Business Ethics Now 3rd Edition by Andrew Ghillyer

Exercise 41

Protecting your people at all costs.
Your company is a major fruit processor that maintains long-term contracts with plantation owners in Central America to guarantee supplies of high-quality produce. Many of those plantations are in politically unstable areas and your U.S.-based teams travel to those regions at high personal risk. You have been contacted by a representative from one of the local groups of freedom fighters demanding that you make a "donation" to their cause in return for the guaranteed protection of the plantations with which you do business. The representative makes it very clear that failure to pay the donation could put your team on the ground at risk of being kidnapped and held for ransom. Your company is proud of its compliance with all aspects of the FCPA and the revised FSGO legislation. Divide into two groups, and argue your case for and against paying this donation.