Order Description

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
Project title: Scrutinising a Company Report
Objective:
This project provides you with the opportunity to explore how global companies in the real world put Corporate Responsibility into practice, and to question to which degree reporting gives a company its ‘licence to operate’? You are asked to access the latest sustainability (social/ environmental) reports of a chosen global company and examine how this company communicates their business case for Corporate Responsibility.
You will analyse and evaluate the consistency and credibility in what can be claimed to be ‘sustainable’ by verifying their statements with official reporting requirements and guidelines (such as the GRI guidelines). You will make a case for how you understand the challenges and opportunities that companies face. You will assess to what extent a company’s social and environmental performance can be judged as being transparent or if it is ‘greenwash’. Also, assess what strategic value it brings? Are their sustainability efforts providing the company with a competitive advantage? Is the company addressing the Sustainable Development Goals, how? You will be assessed on your ability to synthesise your findings by linking analytical reflection and relate it to the current global sustainability agenda.
Assessment
THIS COMPONENT WEIGHTS 60% OF THE FINAL GRADE FOR THIS MODULE.?The assessments will be moderated. No negotiation of marks will be possible once the final mark is given back to you with feedback.
Marks will be awarded for:
? Relevance (Demonstrating substantial understanding and appropriateness of issues) ?
? Research & Referencing (Ability to provide relevant data collection and up-to date documentation, and correct referencing) ?
? Analytical evaluation (Capacity to provide pertinent analysis, to reflect and provide substantial argument for your case) ?
? Application of theory (Correct use and application of CSR concepts and tools to sustain the analysis and recommendations) ?
? Structure & Coherence (Ability to edit, structure and formulate a coherent well written document as well as format the document in a presentable way) ?The Report ?This report (1500 words) should contain your own analysis and reflections on the consistency and credibility of the CSR report you have researched. You are asked to highlight the relevance of CSR to the company; how they report on their materiality; if their CSR represents real actions and credibility or just follows a trend for ‘transparency’ as a marketing strategy (‘Green-wash’) in terms of reputation management. It is important to bring in your own point of view and to question to which degree social accounting/ reporting gives a company its ‘licence to operate’. ?
Guidelines for structure & contents (indicative)?Title page: the title, sub-title if any, date, student name and module.
General introduction: (c. 300 words)?Provide a brief overview of the main social and environmental issues and challenges that concern the particular sector the company you have analysed. Consider what factors have shaped CSR in that of the company’s country/ region. What is the value of reporting in your specific sector?
Role of CSR in your company’s business: (c. 800 words)?Evaluate how your CSR report is relevant and demonstrates their business activities by questioning the following:
? How does the company report on their ‘materiality’ (material impacts, targets and progress) and ?is it relevant? ?
? How and what has CSR contributed to change the company’s core activities? ?
? How is CSR used? I.e. as a method for correction for bad practice, or as a way to seek new ?opportunities (new markets)? ?
? How is CSR offering new ways of engaging with people/ employees/ consumers? ?
? How does the company include stakeholder input? (Through endorsement or through ?challenge?) ?
? Where and how does the company position itself with regards to their future business? (Is it ?‘business as usual’, or are they addressing future issues such as dwindling resources, ?population growth, and environmental degradation?) ?
? Do company disclosures contribute to their beneficial perception in society at large? ?
? How is the company addressing the Sustainable Development Goals? ?Conclusion: (c. 200 words)?Present a brief summary drawing out the main points of your report highlighting a considered judgment on your findings. How is the company perceived in the media? Consider what impact CSR has on present and future of business? What recommendations can you give? ?Recommendations: (c.200 words)?Lastly, present your own point of view and how the elaboration of this project may have helped you gain a better insight on the issues of Corporate Responsibility and strategic management. ?Bibliography: List all the books and articles consulted as a basis for the report, only add the relevant references that you have consulted. ?Guidelines for writing & formatting the report ?Coherence ?This project will be assessed on the way the document is structured and written. Make sure you check spelling and grammar. It is recommended to include illustrations such as images, drawings, tables, graphs if appropriate but make sure you acknowledge the sources correctly, authors/ copyright in captions under the image. ?Formatting ?Please present your document in a professional way, using headings and sub-headings. A clear, simple layout is always the best. It is recommended that you use a font size of 11 or 12 pts and 1.5 in line spacing for good readability. ?

