
Several workers committed suicide at the Foxconn iPhone factory in China - due to stressful working conditions
Examples of good sustainability and ethical practice
Starch-based biodegradable PLA polymer
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) ensuring sustainable timber use
Conducting pre-project sustainability reviews
Local sourcing of materials to reduce transport energy requirements
Responsibly managed resource use e.g. FSC
Address issues such as slave and child labour by implementing the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) ethical trading initiative for fair and safe working practices
Label and market products in an honest for way consumers
Use appropriate safety schemes (e.g. BS EN 60335)
Use Fairtrade certified products and practices were possible
Cultural acceptability
Essential for companies to avoid creating offensive products for customers
Financial cost and other disadvantages to the company if customers are offended or alienated
Designers must consider:
How products are perceived by different genders
The cultural significance of aspects such as the colour of products and what they mean in different countries
Religious beliefs, traditions and customs must be considered
Inclusive design BSI definition and 1995 legislation
Defined by the BSI ‘the design of mainstream products and/or services that are accessible to, and usable by, as many people as reasonably possible; without the need for special adaptation or specialised design’
The Disability Discrimination Act (1995) has made an impact on many areas such as public transport
Examples in inclusive design
Updated standards for wider doors for wheelchairs in new houses
OXO’s award-winning Good Grips range of easy to use kitchen utensils
Buses with lower floors for wheelchairs and bright yellow handrails
Hearing induction loops in theatres
Door handle adapters and kettle pourers
Social issues
Issues affecting people, such as the environment, health, poverty, discrimination and unemployment
Examples of combatting social issues
Innovative child-friendly litter bin designs to encourage the adoption of good habits
Black box devices to monitor young drivers
Scanning devices used by police to check for illegal drugs and weapons
Article 25 of the United Nations’ Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
‘Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care’
Designers combatting poverty, health and well-being issues
Lack of radio batteries in parts of Africa - Trevor Bayliss designed wind up radios
Danger and expense of kerosene for lamps in Kenya - GravityLight foundation developed GravityLight LED lighting
Poverty in developing countries - Practical Action (NGO) appropriate open design solutions
Advanced safe surgery - Intuitative Surgical Ltd. developed the ‘da Vinci’ surgery system
Improved prostheses - Touch Bionics Ltd developed advanced composites, motors and control systems
Repairing skull injuries - NHS are using 3D printed polymer implants
Design response to the needs of migrants
Food preparation - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) developed solar cookers
Clean water - SunDwater company developed water distillation technology
Clothing - Angela Lunar developed ‘Adiff’ multi-purpose clothing/shelters
Housing - Ikea Foundation have developed flat-pack ‘better shelter’ housing
Medical care - United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) developed ‘Hospitainers’ and ‘maternitainers’ which are adapted shipping containers for medical care
Ikea Foundation flat-pack ‘better shelter’
Produced in response to the refugee crisis and the need of temporary accommodation
Can be put up without tools
Sleeps 5 people
Well insulated
Solar-powered electrical system
Fairtrade
Seeks to address the exploitation of farmers and workers in developing countries and encourages ethical treatment
Negotiates with buyers to secure fair prices
Qualifying products display a Fairtrade Mark
Organisations seek Fairtrade Mark status:
Promotes sustainable development
Benefits for producers
Increased demand for Fairtrade goods
