General Motors Company and Challenges it Faces in Business Environment (Essay Sample)

Assignment 2: Challenges in the Business Environment Part 1
Student’s Name
Professor’s Name
Course Title
Date
Since its inception in 1908, General Motors Company, or GM as it is widely referred to, has experienced immense market and financial growth in the automobile industry across the globe. Despite the success, GM has always been committed to conducting its business with integrity while upholding the highest ethical standards. We have and will never compromise our ethical standards in search of financial success. We are committed to ensuring that the laws and regulations that are set to guide our conduct are upheld in every business we conduct. In this effect, GM and its affiliated companies are committed to ensuring they transact with businesses that are in line with our ethical standards and hence the set Suppliers Code of Conduct.
GM acknowledges that suppliers are independent entities; on the other hand, it is evident that the business conducts of a supplier impact the image of the company. Unethical business practices are one of the many challenges in the global business environment. Unethical business practices have dented the public image of many companies, hampering their success in their respective industries. Therefore GM requires that our suppliers also conduct their business in line with the set laws and ethical standards guiding businesses.
Our Supplier Code of Conduct outlines a set of workplace standards and business practices that we expect from our suppliers, their affiliates, and all other entities in their supply chain. “GM chooses its suppliers carefully, and expects that they will satisfy contractual requirements, comply with laws, regulations, and act in a way consistent with the principles and values of our GM Code of Conduct, Winning with Integrity, and this Supplier Code of Conduct” (“GM Supplier Code of Conduct, nd). In this spirit, I would like to emphasize to you that noncompliance with the Supplier Code of Conduct will change our long established relationship, and could result in the termination of our contract. Therefore, GM would like you, your employees, affiliates, and subcontractors to know that GM requires them to be conversant with and conform to the standards outlined in the Supplier Code of Conduct.
The Suppliers Code of Conduct is developed based on the established standards by the company’s general Code of Conduct. Our Code of Conduct which is titled Winning with Integrity underlines our commitment to conducting business ethically and honestly (“GM’S Code of Conduct”, nd). The Code of Conduct highlights our commitment to the outlined core values in dealing with our customers, establishing business relationships, and pursuing financial excellence. According to our CEO, we must always conduct ourselves with integrity, take accountability for results, and always be committed to doing right, even when it seems hard (“GM’S Code of Conduct”, nd). We are committed to quality and safety both at the workplace and in our products. The Code works as the cornerstone of the company’s compliance program, which underscores our culture of winning with integrity (“2016 Sustainability Report”, nd). Therefore, we expect all of you to conduct your business in conformity with the set values and standards.
Over time, GM’s Code of Conduct has changed to incorporate various changes in the business and social environment. In its changes, the code has been enhanced to incorporate our emphasis for safety, new technologies and mobility solutions, cybersecurity, privacy, diversity, and inclusion, maintaining a respectful workplace, human rights, and environmental protection and sustainability (“GM’S Code of Conduct”, nd). Therefore, as our suppliers, you are required to be committed to the company’s values as outlined in the Code.
We are committed to ensuring safety for our staff, customers, suppliers, and visitors; both at the workplace and in the vehicles we produce for our customers. At GM, we want to provide a safe working environment for everyone. In this effort, we encourage anyone with a safety concern to forward their concerns. You are required to provide a clean and safe working environment for your employees with accident prevention measures and which is health risk-free; and where they can openly express their safety concerns without intimidation (“GM’S Code of Conduct”, nd). Therefore you should make the necessary arrangements to enhance the safety of the product you supply to us as well as employee working environment.
We are also committed to the respect of human rights in our company and in third parties are respected and enhanced by avoiding forced labor, child labor, human trafficking, labor brokers, harassment and discrimination, and ensuring proper employment conditions, and encouraging freedom of association and collective bargaining. You should not use any form of forced labor in your business operations. Suppliers should not use child labor in the production of their products. The company