It has been commonly believed that the primary profit of international companies lies in projecting the environment. While some have such an opinion, others are opposed to it. This essay clarifies both views and explains my opinion of being in hidden soft power versus the hypocrisy of companies.
To begin with, on the one hand, projecting environmental leadership allows nations to project their ecological credentials and leadership on the global stage. In other words, while this does not directly produce liquid money, their soft power and international reputation increase. Therefore, they have more tangible benefits, such as attracting investment and gaining advantages in additional areas, which matches my belief.
On the other hand, some people are skeptical about projecting environmental leadership. To further explain, critics of this view note that environmental protection is not a genuine concern for the environment, but rather a projection of an image. Take Apple as an example, as an avid user of Apple products myself, I see there have been campaigns published on their website about using recycled materials, but their components are permanently attached, which means that products are made to be virtually the hardest to fix compared to other brands once one component of the product starts to dwindle.
To sum up, the two sides of this argument are controversial. As companies project the environment, they may enhance their unsaid power, but their motives remain unknown. I believe different corporations should be upfront about their visions, and be upfront about their progress.