The Right Wing of Chick-Fil-a
Bryanne Sullivan
Business Ethics
The Right Wing Chick-fil-A
Chick-Fil-A enjoyed its entrepreneurial beginnings in Atlanta, Georgia by S. Truett Cathy. Cathy is a devout Southern Baptist and prides having the company follow a Christian corporate culture. In fact, the company’s statement of corporate purpose states that Chick-Fil-A works to “glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us. To have positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A” (Chick-fil-A, 2012). Being closed on Sundays, operating debt-free, and investing a percentage of the profits in the community are among the tenets of biblically-based principles that Cathy operates his business under. Recently, Chick-fil-A President, Dan Cathy, took the Christian values of the company to a whole new level by weighing in on the same-sex marriage issue. In an interview with the Baptist Press, Dan Cathy replied “Guilty as charged” when asked about the opposition against Chick-fil-A’s support of the ‘traditional’ family. What Cathy said was not ethically or legally wrong; but, the fact that he said it in implied conjunction with his company’s culture could potentially violate the ethical, and legal, boundaries, such as the Equal Employment Opportunities Act, all businesses have to endeavor under. Many say the Chick-fil-A controversy is an equality and freedom issue. One argument is that people have the freedom to marry who you choose; the other argument is that people have the freedom to do business regardless of your beliefs. Cathy had every right to say what he believes, even if the result might affect Chick-fil-A’s bottom line. Chick-fil-A had annual sales of $4.1 billion dollars in 2011, with restaurants in 36 states and Washington, D.C. Employees are trained to provide genuine hospitality, exceeding the customer’s typical expectations from a fast food restaurant. The success of Chick-fil-A is said to be attributed to S. Truett Cathy’s hard work and staunch
Business Ethics
The Right Wing Chick-fil-A
Chick-Fil-A enjoyed its entrepreneurial beginnings in Atlanta, Georgia by S. Truett Cathy. Cathy is a devout Southern Baptist and prides having the company follow a Christian corporate culture. In fact, the company’s statement of corporate purpose states that Chick-Fil-A works to “glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us. To have positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A” (Chick-fil-A, 2012). Being closed on Sundays, operating debt-free, and investing a percentage of the profits in the community are among the tenets of biblically-based principles that Cathy operates his business under. Recently, Chick-fil-A President, Dan Cathy, took the Christian values of the company to a whole new level by weighing in on the same-sex marriage issue. In an interview with the Baptist Press, Dan Cathy replied “Guilty as charged” when asked about the opposition against Chick-fil-A’s support of the ‘traditional’ family. What Cathy said was not ethically or legally wrong; but, the fact that he said it in implied conjunction with his company’s culture could potentially violate the ethical, and legal, boundaries, such as the Equal Employment Opportunities Act, all businesses have to endeavor under. Many say the Chick-fil-A controversy is an equality and freedom issue. One argument is that people have the freedom to marry who you choose; the other argument is that people have the freedom to do business regardless of your beliefs. Cathy had every right to say what he believes, even if the result might affect Chick-fil-A’s bottom line. Chick-fil-A had annual sales of $4.1 billion dollars in 2011, with restaurants in 36 states and Washington, D.C. Employees are trained to provide genuine hospitality, exceeding the customer’s typical expectations from a fast food restaurant. The success of Chick-fil-A is said to be attributed to S. Truett Cathy’s hard work and staunch
Cited: Berwitz, K. (2012, July 25). CHICK-FIL-A PRESIDENT DAN CATHY: WHAT HE REALLY SAID . Retrieved from Hopelessly Partisan: An Irreverent Blog About the Private Lives of Republicans and Democrats: http://partisan.blogs.hopelesslypartisan.com/item_12538.htm Chick-fil-A. (2012, August 12). Retrieved from Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chick-fil-A#Controversy_regarding_same-sex_marriage_stance Chick-fil-A. (2012). Retrieved from FAQs: http://www.chick-fil-a.com/FAQ#?category=1