MORAL INTENSITY QUESTION
AND

UTILITARIANISM VS KANTIANISM
Business Ethics Course MIEX Program 2009/2010

Students: Marco Caniglia Elodie Fischer Flora Giusto

MORAL INTENSITY QUESTION
How does the smoking policy interact with the company environment? Problems, Solutions and Moral intensity.
Problems We are going to speak about the smoking policies in the work environment in companies where there is no law to forbid smoking on the work place or even where it is not respected. It is a critical issue in Europe and the United States and it does concern smoking people as well as second-hand smokers. Actually smoking can affect everybody’s health so increase sick-leaves which directly impact on the company’s profitability as well as health insurance reimbursements requests (which can be paid partly by the company). Company’s working environment may also suffer from nicotine addiction meaning degradation of the clear air or of furniture, paintings... Solutions The company policy can be composed of: - Prevention days: broadcast prevention films, intervention of volunteers from local associations. - Prevention campaign: posters with pictures of the damages on lungs caused by smoking and telephone number of institutions, which can help people to quit cigarette, stickers with banning signs, leaflets with information about second-hand smoking… - Bans and fines: company’s management can forbid people smoking inside the building but also around the premises and be sure it is enforced by giving fines to those who do not respect the staff rules. - Promotion of quit smoking products: ask companies to come and promote their products on the work place. The company at issue has opted for a comprehensive and multifaceted policy to face the problem of smoking. On the one hand, the management is committed to limit this practice during the working hours, and, on the other hand, it is engaged in an active policy to decrease the damages that unhealthy behaviors can provoke to