Mercedes corporate morality and ethics were exposed when they attempted to goosestep their Spanish workforce into continuing production duties during a severe outbreak of COVID-19. Putting profit before life is one of the great debates in capitalist societies around the world. There is nothing wrong with capitalism, but which version do you want? vulture capitalism or ethical capitalism? For their part, Mercedes simply wants greed. To cover for this greed the company relies on its marketing and PR to create a manufactured illusion, selling a story of a clear blue sky, medows baked in the warm sunshine, full of colurful flowers and butterflies.
But in reality Mercedes is prepared to sacrifice its workforce to a pandemic, Coronavirus is the great unmasking of Mercedes. Mercedes’ greed knows no bounds, it is unlimited and fronted by highly educated smart-in-appearance excutives who are experts in the art of the twisted smooth talk ethics.
Mercedes has taken advantage of state aid to fourlogh it’s workers during a time of government enforced lockdown due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. At the same time they are paying out billions to shareholders. Profits made by the workforce to benefit dividend holders. It is an example of socialism for the rich and rugged individualism for the workers.
In normal times this would be business as usual, not even worth reporting about expect in an Annual General Meeting brochure. But these are not normal times. For Mercedes to use a deadly pandemic as cover to pork-barrel its business and at the same time reward shareholders is the epitome of a company in ethical and moral decline.