ETHICAL DILEMMA Innocent, but What about Trust?

Innocent Drinks is a London$-$based company operating in the beverages industry worldwide. The business idea was conceived in $1998$ by three Cambridge University graduates, and the company made its d$$but in $1999.$ The three friends led the business idea by having a clear vision, and they took personal risks to achieve it$.$ Their goal was to produce $100-$percent natural smoothies that $"$do good." The uniqueness of the company's products and the unique leadership style combining visionary and charismatic elements became the brand's selling point. With an inspirational and ethical leadership stance, a business approach that emphasized social responsibility and ethical sources, an employee$-$led innovation culture, and its stated purpose of "doing good," Innocent established a reputation and became successful in the market. Since $2014,$ Innocent has thrived in $15$ European countries.

Notwithstanding this success, Innocent recorded losses in $2008$ due to the economic downturn, and in $2009$ they announced plans to sell $10$ percent of the company to Coca$-$Cola. Following this announcement, Innocent

experienced a fall in their Ethiscore from $12\mathrm{.}5$ to $6\mathrm{.}5.$ Since $2013,$ Coca$-$Cola Company has come to hold over $90$ percent of Innocent Drinks, leaving very little scope for the former leadership of the company to lead the future of Innocent Drinks. Despite the positive strategic implications for global expansion and product development $($including the launch of its coconut water products and Innocent Bubble in $2015),$ debates have raged over the trustworthiness and the authenticity of the current leadership, leading to a simple question about the brand: can we still trust its innocence?

Questions

$13-10.$ In what way are Innocent's charismatic, transformational, and transactional elements of leadership now at stake?

$13-11.$ What is ethical leadership, and how could ethical leadership be evidenced in the case of Innocent Drinks?

$13-12.$ Why has the authenticity of ethical leadership of Innocent Drinks come under scrutiny?