Companies that are for-profit have dual responsibilities to perform ethically in society, and there is a

fine line between the split. One, they have many bills to pay including salaries and the promise to the
stakeholders for a return on investment. Second, they have a responsibility to society and the
community to act sustainably to protect the integrity of the future.

I will begin with the thought of it being wrong to maximize profits ethically. The idea that a company
performs their duties for a customer base entails that they would not be here without the client. The
honesty and transparency of a company can help to create a more customer centric attitude that does
not revolve around getting every dollar out of society. The bonus to the strategy can be increased
customer loyalty and higher long-term profits as a result. When businesses are only concerned with
short-term goals and objectives, they tend to provide poor quality goods and services.

The great thing about most large companies that they have every intention of utilizing the resources to
their fullest potential. The idea that nothing should go to waste if possible helps to ensure that
businesses will always act responsibly in correlation with maximizing profits. Another instance where a
company may have waste and reusing that waste would absorb more time than it would be worth, then
the idea of donating becomes a possibility. An example of a company giving its used or excess product
that I encountered firsthand occurred when visiting Bakery de France in Frederick, Maryland. The
company makes high-quality bread, and the factory is almost entirely automated, they have
approximately 26 employees. The employees that included the management of operations and the only
members that are on the factory floor are used for quality assurance. My previous company conducted
a large volume of business with Bakery de France, and the CEO invited a few of my Ahold USA team
members to enjoy a tour of the facility and to have lunch with the entire upper management group.
During the visit, we notice small amounts of Joe that were being pushed into large tubs. They informed
us that they donate the excess product to local farms to be feed to pigs. Additionally, when overbaked
or imperfect bread are picked out of the assembly lines, they are given to local food banks.

I believe that if companies are keeping the community in mind when making choices, then they have the
right to maximize profits. When caring individuals or groups run companies, then they tend to share the
wealth when it comes their way.