Chris Macdonald - Whistleblowing & the Environment: the Case of Avco Environmental

Decision making is an important aspect in every part of life, whether it’s in your personal life or your professional life. When making decisions at work you should always take a step back and look at the bigger picture. This means you should consider all the different outcomes that may occur based on your decision. Decisions made at work will not only affect you, but will also affect all of your employers and your entire company.

In this fictional case study written by Chris MacDonald, “Whistleblowing & the Environment: the Case of Avco Environmental”, Chantale Leroux works at a company called Avco Environmental Services which is a “small toxic-waste disposal company”. She finds out that her company has been disposing their medical waste in a local landfill. This is extremely illegal and can cause serious problems for the company and even for the safety of the public. Chantale does exactly what I would have done if I were in her situation. She went to her immediate supervisor to see if he knew what was going on. He, unfortunately, just brushed her off and basically told her to mind her own business. She then went on to talk to an Operations Manager who said, "This isn't your concern. Look, these are the sorts of cost-cutting moves that let a little company like ours compete with our giant competitors... There's no real danger to anyone from the tiny amount of medical waste that 'slips' into the municipal dump. I consider this matter closed" (Macdonald). Just because they’re the small fish that needs to compete in an ocean full of sharks, doesn’t give them the right to ignore ethic guidelines. In the end, Chantale is stuck with two choices. She has to decide whether to leave it alone or tell the local newspaper. Her decision is critical to her and her employers.

If I were in Chantale’s shoes, I would do the right thing and report what Avco Environmental has been doing. No one can be 100% sure and say that the danger is minimal because anything can happen. The company shouldn’t be reckless enough to ignore all of the

“What ifs”. Chantale should report her employers and shed light to their wrong doings. Doing so may result in her termination from the job but honesty and public safety should always be the top concerns.

An important aspect in business is loyalty. Loyalty between an employee and an employer is key to the success and productivity