Business law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business law - Case Study Example The company has been in the midst of legal issues for multiple times and there has been heavy criticism on the products and operations of the company. Recently the company has issued the statement that it has realized the errors and it is on the path to greater corporate social responsibility. The following paper would take all such issues into account and it would be determined whether the position of the company is justified. History of Monsanto Company Monsanto is the world’s leading producer of genetically engineered seeds, herbicides and other agricultural products. The company is headquartered in Creve Coeur, Missouri. The company was founded in St. Louis in 1901 (Monsanto.com). The first product by the company was artificial sweetener which was sold by the company to Coca-Cola Company. Criticism has followed the company from its very first product. The company faced criticism by health experts for the adverse impacts of the artificial sweetener produced by the company o n the health of the consumers. After the production of artificial sweetener, the company introduced caffeine and vanillin to Coca-Cola Company and after the introduction of these products it became the main supplier of the Coca-Cola Company. ... The company then initiated the production of a number of other products such as; polystyrene, synthetic fibers, herbicides, DDT, and the artificial sweetener. The company had to face a controversy again for the production of DDT when the environmentalists put forth their reservations regarding the adverse effects of DDT on the environment and the side effects of its use on human health. In 1970s, the company became the pioneer producer of optoelectronics. Monsanto became the first company to start mass production of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). In this era, the company witnessed tremendous growth in its revenues and the overall sales of the company doubled after every few months. The LED products of the company were the pioneer products and they became the standards of the industry. The company has engaged in several other controversial products in the past as well. The company was one of the most important producers of Agent Orange for US military operations in Vietnam. Agent Orang e manufactured by the company was found to be defective as it was contaminated with carcinogenic dioxin. The Agent Orange produced by the company caused immense damage to the health of US soldiers. The current core business of the company was initiated in 1982 when the company was the first to genetically modify a plant cell. The company holds primary status for a number of products and in case of genetic modification of plants, the company holds the pioneer status. Five years after the company succeeded in genetically modifying a plant cell, the company conducted the first field test of genetically engineered crops. Thus, due to the immense success of the company in producing genetically engineered crops, the company