Group: Angelina Penza, Ranni, Maaz, Fiaz, Mahir, Nancy

You are the Executive Director of Sustainable Lehigh 2030, an ambitious program aimed at transforming Lehigh University into a low-carbon circular economy that espouses triple bottom line sustainability as a core value. In this capacity, you are working with ten different student groups which are addressing various food, energy, plastics pollution, water, and health related challenges with a common theme of effecting sustainable behavior change amongst all campus stakeholders. While all these initiatives are organized under the Sustainable Lehigh 2030 banner, the student organizations championing them are independent in their philosophies and operations.

As the launch date approaches, your attention turns to promoting these initiatives to the campus community. There is broad consensus amongst the student groups that they want to distribute T-shirts promoting their individual initiatives to as many students, faculty, and staff members across campus. After reading articles such as this , this, and this, you are skeptical about the idea of distributing T-shirts but are unable to persuade the student organizations otherwise. 

Putting your qualms aside, you manage to secure a $5,000 grant from an alumnus, specifically to purchase and distribute T-shirts promoting the various programs. These funds are supposed to be uniformly distributed to each of the ten student groups. The alumnus is a diehard champion for sustainability AND for buying products manufactured in the USA. They have promised a follow-on gift of $100,000 if the pilot phase of the larger initiative is successful. This larger gift could be truly transformative for the Sustainable Lehigh 2030 program. 

As the person entrusted with the grant funds, you have the power to formulate rules for procuring and distributing the T-shirts. You scour the T-shirt marketplace and identify three options. The first option is to procure $2 T-shirts made in a certified garment factory in Cambodia that pays workers above the prevailing local wage. The second option is to procure $10 T-shirts made at a garment factory in Los Angeles, where the vast majority of the employees are undocumented immigrants and wage violations, and abuse are rife. The third option is to procure $25 organic T-shirts made at a garment factory in Lehigh Valley where the employees are paid a fair wage. There might be other options as well, but you are already confused on how to proceed. 

 

Step 1: Determine the facts in the situation – obtain all of the unbiased facts possible. Clearly state the ethical issue.

• Sustainable Lehigh 2030 has secured a $5,000 grant to purchase and distribute T-shirts from the ten student groups.
• The groups want to distribute as many T-shirts as possible.
• The alumnus that gave the grant is an advocate for sustainability and for buying products made in the USA. Additionally, they have promised a $100,000 grant if the pilot phase of the initiative is successful.
• Identified T-shirt options:
  1. $2 each, made in Cambodia, workers are paid above the prevailing local wage.
  2. $10 each, made in Los Angeles, workers are undocumented immigrants and they experience wage violations.
  3. $25 each, made in Lehigh Valley, workers are paid a fair wage.

Ethical Issues: The funds have to be used in a way that meets the needs of the organizations and the expectations of the alumnus who gave the money, which seem to be conflicting in terms of labor practices and sustainability. Meeting the donor’s expectations could result in a greater monetary benefit in the long run.

Step 2: Define the Stakeholders – those with a vested interest in the outcome.

• Executive director
• 10 student groups working with Sustainable Lehigh 2030
• Alumnus donor
• Sustainable Lehigh 2030 program
• Garment workers

Step 3: Determine and distinguish between the personal and professional motivations of the stakeholders. 

Executive Director:

• Personal: Committed to ethical standards and sustainability. Has some personal concerns regarding fast fashion.
• Professional: Aiming for program success, compliance with donor expectations, and maximizing funding.

Student Groups:

• Personal: Passionate about their causes and want visibility and engagement through T-shirts for their individual organizations.
• Professional: Desire to effect change and build support for their initiatives. Each organization holds to their own philosophies and operations independent of the Sustainable Lehigh 2030 program.

Alumnus Donor:

• Personal: Passionate about sustainability and buying products made in the USA. Wants to see his alma mater supporting the same kind of initiatives that are of importance to them.
• Professional: Wants to see their donation used effectively to promote the program and influence future support.

Sustainable Lehigh 2030 Program:

• Personal: None
• Professional: Aims to promote sustainability and ethical practices across campus.

Garment Workers:

• Personal: Seeking fair wages and safe working conditions.
• Professional: Depend on factories for employment and livelihood.