Guidelines for Research & Documentation
Scrutinising a company report – What relevant information to look for:

“10-point ‘fluff-test’ of company commitment to sustainability” from InterfaceFlor report – “Just the Facts”
1. Is sustainability critical to business strategy? See if the annual report includes sustainability risks and ?opportunities ?
2. Does the CEO discuss sustainability personally? Search the web for key speeches ?
3. Data history – at least five years? ?
4. Look at the sustainability report. Are the carbon targets absolute or normalised, e.g. divided by income or units sold? How are carbon reductions being achieved? Efficiency and in-house renewable energy are usually more sustainable than green electricity purchases and offset schemes ?
5. Are other environmental impacts reported and addressed, e.g. waste, waster, toxicity? ?
6. Does the company report and address social impacts, e.g. human rights, employment, labour conditions ?in the supply chain? ?
7. Does the company offer services and advice to support customers’ sustainability aims? ?
8. For example, does it collect and recycle its products at the end of their life? Is the company’s ?sustainability material objective? Do they discuss challenges and difficulties? ?
9. How do NGOs and the media view the company? Search for articles and campaigns. ?
10. These may not be accurate or unbiased but enable you to evaluate the quality of the company’s response ?

? To back your findings up you are should research at least 5-7 alternative reliable sources of information to cross-reference your findings in the reports with: articles, books, newspapers, journals, web-sites (the databases in the library are very useful). ?
? You must reference all quotes, facts and other materials you include in the report using the standardized Harvard system. You must also supply a bibliography at the end with a full list of all the references used (see the College Student Handbook for guidance). ?
? When providing statistics and facts, try to provide the context to give sense to the figures. E.g. reduction of 20% of total CO2 emissions since 2008. ?
? It is good to include in the report appropriate illustrations such as: images, drawings, tables, graphs to engage your audience as long as you make sure you acknowledge the sources correctly with authors/copyright. ?Resources ?Chapter 8 – Blowfield & Murray (2011), Corporate Responsibility, second edition. Oxford University Press, New York ?CSR reporting: ?https://www.csreurope.org/pages/en/a_guide_to_csr_in_europe_2009.html ?Global Reporting Initiative (GRI): ?https://www.globalreporting.org ?AccountAbility: ?https://www.accountability.org ?Business in the Community (BITC): ?https://www.bitc.org.uk/integration_and_advice/cr_index/cr_index_2009_results_and_analysis/index.html ?Sustainable Development Goals: ?https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/?menu=1300 ?InterfaceFlor ?https://www.interfaceflorcutthefluff.com/ ?Assessment criteria: ?

Mark Relevance Analysis Application of theory Structure & Coherence Research & Referencing
80% + An outstanding report demonstrating comprehensive understanding, providing a compelling response to all the issues in the brief – going beyond the task. Outstanding and insightful analysis throughout, showing elegance of argumentation and ability synthesize clearly showing independent and critical thinking. Outstanding use and application of CSR concepts, models and tools mentioned in lectures and seminars, including standards and best practice to sustain the analysis and recommendations. An outstanding report that is structured and coherently presented. Eloquently written with a high standard of English. A professional looking report. Pertinent and relevant research, data used effectively to back up points and used a wide range of up-to-date, suitable sources. Correct referencing.
70- 79% Excellent evidence of comprehensive understanding, providing a compelling response to the issues. All aspects of brief addressed in full. Excellent and insightful analysis throughout, showing elegance of argumentation and ability synthesize clearly showing independent and critical thinking. Excellent use and application of CSR concepts, models and tools mentioned in lectures and seminars, including standards and best practice to sustain the analysis and recommendations. Very logical report that is well structured and coherently presented. Eloquently written with a high standard of English, and few or no typos. A professional looking report. Very focused, relevant research, data used effectively to back up points and used a wide range of up-to-date, suitable sources. Correct referencing.
60- 69% Substantial evidence of understanding the material and showing a clear grasp of issues. Responds directly to the requirements of the brief. Very good analysis, clear and orderly. Contains some distinctive or independent thinking and ability to synthesize and substantiate some argumentations. Good use and application of CSR concepts, models and tools mentioned in lectures and seminars to sustain the analysis and recommendations.
Generally coherent and logically structured report. Well written with few typos or grammatical errors, presented in a readable style and pleasant format.
Good use of research to back up points made, good range of sources, good referencing.