GS4 · UPSC Mains
Universal Sisterhood of Dreams (USD) is an NGO run by Ms. Anuradha Sen, a popular celebrity. The NGO champions the cause of woman and child rights including issues like trafficking of women and children, bonded labor, child labor, underpaid-forced labor etc. USD has won multiple awards for running a shelter and a rehabilitation programme for victims of human trafficking. Due to the good work and direct involvement of a famous personality like Ms. Anuradha, USD receives substantial donations from corporate houses and philanthropists. Ms. Anuradha also owns a clothing brand 'Sensation' and uses the profits from Sensation for funding USD. The manufacturing of the merchandise sold under the brand has been outsourced to a thirdparty vendor located in a country named Taba. Taba is an under-developed country with weak labor protection laws. The textile industry in Taba is infamous for sweatshops. In these sweatshops working conditions are miserable, labors are paid meager wages for long working hours, child labor and bonded labor is rampant and workplace safety is absent resulting in frequent industrial accidents. Recently, there was a huge fire in a textile factory manufacturing goods for Sensation. Seventeen people including nine children were killed in this fire. After the industrial accident, the issue of exploitation of laborers in Taba became a matter of global debate. Sensation is facing heat and bad publicity on social media because of the use of sweatshops for manufacturing of its products. Ms. Anuradha and even her NGO USD are becoming victims of online trolls. This entire fiasco has negatively impacted the image of her NGO. Many former donors and philanthropists have preferred to disassociate themselves from the USD resulting in fund shortage in the NGO. Ms. Anuradha discusses the entire situation with her financial and legal team. Her legal team tells her that all the relevant laws in Taba were followed by her contractor and the wage paid by it was above the minimum wages prescribed by law. Sensation has done nothing illegal and has no legal liability in this case. But Ms. Anuradha decided that she will ensure that her contractors are paying adequate wages and providing good working conditions to their employees. This can help in not only rebuilding her own reputation and image of USD but also re-attract donors. However, her financial team advises her against this move as it will involve substantial cost for the company. This can lead to a profitable brand turning into a loss-making brand. Further, it will also negatively impact the finances for USD which is already facing a resource crunch. Lack of resources can lead to closure of the shelter home and rehabilitation programme run by her NGO. Now, Ms. Anuradha is in a dilemma about her future course of action. a) Bring out and discuss various ethical dilemmas faced by Ms. Anuradha in this case. b) If you were in her position, how would you approach the problem and what would be your course of action? Justify your choices.
GS4 · Case studies on the above issues GS4 · Public/civil service values & ethics in public administration — status & problems; ethical concerns & dilemmas; conflict of interest
| Topper | Rank | Source | Copy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rahul Srivastava | — | Forumias | p.54 |
| Umaharathi | — | Forumias | p.53 |
| Abhinav | — | Forumias | p.54 |