Attention Good Citizens of the World! We know you pride yourself on your devotion to “green” endeavors and the rights of people around the world. But tell us, do you know if the car you drive is made by a company that treats its employees and the planet by the basic tenets of “The Golden Rule?”*
In this day and age, the two most impactful auto manufacturers on the planet are no doubt General Motors and Toyota Motor Corporation. Both sell cars in every corner of the globe and employ thousands upon thousands of individuals directly and indirectly. So which of these two powerhouses would you say is most deserving of a “Good Citizenship” badge? The answer might surprise you.
While Toyota has of late been basking in the rose colored glow cast off from its allegedly eco-friendly Prius, numerous reports have stated that employees at the firm are overworked, underpaid and in some countries toil in sweatshop-like conditions. In addition to this, Toyota plants are definitely not the “greenest” manufacturing sites on the planet as one might assume. As an example, the Toyota plant that mines the nickel for those Prius batteries is one of the top ten most polluting plants in the world according to Greenpeace.
On the other side of the coin, GM workers are some of the highest paid employees in the auto industry and their manufacturing unions give them an almost bullying voice with the management. Just look at the sizable payouts GM is having to offer long time employees just to get them off the books. GM employees also enjoy some of the best benefits packages in the business.
Part of the problem at Toyota, no doubt, has to do with surging demand for the automakers products.
With this increased demand, Toyota has also seen its storied quality rankings take a slight tumble. In addition, taking care of the specific needs of its employees has no doubt taken a back seat to meeting the need for elevated production output.
Our view is that there has to be a happy medium of success and properly taking care of the needs and wants of your employees. With that caveat, the environment around manufacturing sites can no longer been seen as wide open dumping grounds to lay waste to in search of market growth.
So at this point, who appears to be more deserving of a “Good Citizenship” award? Even if you doubt that any auto manufacturer who plunders the earth’s resources is worthy of such an award, there are ways that any company can manage to lessen their negative impact. In addition, one of the most vital ways a car maker can improve life on this planet is by improving the lives of its workers. Advantage: General Motors.
*If your mother forgot to tell you, “The Golden Rule” is to treat others as you yourself would like to be treated. Now go back to the playground.