Responsible Management Education and Sustainability

This assignment delves into the principles of responsible management education as outlined by the United Nations. Students are expected to analyze academic literature, including articles and interviews, that discuss the significance of these principles in fostering a sustainable future. The focus is on understanding the core concepts, challenges, and potential benefits of integrating responsible management practices into business education.

Responsible Management

EXECUTIVES SUMMARY
Corporate Social Responsibility is a kind of corporate collaboration , or a conscience of
collective citizens and even it can be a responsible business association which forms a collective
group of own regulated operating business model integrated together to perform a specific task.
This organisation follow all the law and ethical policies that are guided by the government
norms. This establishment work beyond the compliance and statutory essentials that causes good
moves of the company to attract more and more customers. They are firmly against labour
regulation and equality gender and work with the policies bind by the law and rules of the
government. The report deals with CSR Activities of Marks and Spencer Plc, which is a British
major multinational retailer company whose headquarters are in city of Westminster, London. It
is considered as one of the leading group on London's Stock Exchange collaboration. Its primary
function is to sell of clothes, home mad items and tasty and quality food stuff. This collaboration
also sells branded goods like Kellogg's Corn Flakes. This company performs CSR activities
which help many people in need and requirement. It supports many kinds of groups in order to
uplift them and provide improvements in their conditions.

