I.

Introduction

Monsanto started around 1901 when John F. Queeny founded a company that could produce

saccharine at one-sixth the cost of sugar. He named the company after his wife, Olga Monsanto

Queeny. In the 1940s, Johns son Edward Queeny saw an opportunity to enter the agriculture

industry. The first agricultural product introduced by this Monsanto was an insecticide called

Santobane. The company soon expanded to provide fertilizer for farmers as well, though the current

Monsanto no longer sells this product. As we go through the details of the case, we found out that it

is a current agriculture company that provides seeds globally. They take good care of their products

and tools to help farmers around the world grow crops while using energy, water, and land more

efficiently. They truly believe that innovating a product has the ability to bring humanitys needs in

balance with the resources of our planet. But behind the success of Monsanto, they still receive a lot

of criticism from government, activists, farmers, and advocacy group. It became a pop cultural evil.

The company and its genetically modified organism seeds have been the subject of famous

documentaries, global protests, and assaults by everybody from environmental activists. Struggles

and mistakes are just part of the success of every company. According to the research, Monsanto

has made huge ethical errors in the past but they are still doing their best to portray itself as a

companionably company who is dedicated to improve agriculture.

II. Problem Statement

Monsanto's mission statement, company's actions and products are not parallel to attain their goal,

which we can infer from this that instead the company is providing satisfaction to their stakeholders

it brings disadvantages to them.

Monsanto has been operating since 1901 and known as a chemical manufacturing company

providing various products to humankind. Genetically Modified seeds have increased the

quantity and availability of crops to farmers. On the other side, concerns and issues revealed by

farmers and various studies. One of the problems is the concern of genetically Modified (GM)

food to human health. One major health concern is the allergencity of GM products. Critics said

that a lack of appropriate regulation could allow allergens to creep into the products. Another

concern is the toxicity, Monsantos seeds contain a gene that allow them to produce their own

roundup ready herbicide .It brings glyphosate exposure to agriculture workers .Yet EPA lists

glyphosate exposure as having a low skin and oral toxicity. On the other hand, a study from New

York Medical College said that Roundup has no harmful risk to human health. Another concern

is the Bovine Growth Hormone Concern. Monsantos synthetic hormone Posilac contains

recombinant bovine growth hormone. Stakeholders feared that cows injected with this drug

might bring hazardous effects to the person who will drink mild from these cows. Aside from

that is the concern about environmental effects of Monsanto products. Studies have found out

that Roundup herbicide which is used in conjunction with the hearty GMO Seeds called

Roundup Ready can be hazardous to birds, insects and amphibians .A test using Roundup was

conducted by University of Pittsburg Assistant Professor of biological sciences Rick Relyea and

his doctoral students witnessed the massive death of 71 percent of tadpoles in outdoor tanks

due to this substance. Aside from that, it is a threat of environment contamination when

insects, bees and wind can carry a GM crops seeds to other areas, sometimes to fields with no-

GM crops. This substance makes crop resistance to pesticides and herbicides. Critics said that

continual use of the chemicals would result in super weeds and super bugs much like

overuse of antibiotics in humans has resulted to drug-immune bacteria. Monsanto's unethical

issues include the bribery and patent issues. In 2002, Monsanto's bribery issues were revealed
 when a senior manager of Monsanto instructed an Indonesian consulting firm to conceal a

protest against the company by giving a bribe of $50,000 to a high-level official in the countrys

environmental ministry. The Monsanto was facing a protest from farmers and activists in regard

to the introduction of GM cotton in Indonesia. It was revealed later on that company has been

doing this illegal act of giving bribe to many officials from 1997 to 2002. Lastly is the patent

issues, Monsanto hired investigators from law firms to investigate suspected violations.

Investigators hired by Monsanto asked and interviewed all farmers of the suspected patent

infringement. One issue happened was a case involving storeowner Gary Rinehart from Missouri

.Investigators accused Rinehart of patent infringement and threatened him to pay the amount

for the alleged patent issue. Monsanto filed a case against Rinehart and eventually they realized

it was a wrong man. Monsanto dropped the law suit against Rinehart but never apologized.

