Two opposing stakeholders are the small oil palms growers and the orangutans that live in the rain forest. The orangutans lead an arboreal life and live off of a diet largely consisting of fruit. They just want to be left alone to swing from tree to tree and eat fruit in the rain forest. Smallholders are looking for a way to make money and raise their standard of living. There are not a lot of options in Indonesia and Malaysia for them. One way is to grow oil palms. But to do that they need land and the easiest way to get it is to take land that is currently covered by rain forests. So they cut or burn the rain forest down to grow palms. Unfortunately this destroys the habitat of the orangutan. The orangutans can’t just pack up and move or adopt new ways of surviving in a new environment. They need the forest to survive. The growers don’t have a lot of resources to work around the rain forest issue so they take land away from the orangutan to provide for their families. The World Wildlife Fund and Little Brownie Bakers have opposing stakes in this issue. World Wildlife Fund is interested in saving the animals that live in the rain forest from destruction. They oppose cutting down the rain forest to make way for plantations. Little Brownie Bakers is interested in quality ingredients for their products. With no clear alternative to palm oil they need a supplier that can produce enough palm oil to meet demand. They buy from a plantation that is cutting down rainforest and that is in conflict with the goals of World Wildlife Fund. Both Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund have a shared interest in this issue. By combining their efforts they might be able to have a greater impact on the issue. As the old saying goes two heads are better than one. They could see a benefit by sharing resources and information. This could give them an advantage and help them stay a few steps ahead the bakers and growers. They would also have the benefit of larger numbers working together to inform more people about the issue than either of them alone could do. Another pair of stakeholders with shared interest is Mars and Nestle. They both need a supply of ingredients to make their products. By both R and D departments working together they could come up with a solution faster than if they worked alone.

Recommendation 1 o This recommendation will enrich the natural environment, the communities in Indonesia and Malaysia, employees of Girl Scouts of America, and consumers. The environment will benefit by not being destroyed. Communities will be enhanced by providing a way of raising the standard of living. Employees will gain a sense of pride knowing they work for an organization that looks out for all people involved in the issue. And consumers will benefit by still being able to eat Thin Mints without harming the environment. o At the core of the issue is land. The animals need the rain forest. The growers cut down the forest and use the proceeds to fund the plantation. If Girl Scouts of America would work toward finding a way to fund the starting of plantations on land other than rain forest it could save the habitat of the orangutan. They could team up with Unilever, Mars, and Nestle to offer no or low interest loans to fund plantations. Or they could work with foreign governments to offer tax breaks or credits to not use rain forest lands. o The environment will benefit by not disappearing, allowing the animals to live as they always have. The whole planet works best when it has different types of ecosystems so not removing one of them will help the rest of the planet. Communities in South Asia will have a way of profiting from palm oil without destroying the rain forest. They can also take pride in knowing they are helping to save an endangered species. Employees of Girl Scouts of America will be enriched by not taking part in destroying the rainforest or killing off the orangutan population. They can take pride in working for an organization that recognizes the need to address these kinds of issues. Customers will be able to continue to eat the tasty treats that Girl Scouts sells free of guilt knowing they are not part of the problem.

Recommendation 2 o The second recommendation will benefit the shareholders and owners by continuing to offer quality products and promoting corporate social responsibility that will build brand loyalty. o Girl Scouts of America should enact a plan to train growers in increasing productivity and sustainable growing practices. Follow that with a plan to obtain all palm oil from certified growers that meet standards of environmental protection. o The organization will benefit by continuing to use the best supplies in the making of their products. This in turn will satisfy the customers who will continue to buy their cookies and raise company profits thus increasing the value of the company. By focusing on these issues the company will improve its public image. An improved image will build brand loyalty and trust in the community. This will ensure that they continue to be profitable for years to come.