Step 4: Formulate at least three alternative solutions – based on information available, using basic ethical core values as guide Approaches [1/2/3: repeat for every action] • Potential solution • Ethical Principle or code • Pros • Cons

Alternative 1: Buy $2 T-Shirts from Cambodia

• Ethical Principle: Choosing the option that benefits the most people by staying within budget and providing maximum visibility for all groups.
• Pros:
  • Allows for the maximum number of T-shirts to be distributed.
  • Supports a factory with ethical practices relative to local standards.
  • Stays within the $5,000 budget while satisfying all ten groups.
• Cons:
  • Not American-made, potentially disappointing the donor.
  • Higher carbon footprint due to shipping.
  • Questionable alignment with sustainability principles.

Alternative 2: Buy $10 T-Shirts from Los Angeles

• Ethical Principle: Adhering to rules (buying American-made) but considering the means and conditions.
• Pros:
  • Made in the USA, aligning with donor preference.
  • Provides more T-shirts than the third option.
• Cons:
  • Supports a factory with documented labor violations, compromising ethical standards.
  • Potential backlash from stakeholders aware of labor issues.
  • Contradicts the sustainability and ethical values of the program.

Alternative 3: Buy $25 Organic T-Shirts from Lehigh Valley

• Ethical Principle: Promoting fairness, sustainability, and integrity.
• Pros:
  • Strong alignment with sustainability and fair labor practices.
  • Supports local economy and provides organic, eco-friendly products.
  • May create a strong positive image for the program.
• Cons:
  • Least number of T-shirts distributed (200), limiting visibility.
  • Higher cost may not fulfill student groups’ expectations for broad distribution.
  • Risks displeasing the donor due to fewer tangible outcomes.

Step 5: Seek additional assistance, as appropriate – engineering codes of ethics, previous cases, peers, reliance on personal experience, inner reflection

Before making a decision from the current options, we have to note that none of these options will satisfy the requirements from all the parties involved. While we can see this issue from the perspective of choosing the option that will eventually lead to a major economic advantage (that is, choosing the option that aligns more with the donor’s motivations to try to secure the $100,000 gift), I think that it is more important to adhere to the values and mission of the Sustainability Lehigh 2030 organization, because after all the 10 student groups are working with the program because they share some common ideas on sustainability, but they still hold to their own philosophical ideas. Additionally, with respect to the donor, I think it would be of greater impact to be clear with the actions that the program takes and for them to see the coherence between what we advocate for and what we do in practice. Even if the donor decides to not give the next big gift because of not a big amount of tangible outcomes, it will still set a criterion and basis of how the program operates, showing that before any monetary benefit, the holding of their own values is more important.

Step 6: Select the best course of action – that which satisfies the highest core ethical values. Explain reasoning and justify. Discuss your stance vis-a-vis other approaches discussed in the class.

The best decision is to purchase the $25 organic T-shirts made locally in Lehigh Valley. While this option distributes fewer T-shirts, it aligns with the core values of the Sustainable Lehigh 2030 initiative—supporting fair wages, ethical labor practices, and eco-friendly production. This choice reflects a genuine commitment to sustainability, making a stronger statement than simply distributing more T-shirts. The donor, who champions both sustainability and American-made products, will likely appreciate this thoughtful decision. Even though fewer shirts will be distributed, the quality and ethical sourcing will build credibility, setting a strong precedent for future actions and funding.

Step 7: List the sequence of actions you will take to implement your solution.

1. Communicate the Decision: Inform the student groups and the donor, explaining how the choice aligns with sustainability and ethical labor values.
2. Secure Donor Buy-In: Emphasize the alignment with the donor’s values of sustainability and local production.
3. Place the Order: Procure the T-shirts from the Lehigh Valley factory, ensuring adherence to sustainability standards.
4. Promote the Initiative: Highlight the ethical sourcing in promotional efforts, emphasizing the program’s commitment to sustainability.
5. Distribute the T-Shirts: Organize distribution while spreading awareness of the initiative’s sustainability focus.
6. Evaluate Impact: Gather feedback from the campus community and stakeholders to assess the campaign’s success.
7. Report to the Donor: Provide a detailed report on how the funds were used and the positive feedback from the initiative.