Kava Can Mean a Multitude

¶ … Kava can mean a multitude of opportunities to the Kavan people. As our company invests in the Kavan economy, it will create jobs and infuse capital into Kavan society. Avoiding exploitation is necessary for a couple of key reasons. The first is that exploitative practices conflict with our core ethical values. The company's ethical code places emphasis on creating positive outcomes for all of the communities in which we operate, both domestically and overseas. The second reason is that we would like our business in Kava to become sustainable. If the local community is being exploited, they are less likely to be partners, and we are more likely to become the focal point for protest. It is not in our company's best interests to become a political flashpoint, but as one of the largest foreign investors in Kava, that is what we could become if we take an exploitative stance in the country.

Therefore, we need to carefully consider the impacts that we have on Kavan society. It is recommended that the core of our approach should be acting as an economic driver and a complement to government, rather than acting as a surrogate government or a replacement for government. It is also recommended that there be a secondary driving principle that the activities we undertake in Kava should be characterized by the building of a long-standing relationship with the Kavan people, which implies that both the Kavan people and the company should benefit from our activities.

Another factor that needs to be taken into consideration when determining the best course of actions for our company in Kava is that we are a company of limited competencies. We have money, but we are not an aid agency. We must work within the constraints of our own resources when determining our actions. We do not have the capability to lift the entire country out of poverty, nor should we try. Everything we do should be within our capabilities.

With these factors and guidelines in mind, the following specific actions are proposed. We should pay living wages to the Kavan people. This will include providing benefits, in particular those that will help us to sustain a quality workforce over time. These benefits can include ensuring a supply of clean water, providing family health care benefits (possibly setting up a clinic) and providing education vouchers. Actions such as these will help our workforce to be healthy. Providing family health care will reduce absenteeism that can occur when family members are ill. Education vouchers help Kavans to improve their own skill sets, to the benefit of the company, but also to prepare the next generation of Kavans to succeed as well.

It is also recommended that we have a policy of sourcing locally, and hiring Kavan talent where possible. This will ensure that we are putting money into the local community, and not just to our own employees. Sourcing locally provides jobs throughout the community and fosters an entrepreneurial culture. Hiring Kavan talent where possible provides opportunities previously non-existent in Kava for the local populace to learn about American business culture.

Another recommendation is to offer exchange programs that allow one or more of our best workers to spend time in the United States, in part to help build their career with the company but also in part a cultural exchange. An American worker could come to Kava as well, helping the domestic operations to understand the role that Kava plays in the company's business and to take back knowledge about the Kavan culture. This recommendation is for an exchange of equals, showing the Kavans that our relationship with them is not exploitative, but one of mutual partnership.

We also must import our ideas with regards to environmental stewardship. There is significant concern that the Kavan people will willingly sacrifice their environment for our money, but the impacts of such would be devastating. We must incorporate environmental training into all training and also into our relations with government. We will also need to listen to the concerns and expertise of the Kavan people with regards to their views on environmental stewardship.

A final recommendation is that we work with the Kavan government to institute best practices. We want the Kavan government to take advantage of the opportunity our presence affords them to learn and to help develop the rest of their economy. We do not, however, wish to be seen as a source of handouts. We need to work closely with the Kavan government to ensure that our development strategies are not undermined by corruption or by adoption of the worst of American business practices.

To implement these strategies, there are multiple resource needs. Some resource needs are akin to those at home, such as funding for health care. In Kava, however, there are distinct needs. For example, we may need to import medical talent and supplies in order to ensure access to health care for our employees and their families. We will also need extra staff for these strategies. Specifically, we need a government liaison to work with the government. We will also need coordinators for local projects -- education grants, overseas exchanges and training. The added human resources will need to be imported at first, with the hope that we can shift some of these tasks to native Kavans with some training. We will also need to have a local procurement officer in order to find the best sources of materials and supplies on Kava. This officer may need to work with local suppliers to improve their supply chains and drive better efficiency to meet our needs.

Even with these solutions, there remain ethical concerns. Some of the recommendations are predicated on worst-case assumptions, for example that we need to guard against government corruption or environmental degradation. These views are somewhat parochial, and we must take care to recognize when we are acting or thinking in such a manner as it could jeopardize our relationship with the Kavan people even as we are taking steps to safeguard their country from the potential negative impacts that we may bring.