Unethical Issue Found From Hermes

By doing the research on the Hermess company, the first unethical issue that we
found is cruelty towards animals. As what we know, Hermes is a French founder which
established since 1837, and today it is specializing in leather, perfumery, lifestyle accessories,
luxury goods and also ready-to-do. Leathers which exactly mean that the product produce
from animal skin. Just because to get the leathers, Hermess employees had done cruel
actions so that they can get the leathers more easily. Throughout the investigator from PETA
(People for the Ethical Treatment of Animal), which is an American organization based on
animal rights, they had documented few actions by the workers there. Firstly, they shot the
alligators head repeatedly with a captive-bolt gun. Another action is more than 500 of
alligators which is still conscious is cut as some were struggling to try to escape from them.
Another fact is even though it had already been admitted that those reptiles will still be
continuing to live while their vertebrae is being dislocated, they also cruelly stab on those
alligators that still in conscious situation for dislocating their vertebrae. Those alligators are
still continuing to move their tails and legs in the bloody ice bins and the bleed rack a few
more minutes after they had be attempted slaughter. The miserable that suffered by those
alligator including gruesome of deaths, at the end their skins sent to made into those luxury
stuffs, such as, watchbands.
The second unethical issue that we found is the welfares of employees from Hermes
are neglected. Those employees are not well taken care by the company especially their
safety. Based on the research we had done, one of the PETAs investigator who had been
worked at the Lone Star with other employees said, they stood thigh-deep in water, to lift and
catch the alligators, and these are actually a dangerous action which might imperil their life.
Besides, they also need to climb down into the pit. While doing this action, they were told not
to wear shoes in the water fowl. With these facts, we can see that Hermess company not
really pay attention on their employees safety even though those actions might be cause them
lose their life. Just to get the leathers as soon as possible, they not even care about these
critical problems.
Next, the unethical issue we found from Hermes is the communication between the
management level and the bottom line is loose and failed to manage well. Through the
research, we found that the communication within the store management is quite poor. It
caused the productivity, efficiency and the creativity of the employees to be less effective. It

cripples the innovation and capacity of the company to make the positive contributions to
society.
Come to the forth unethical issue that we found from Hermes, which is status
discrimination toward customers that shown by the staffs that work in Hermes's branches.
Hermes's company produces products made by leather with high prices. Through the
research, we found that the staffs in some of the Hermes's branches treat the customers in a
discrimination way. This negative judgement towards people made some of their customers
really disappointed on the staffs' attitude. Some horrible treatments were received by the
customers from the Hermes store. The store was sounded like unwilling to bend backwards
for famous personality customers, rich customers and these were actually deep-seated
discrimination as what we can see. And also racists attitude were occur in some of the stores.
One of the examples is while Oprah Winfrey went to Hermes store to purchase. The staff
members of store that visited by her failed to recognize her at the door, as she wasn't in fully
glamour makeup. The gossip item was claimed and the staff denied her to enter the store.
They even told Oprah Winfrey, they have been "had some problem with North Africans
lately".
From the theory of Ethics for Business we studied, we knew that it is important to
gain morality towards a business. With the morality, the company will be able to gain a lot of
benefits. The company will substantially improved society. It also helps to maintain a moral
course in turbulent times. Next, it cultivates strong teamwork and productivity and also
supports employee growth. Besides, it also helps to avoid criminal acts "of omission" and can
lower fines. It helps manage value associated with quality management, strategic planning
and diversity management. And also, it promotes a strong public image.