Ethics meaning in English
Learn how to use Ethics correctly with Gymglish.
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Definition
ethical (behavior): moral, principled, fair, just (behavior)
Murder is not ethical behavior.
the ethics: the moral code, the principles, the morality, the values
Ethics is always plural:
I questioned his ethics when he told me he had robbed his grandmother.
professional ethics accepted standards of conduct and methods of doing business
unethical: morally wrong, immoral, dishonorable, bad
Stealing from church is very unethical.
Examples
- "The controversy associated with illegal and unethical cost-cutting methods often leads to customer boycotts and consumer class-action suits."
- "If we are taking part in these sorts of unethical labor practices, and if our involvement in these practices gets into the open, this situation could become a real disaster from a public relations standpoint."
- "OILS, the Organization for International Labor Standards, is a (fictional) group which identifies and certifies subcontractors using legal and ethical labor practices."
- "International outsourcing is certainly one of the foremost concerns of contemporary business ethics."
- "Brian : But sir, that would be highly unethical!"
- "Outsourcing: Cost-Efficient Advantage or Unethical Tool of Exploitation?"
- "Bruno : Susie, you make a very convincing case for using ethical labor, whatever the cost."
- "Notorious for his astute business sense and suspect business ethics, Mazerati has unveiled plans to triple D&C's profits within 6 years."
- "The question is whether we will continue to exploit cheap and potentially illegal labor, or whether we should explore more expensive, but more ethical alternatives."
Exercise 1
Choose the TRUE statement(s) from the list below based on Susie's e-mail.
There may be more than one correct answer!
There may be more than one correct answer!
Choose the TRUE statement(s) from the list below based on Susie's e-mail.
There may be more than one correct answer!
Excerpt: If we are taking part in these sorts of unethical labor practices, and if our involvement in these practices gets out into the open, this situation could become a real disaster from a public relations standpoint.
... The controversy associated with these types of cost-cutting methods often leads to customer boycotts and consumer class-action suits.
There may be more than one correct answer!
This statement is false. Susie writes about "unethical labor practices" which she objects to morally. This indicates that Susie finds most subcontracting methods to be "wrong" or "morally suspect". Susie's concern for Delavigne is not only financial, but moral as well.
This is a true statement. Susie writes that cheap labor and exploitation can lead to "class-action suits being brought against the companies". A class-action suit is a legal procedure in which a group of individuals with a claim against a company join together as plaintiffs in a single suit. Susie also writes about "boycotts", referring to the public abstaining from buying or using certain products as an expression of protest.
This statement is true. Susie writes that if Delavigne's subcontracting practices "get into the open", the company will have problems. To "get (out) into the open" is an expression which means to "become known" or to "become public knowledge". Though Susie isn't sure whether Delavigne is using illegal labor practices, one of her concerns is the public's reaction to this possibility.
This statement is false. Susie writes that she "stumbled across" this article. "To stumble across (an object)" is to find it by chance, without looking for it or intending to find it.
Excerpt: If we are taking part in these sorts of unethical labor practices, and if our involvement in these practices gets out into the open, this situation could become a real disaster from a public relations standpoint.
... The controversy associated with these types of cost-cutting methods often leads to customer boycotts and consumer class-action suits.
Exercise 2
The article Susie read is about which use production methods.
The article Susie read is about companies 1 which use low cost 2 production methods.
1 companies: Susie writes that "large corporations depend on cheap child labor to lower production costs". The article she read details the labor practices of big companies (like Delavigne Corp).
1 media agencies: Susie writes about the media, but never to suggest that they are using unethical subcontracting methods.
1 human rights organizations: Human rights organizations are concerned about unethical subcontracting practices, but they do not use them themselves (that would be hypocritical!)
2 low cost: Susie writes about large companies using cheap and "cost-cutting" labor practices to save money. "To cut costs" is to reduce expenses. The article refers to large companies which reduce expenses by using a cheap labor force overseas.
2 expensive: The methods used by companies which outsource are designed to "cut-costs" or "save money", they are the opposite of expensive or costly.
2 ethical : Susie finds the labor practices used by most companies to be "unethical" or morally wrong.
Exercise 3
OILS is .
OILS is an independent organization which acknowledges companies using legal labor practices.
an independent organization which acknowledges companies using legal labor practices: OILS "lists and labels subcontracting companies which meet all international human rights and labor standards". This means that the organization certifies and provides an index of companies which use legal and ethical labor practices.
an independent subcontractor which employs underage workers: This is incorrect. OILS is not a subcontractor, nor does the organization employ underage (young) workers. It is just this kind of thing that OILS is opposed to.
a group of independent manufacturers promoting unethical labor practices: OILS is not a group of manufacturers, but an organization which promotes ethical labor practices.
an international gasoline conglomerate: Despite its name, OILS has nothing to do with gasoline, oil or petroleum. OILS is an acronym for "Organization for International Labor Standards"
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