| Unit name | Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EFIMM0154 |
| Credit points | 30 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2D (weeks 19 - 24) |
| Unit director | Professor. Voss |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Management - Business School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
The role of business in modern society is rapidly changing, with a need to be accountable beyond economic gains and growth. Responsible business conduct is vital for society, nature, organisations, employees, managers and consumers and international organisation such as the OECD and national governments have set up guidelines for responsible business conduct. In this unit, you will explore the origins and components of responsible business conduct and consider how businesses can respond to global social and environmental challenges to promote more sustainable futures. You will engage in the latest thinking on business and human rights, business ethics, corporate social responsibility and social and environmental sustainability, including insights from fields of study such as ethical decision making, international business, organisation theory, and supply chain management.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This pathway unit offers a detailed exploration of responsible business conduct through engagement with business conduct challenges organisations are currently facing. You will explore practical and problem-focused case studies of responsible business conduct that contemporary organisations and managers face and engage with the theories that underpin responsible business conduct. Topics may include sustainable production and consumption, globalisation and global value chains, ethics, regulation and governance, stakeholder management and engagement, business and human rights and a critique of CSR and sustainability.
An overview of content
The content of learning includes insights from business ethics, business and human rights, corporate social responsibility, sustainable supply chain management , and draws upon ethical decision making, global value chain, international business, organisation theory, and supply chain management literature, inter alia. .
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
The contact hours for this unit are 45 across 15 three hours interactive lectorials. You will develop an in-depth understanding of the theories and practices that underpin responsible business conduct in today’s and tomorrow’s organisations. You will critically evaluate areas including global societal challenges, sustainable production and consumption, stakeholder management and engagement, business ethics and strategic management in businesses.
We aim to guide, teach and develop analytical and confident critical thinkers. You will gain insight into the nature of management and responsible business conduct and will be armed with the knowledge to apply management theory to practice. Groupwork and presentations, based on industry case studies, allow practical application of theory and develop the teamwork and communication skills expected in today’s workplace.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
ILO1: Explain the key concepts and principles that constitute contemporary perspectives on and approaches to responsible business conduct
ILO2: Question the regulatory dynamics of how responsible business conduct agendas are shaping firm strategy
ILO3: Critically evaluate and engage with existing responsible business conduct initiatives
ILO4: Employ theoretical and practical knowledge to propose new solutions to the social and environmental challenges firms and organisations face in the current and future business environment.
This unit focuses on interactive learning and research-rich learning. The total contact hours for this unit are 45 across 15 three hour long lectorials. You will be directed, and expected, to read from a range of sources including academic journals, reports by governments and NGOs etc. You will be encouraged and enabled to pursue your own interests (both intellectual and practical) within the broad fields of responsible business conduct. You will read these materials before attending the session and analyse them collaboratively in a guided discussion in the formats of role playing, group discussion, quizzes and so forth. Several sessions will be delivered as presentation workshops, where you will develop your ability to synthesise and interpret evidence sources, and prepare yourself for the assessments. You will also spend time in self-learning each week, to build up your independent learning capacity. This unit will be delivered over the course of 5 weeks. A variety of teaching techniques will be used, including role play, debates, informal quizzes, individual reflections, and group presentations.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative)
The lectorials will offer space and structure for you to give mini-presentations and walk through the industry case studies to obtain feedback on their content, structure and engagement. To facilitate your engagement with external organisations, you will also be specifically coached on how to approach a responsible business conduct challenge set out in the industry case study.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative)
Summative assessment 1: Group presentations on responsible business conduct, based on industry case studies (30%) [ILO1, ILO3, ILO4].
Summative assessment 2: You will create a report to the board of an organisation discussing existing responsible business conduct strategies and propose new or revised solutions (3,000 words excluding references) (70%) [ILO2, ILO3, ILO4].
When assessment does not go to plan
When a student fails the unit and is eligible to resubmit, failed components will be reassessed as follows:.
Reassessment 1 individual essay ( 30%) - An essay to unpack and critically discuss ‘responsible business
conduct’ (1,200 words excluding references) [ILO1, ILO 3, ILO, 4]..
Reassessment 2 individual report ( 70%) – Students will create a report to the board of an organisation discussing
existing responsible business conduct strategies and propose new or revised solutions ( 3,000 words excluding
references) [ILO2, ILO3, ILO4]. This would be a new piece of work on a different facet of the same organisation or on
a new organisation, rather than a revised original submission.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EFIMM0154).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
