Impact of Business on Indigenous Rights and Cultures-A case of Goldcorp’s Marlin Mines in Guatemala

Topic 

Impact of Business on Indigenous Rights and Cultures-A case of Goldcorp’s Marlin Mines in Guatemala.

Instructions 

This assessment requires you to produce a well-written and well-researched piece supported
by a minimum of 15 references. At least 7 of these references should come from
academic peer-reviewed sources and the remainder from company reports, news reports,
newspaper articles and relevant websites. Note that the Chicago referencing style is the only
acceptable referencing style for written work in this unit.

Answer Preview 

History shows that business activities can significantly violate indigenous rights over their land and culture. Business activities on indigenous land are majorly responsible for the destabilization of the cultural, economic and spiritual aspects of indigenous people by affecting their access to land for hunting, fishing and pastures, eliminating their sacred places and interfering with their management of traditional issues.[1] The ability of businesses to protect indigenous rights is major guided by theories of corporate social responsibility, absolutism and relativism. Corporate social responsibility involves business’ concerns for society in addition to profit maximization. Absolutism refers to a set of universal norms that apply to all people equally, while relativism depends on the particularity and cultural contexts, and argues that there is no rights and wrongs internationally.[2] This paper examines how corporate activities of Marlin Mine affect the indigenous rights and culture in place it operates. Drawing from the ethical perspectives, this paper demonstrates the impact of mining activities on indigenous rights and cultures.

Word Count: 2700