Date of Award

12-1-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Liberal Studies

College

College of Humanities and Fine Arts

First Advisor

Casey Woodling

Second Advisor

Jacob Voegel

Third Advisor

Ina Seethaler

Additional Advisors

Nils Rauhut

Abstract

My thesis focuses on how a business can better integrate environmental philosophies and principles into their business model without detracting from the business's primary objectives, specifically that of generating profit. However, this thesis also seeks to extend the business's objectives to include the environment using these environmental philosophies, arguing that the business should have some obligation to the environment in terms of morality, as well as social obligations. This is an evolution of some common ethical theories used within the business world, but I argue they do not suffice to protect the environment. Instead, I develop an ethical pluralist framework that combines principles and ideas from stakeholder theory, which is often used to bolster the idea of business's social responsibility beyond shareholders, as well as environmental philosophies like social ecology and ecofeminism. This more robust framework can be applied to various existing business models to allow for greater care for the environment to help mitigate climate change.

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