Other complaints of farmers against investigators include similar acts of intimidation, where

investigators following farmers and secretly videotaping them. Later on, investigators found out

that it was Rineharts nephew who was doing the illegal act. To sum up, Monsantos products

are very damaging to its stakeholders and all the people living on the planet. It killed our

ecosystem, poisoned our water, air and animals, and might cause human deformities.This

agricultural system produces decreasing returns with more expensive fertilizer, pesticides and

yearly seeds being funded for the crops of the farmers.

III. Solution

The Monsanto Company faced problems in their existence. The subsidiary of Monsanto at

Indonesia filed an Internal Investigation and reported it to the U.S Department of Justice and

Securities and Exchange Commission to spot-on the irregularities and bribery inside the

company. In the said problem, Monsanto will take the full responsibility for its employees and
on the other hand it will help the American authorities to correct them. Monsanto Company

commits that they will provide the public advancement of their interest and well-being. They

will give developing countries a million of dollar to help them to improve. Monsanto will put up

a fund for the researching for new farmer tools in order to improve the lives of the farmers and

to conserve more resources because it will boost the production in yielding crops. It also

partners itself to some of non-profit organizations around the world in improving lives of

developing countries specifically the farmers from India and Africa. Monsanto is trying to help to

prosper the lives of the farmers and funding those students who are taking up agricultural-

related courses. Children were being included in the program in which they will give a proper

education and teaching them the proper hygiene to keep out from diseases that the Brazilian

children encountered. For the patent issues, inorder to prevent its occurrence. Monsanto was

planning to create a new seed in the future which is called sterile seeds. Sterile seed are non-

bearing seeds that will lessen the genetic diversification. Other solutions are clearly identified

below.

Incorporate the protection of the environment in the organizations mission or change the

companys mission statement to align the products and business practices to its goals

Establishing a clear mission will help a company to align its actions and decisions to the purpose

of the organization. As can be seen in the actions of Monsanto their products were not

environmentally friendly as it kills tadpoles in the wild, poison birds and insects. As well as

contaminate the environment. To limit the issue regarding the negative environmental effects of

Monsantos Products, the company can incorporate the protection of the environment in their

organizations mission to remind them in the conservation of the environment and to create

environmentally products to people.

Continuous research of new farming tools

Monsantos genetically modified products produces plants that can survive weeks of drought,

ward off weeds and kill invasive insects. It helps farmers to increase their production and

revenue. On the other side it is believed to have harmful effects on human health because of

the glyphosate exposure. To eradicate the issue regarding this, Monsantos researchers and

scientists can go further and study the components of the Genetically Modified products.

Researchers can go on with their further research, discovery and experimentation to think of

new components for the products that are safer, cheaper and effective as well. To make this

possible, Monsanto should increase their funds in researching new farmer tools. Being able to

care and have concern to all the stakeholders of the company will make them more successful.

Farmers are the customers of Monsanto. They are also stakeholders of Monsanto therefore they

should be treasured. Dont rely only on internal research of the company about the products.

Seek external research and studies to support the composition of the products

Enforce work ethics effectively to all members of the company to avoid organizational

misconduct (like bribery) in the future

As what happened to the company, they tried to conceal a protest against them by giving a bribe to

high-level official just to make their company good. Later on they suffered the consequences of their

actions. To avoid this issue again, the company can assign a specific task to HR department that will

monitor and check all the actions of each part of the organization. Also the HR Department will be the

one responsible in promoting good work ethics to the organization. Aside from that the company can

create and implement a policy where all who will violate the work ethics will be punished.
Enforce more strict controls on company behavior and implement a new policy that will check

carefully, assess each product and evaluate its safeness before releasing it to the market. This

includes a stop to designating officials in position of influence of the government, more

transparency in the places where they work and create an oversight panel that will monitor and

evaluate the production of goods. Improved scientific standards to determine what products

from the production are acceptable and not

Stop the production and sale of Roundup, as well as all Roundup Ready crops

Create products that are centered on bio-diversity, abundance and the recycling of nutrients in

the ecosystem.