1. When businesses do what Home Depot does like making a foundation for good causes and supporting environmental protection, it raises the standard of the company and attracts more consumers. For example, if another store that sells the same products as Home Depot does not have fundraisers and isn’t environmental friendly, people, especially environmentalists and such will immediately be more attracted to Home Depot. Employees are looking at long term profitability for the company. Therefore by being in a profitable company, the workers receive better facilities such as a better pension plans, social benefits, Medicare etc. and being in such a company will make the employee looks superior to a person working in a company that isn’t socially responsible because of the standard of the company. This is the same for shareholders. If a company is looked highly upon because it is socially responsible, is profitable and has many customers, shareholders would obviously be attracted to the company because these are all qualities that would make stocks go up in value.
2. Yes, in this article, we see that Home Depot does respond to a few of the basic rights of consumers: the right to choose, the right to consumer education and the right to courteous services. Home depot requires certification from its suppliers and stocks which educates and informs the consumer about the product. Their courteous service is having eco-friendly products which are obviously benefits to our planet. This isn’t an action the company has to take, it is an action they want to take to help the environment and attract environmental friendly customers. The customers also have the right to chose as Home Depot “stocks eco-friendly substitutes so that customers have more choices”.