Ethics

Company Description
Sweetflavors is a process industry which I would like to work with. It is a fast food company also known as Quick Service Restaurant. The company offers goods and services concerned with food which is prepared and served within the shortest period of time as possible. The food is precooked or preheated ingredients packaged and served to the consumers in form of take away. The meals include precooked foods such as pizza, burger, French fries, hot dogs, ice cream, hamburgers and other food items. These foods are supposed to be eaten within the shortest period of time otherwise they become dry and unpalatable.  The capital requirements are relatively low since outlets are in form of kiosks or stands which offer neither seating nor shelter. It is mandatory for the company to balance food production with the expected number of customers. This will reduce unused food discarded.

Ethical problems
Business ethics is a kind of principle of applied ethics which is concerned with different ethical rules and moral problems which occur in a commercial environment. The extent to which a business complies with social values depends on the degree of the business ethical issues (Good Governance Program, 2004). The food industry is facing an extensive array of ethical issues which definitely sweetflavors will face. The first ethical concern in the fast food industry is that people are eating too much which has been proved by doctors and nutritionists that it is unhealthy for the body. Currently the fast food industry is making lots of profit through increasing marketing campaigns than ever which is to the disadvantage of the consumers bodies. Production of fast food uses excess calories and Trans fats which lead to health complications which eventually cause death hence reduce the number of customers served by these companies. It is noted that a great number of Americans about 280,000 are dying every year due to obesity (Schiosser, 2001). This alarming statistics is a reality and needs to be addressed.

In a day, there is less personal time left in the current society which is becoming very fast.  In America, the customers of the fast food companies who are working in this fast paced country in order to comply with the American dream are being misused by these companies. This is a fast food business ethical issue. The consumers never have enough time hence the fast food companies take the advantage by offering a quick stop for the consumers.

Fair and just treatment is another ethical issue. Most of employees in Food industry are the minorities who seek job opportunities in food processing and service. This leads to discrimination of the employees especially in terms of decision making and wages. These problems are categorised as ethics of human resource management.

Food safety and labelling is an ethical problem facing the food industry. New labels which provide consumers with sufficient information on the ingredients that are important in dietary planning have been mandated by the Nutritional Food Labelling Policy Act. Food industry, regulators and consumer advocates are concerned with food labelling. This raises the questions concerning ethics of limiting risk from additives and contamination. These is categorised as ethics of sales and marketing.

Solutions
Sweetflavors as an enterprise should develop strategies to put its resources together in order to have its objectives and goals met. Specific business outcomes are achieved   through a business ethics program which is concerned with improving awareness of ethic issues, reduction of misconduct and improving decision making (Good Governance Program, 2004). Food safety and labelling ethics which fall under sales and marketing facing fast food Company such as sweetflavors should be solved through various methods. It includes food packaging and food preservation techniques. The employees should be aware of benefits and risks of microorganisms and food processing safety. This calls for sufficient training of the people handling food in the fast food company as it has been noted that majority of employees are minorities who are not well educated. Proper key issues in food labelling should be adhered to declaring the food ingredients and additives, nutrition information, and durability indication which will contribute to consumers choice.

Ethical issues concerned with the health of the consumers in the fast food industry are basically solved by the power of choice by the consumer (Schiosser, 2001). Nutritional disorders are as result of an individuals lifestyle. People are lacking information about the dangers involved in daily consumption of fast foods however not all fast foods result into health complications. All this is due to overconsumption of these foods. Public awareness and sensitization about their nutritional status its therefore important. The companys choice on what to offer directly affects the health of the consumers. For instance, use of Trans fats in food production which is a risk factor of cancer should be controlled. Food standard agencies should therefore regulate the ingredients in the fast food production. Improving on the quality of the food offered will not only improve the nutritional status of the consumers but also increase the number of consumers.