For more than a hundred years, oil companies have exploited the global fossil fuel reserves without restrictions and with the exclusive target of attaining maximum revenues (Global information, 2010). Most of the oil companies have exploited the oil in various regions of the world without really caring about other stakeholders. There major concentration has been always maximizing their profits. The British Petroleum company does not make any exceptions from this rule. Since Tony Hayward has assumed the top management of British Petroleum back in 2007, after the oil company had already caused numerous catastrophic events, he naturally felt obliged to make a solid promise concerning security being considered a main priority from then on. In reality, he was the individual that administered BP under one of the most disastrous industrial accident throughout history (Elkind, Whitford, & Burke, 2011). However, he majorly focused on the safety of the workers only.
Fortune's discoveries demonstrate how Hayward, a well-known geologist did not even come slightly close to reaching his objective. In spite of numerous ventures to change, British Petroleum never invested in improving their deficiencies in terms of safety, which led to accidents such as the blast of the Texas City plant. Instead of concentrating on process safety (means of diverting the possibility of a calamity), BP concentrated on personal safety of the employees. This is a clear indicator of utilitarianism; the company merely concentrates on the safety of the workers and neglects the safety process safety. This led to major losses like the one that was witnessed in the Texas City plant.
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A Global information Green Consumer survey conducted in 15 countries, subsequently to the Deepwater Horizon Gulf of Mexico spill, showed that only 17% of their clients accredit BP as a company that abides to ethical and sustainable practices, while half of the respondents were not aware of the company’s ethical and sustainability-related policies and practices (Global information, 2010). It was seen from the outcome of the report that even if the BP oil company took responsibility of the calamity, the customers are left out of the whole issue. The customers are not aware of how unethically and unfriendly the overall approach of BP is. In fact, it is indicated that the company had mastered the aspect of public opinion manipulation.
In 1998, British Petroleum merged with the American company Amco, and decided to appropriately assume the name of BP;signifying the initials for beyond petroleum, thus dismissing any refferences to its formal brand. Moreover, the company adopted a new green helios logo, cellebrating the commencement of strategy that concentrates on green sources of energy. In reality, the company’s corporate marketing strategy could not be more doubtfull and unethical. There is a huge disparity between BP’s corporate positioning strategy and its concrete identity, taking into account that BP ultimately deals with exploiting, refining and distribuiting oil, and , according to Greenpeace, only 1% of BP’s endeavours are dedicated to green energy sources (Balmer, Powell, & Greyser, 2011). In fact, BP was more concerned when it came to the expenditures for spill clean-ups and achieving targeted budgets and satisfactory financial results, rather than dealing with ethical and environmental responsibilities (Verschoor, 2010).
From all the activities of the BP Company, it is very clear that the company majorly concentrated on the financial aspect and gaining of profits. The company neglects many issues like the process safety that affects the corporate people and the customers and merely concentrates on the safety of its workers. The company had also advanced in the public opinion manipulation so that the public is always not aware of issues that directly affect it. All these are a clear indicator that the company only concentrated on issues that bring happiness and satisfaction to them. They did this and neglected any other stakeholders that may be affected by their actions. This is clear evidence of utilitarianism in the modern society where institutions are out for self-satisfaction.