Red Cross Env. Audit Environmental

Red Cross Env. Audit

Environmental Audit: Red Cross

The American Red Cross was founded in 1881 by nurse Clara Barton, originally with the function of providing neutral humanitarian aid to all victims of war, soldiers and civilians alike. The organization still performs this function, as does the now-worldwide Red Cross/Red Crescent collective of organizations, but much of the American Red Cross' activities are now focused on disaster and emergency response and relief (ARC 2010). The organization has taken this primary focus and branched out into education and outreach programs, continual blood drives to establish well-stocked blood banks from donors in hospitals and other medical institutions, and a wide array of community services aimed at helping America's impoverished, and providing international aid (ARC 2010).

Direct Forces

Competitors do not really have an impact on the American Red Cross; as a volunteer organization providing humanitarian aid, the American Red Cross works with many organizations that provide similar services, meaning that what would be competition in the business world actually operates as a support system in this case (Stuart 2010; Scarton 2010). The organization can run into difficulties from unfriendly regimes when trying to provide aid, but even this has been minimized in recent years. The employees of the organization -- both paid workers and volunteers -- are a hugely essential part of the American Red Cross, and the lack of an adequate number volunteers can often hamper the organizations humanitarian endeavors, while an abundance is always put to use (ARC 2010).

Just as the American Red Cross faces no real competition, it does not exactly serve true customers. Those who benefit from the organization's efforts, however, are seen with a somewhat similar view; the products and services provided must fulfill a need in as cheap and efficient a manner as possible, or they will cease to be effective and useful (ARC 2010). The organization also need not worry about a disappearing "customer" base, either, as there will unfortunately always be those in need of assistance in one way or another. To address this issue, the American Red Cross works with a large number of suppliers, including such corporate giants as Coca-Cola, Coinstar, General Mills, and Kraft (CSP 2010). Individuals are also a major part of the American Red Cross' supply system, providing blood, food and clothing items, and cash for the group's efforts (ARC 2010).

Indirect Forces

Global cultural forces have had a huge effect on the American Red Cross' relief efforts, especially internationally, which was a major reason for the creation of a semi-independent system of Red Cross/Red Crescent organizations around the globe (ARC 2010). Interestingly, even threats to the organization provide opportunities, as the more a situation is allowed to degenerate due to cultural resistance to aid, the more help is needed. In its domestic operations, the social forces at work can also have a huge influence on the American Red Cross, as different communities can have very different needs in terms of both aid and outreach, and the organization makes a large attempt to tailor its endeavors to these varying needs as they become apparent (ARC 2010; Scarton 2010).

Technology provides a great opportunity to the American Red Cross to deliver services and outreach programs in a more efficient -- and thus cheaper -- manner, which will in turn enable them to engage in more frequent and more extensive operations (CSP 2010). At the same time, many of the group's efforts remain as technologically void as they were at their first inception, as the simplicity of many volunteer efforts and education programs is key to their success (Stuart 2010). Of all of the indirect forces affecting the American Red Cross, then, it is the political forces that have the largest impact on the group's organizations. From resistance met in some cultures abroad to accusations of racial biases in its domestic (and its international) operations, the American Red Cross' neutral stance and existence as a non-profit has not freed it from the political influences and scrutinizes that accompany any large organization. Its monetary intake and expenditure is carefully monitored and openly available in part to address political pressures and concerns (ARC 2010).