Table of Contents
EXECUTIVES SUMMARY...........................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK...............................................................................................................................................3
1. Description of the company initiative.....................................................................................3
2. Relevant theories in application to organisation initiative......................................................6
3. Comparison with another company CSR activity...................................................................7
CONCLUSION And RECOMMENDATIONS.............................................................................9
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9
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INTRODUCTION
Corporate social responsibility of the organisation are the activities that are carried out
by an responsible business firm in order to important ethical and legal functioning in workplace.
These businesses work in compliance with the legislation, society, ethical values and national
and international norms. The following organisation is engaged in welfare of society by
implementing various strategies in their functioning to ensure ethical actions in business
environment. Various ventures are involved in CSR activities in resulting in building good brand
image in market which leads to increased sales of enterprise ultimately (Adams and Petrella,
2010). This can be achieved through working for the sufferer of society, lower class people and
the old age person. The company may be involved in various types of cooperate responsibilities
in order to help others. Organisation donate some part of their revenue to charity, volunteer
social workers and other institution that works for social welfare and development. Company
may contribute in social responsibilities through developing various processes in their functions
to decrease pollution and its adverse effects on healthy natural environment by reducing carbon
content of their products and services.
In the following report various initiative taken by Marls and Spencer in order to
contribute their revenue and profit in welfare of society and citizen of country are discussed. This
describes involvement of various stakeholders in completing their responsibility towards society
and environment (Alcaraz and Thiruvattal, 2010).
TASK
1. Description of the company initiative.
UK government introduced various legislation in order to avoid child labour in supply
chain. This helps in providing an opportunity to educate children of country appropriately an not
to work on hazardous conditions of manufacturing organisation. The UK legislation restricts all
firm in hiring of children less than 14 years old. The ventures should comply with all the legal
policies defined by government in order to reduce risk of any legal complications. Marks and
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Spencer was found to be hiring refugee children of Syria in their Turkish manufacturing factories
of clothing. One of the child working the organisation claimed that he is working only for 1 euro
per hour in company of Marks and Spencer engaged in clothing production (Caraiani and et. al.,
2012). Various ventures are following child labour in their policies in order to get labour at
cheap prices that will leads to decrease cost per head. Later on when higher authority get to know
about this action they strict their employment policies and ensuring avoidance of child labour in
their industries. This leads to effective implementation of corporate social responsibility of
organisation. This helps in gaining market shares again and leads top increased sales of
company. Marks and Spencer is completing all responsibility in compliance with the social
welfare. Organisation policies defines various policies that restricts hiring of children less than
14 years in their factories. Company is engaged including and shoes manufacturing factories that
take care of all safety measures that are to be provided to workforce in order to reduce accident
in workplace. This leads to following ethical actions in working culture of firm.
The various UK legislation provides different employment law in order to clan any
unethical and illegal action carried out by companies against them to make more profit for firm.
The country is having equality law which ensures that the employee working in organisation
should not be discriminated on various bases (Top 10 UK’s Most Sustainable Big Businesses.
2016). Industry follows these legislation strictly in order to accomplish their corporate social
responsibility towards stakeholders of company. Employee Discrimination can be identified in
organisation of the employee is facing various types of discrimination in their workforce because
of his/ her gender, race, religion, origin etc. Ventures ensure that every employee of the firm
should treated equally and should be provided with equal opportunity of growth in workplace.
This helps in attaining various future goals of person independently while working in marks and
Spencer. They different UK legislation like Equal pay act, Sexual discrimination act all provide
better working environment in the business environment to the employee. The trade union also
works for protection of all rights if employee working with any business entity. Marks and
Spencer is following strictly employment equality act in their workplace by reducing employee
discrimination in working surrounding of venture (Doh and Quigley, 2014). M&S implement
various policies in their working culture that employee can deny any service delivery which is
restricted by his or her religion. The employee working with the enterprise the person can deny
its work for specific hours in order to pray and fulfil formalities of his religion. Another
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relaxation in the delivery of job responsibility in the workplace of venture is that person can
adopt any visible factors that because of their religion like clothes and any other accessories So,
the M&S is largely focusing on reducing discrimination among employee in workplace in order
to create positive motivation working environment in firm.
The taking care of environment is the another major responsibility of an company that
have to be complied with. As the environment is the ultimate source of all the resources that are
needed in functioning of various operation of factories and business industries. Scarcity of
natural resources and damage in the environmental constitutes largely affects effectiveness of
companies too. The responsibility of company should comply with the need of protection of
environment along with the policies provided by legislation if UK country. Marks and Spencer is
engaged in developing various strategies in order to bring carbon neutrality in their functions.
Carbon foot-printing is related with the analysis of carbon emission in all the processes involved
in the value chain of specific brand starting from raw material supplied by suppliers to end
product of company that is delivered to customers (Dyllick, 2015). This process involves various
manufacturing and logistics activities that is involved in carbon emission in many processes
which affects environment largely. This also leads to increased polluted gases in the natural
environment and one of the major reason behind increased global warming in earth. Marks and
Spencer is continuously engaged in developing various plans in order to reduce Carbon Foot-
printing in their processes. It is recorded that company is engaged in about 700,000 tonnes CO2
gas in environment in 2007 year in their production while total carbon foot printing in complete
value chain of organisation is about 7 million tonnes of CO2 emission. Later on, in order to
comply with the corporate social responsibility of organisation as an multinational componentry
of work the company reduced its carbon foot print about 24% with aiming becoming an carbon
neutral brand in world. Organisation is working with reducing excessive use of electricity and
implementing various policies to use renewable source of energy in order to develop an
sustainable business in market environment (Ennals, 2014). Firm saves about 22 million euros by
improving energy utilisation efficiency to about 34%. Organisation ahas achieved about reduced
emission of green house gases from refrigerator and production unit of food products and
strategies plan to decrease it to about 68% that largely contributes enhancing in healthy
environment on earth. The company recorded that in 2016/17 company is achieved about
reduced use of energy by efficient functioning in operation about 22100 tones which is
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approximately 70% lesser amount recorded in 2006/ 2007. In order to reduce global warming
with 2 degree Celsius in earth the Marks and Spencer is aiming reducing use of energy and other
carbon foot-printing in processes to accomplish goals of reducing it to about 70% till 2030 and to
90% till 2040. These are the future plans of M&S that is motivating company to accomplish all
corporate social responsibility of firm leading to future growth of society and environment both.
2. Relevant theories in application to organisation initiative.
Mark& Spencer business gives gives some part from its profit in social welfare of
society. With earning profit, it contribute for society. Clothing retail and food sector is the main
work of this business firm. This business organisation has some responsibilities and duties
regarding customers, employees, suppliers, local people, partners etc. It doing its business with
out out activities in good manner. This organisation is produced good quality products or
services and does not harm, to social environment and people of society. This business enterprise
donate its money in charitable trusts and this company has low budget and its main focus is on
issue and to resolve issue of local community people (Ennals, 2014). Mark& Spencer uses
corporate social responsibility for long term and gnats to create good and harmonious
relationship with its stakeholders like for instance suppliers, customers, employees, people of
society etc. All stakeholders of this organisation plays important role in Corporate Social
Responsibilities. They all are main part of this business firm. There are some importance of all
stakeholder in CSR activities:
Customers- They are the main part of business organisation. If this business firm produce
any products and services, ten it is necessary to produce new goods on the basis of their tastes
and preferences. If company takes any decision in related to people, then it is necessary to
involve the people of society in decision making process and company has to use good quality
materials in this. Before introducing any products, it is necessary to identify their needs and
wants and make good quality of products (Forray and Leigh, 2012).
Employees- Employees plays an important role in this business firm. The mangers should
treat well with their employees. Mangers should be motivated to their employees for enhancing
their skills and abilities. Training and development is necessary for making important and for
increasing skills. Training so for increasing only particular skills and it will helps in maximizing
work performance and all employees will be satisfied from their jobs. It will helps in increasing
the efficiency and growth of an organisation (Godemann and et. al., 2014). Employer should be
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provide healthy and safety workplace and works on maintaining good and harmonious
relationship among employees. If the relations between employees or workers will be good then
they work together in a team and also work for achieving the common gaols and objectives of
business firm.
Communities- This business organisation works for social community. Company should
be give its contributions in charitable trust and also conducts some programmes for people of
society. It will helps in create good impact and from the the operations of business will be good.
In any business process, company should not harm the society.
Suppliers- They are those people who supply raw materials for business operations. For
good business, it is necessary to select appropriate and good supplier which provides good
quality of raw material at proper time and at proper place. The suppliers has need to implement
their own Corporate Social Responsibilities programme. Organisation should be coordinate with
its suppliers and maintain good relationship.
Government and regulators- Government makes some policies, laws, rules and
regulations. So, it is necessary ton this business firm to work under its polices. Regulators and
government should be address lobbying and company should be compliance with the
environmental regulations.
Shareholders- They are the owners of company and they invest their money in
operations of company to earn profit. The shareholders will be address the model of business
firm and the corporate governance involves the roles and responsibilities of risk management and
then determining the performance of Corporate Social Responsibility (Hilliard, 2013).
These all all the stakeholders which plays important role in business operations. It is
necessary to this business enterprise to work on the basis of their requirements and also
contribute in Corporate Social Responsibility activities.
3. Comparison with another company CSR activity.
CSR activities are an integral part of organisation and they are compulsory also. Today
companies have to ensure that they are able to fulfil all the requirements as per the set criteria.
They have to invest a huge amount of monetary and labour force on these social programs and
other government initiatives for social cause (Zhang and et. al., 2015). The basic aim behind
CSR is to assist society in overcoming a problem that is consistently affecting the lives of
people. There are many government policies and initiatives which they have to be followed for
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fulfilling these responsibilities. Marks and Spenser is undertaking various ways to fulfil its CSR
responsibilities but there are three major initiatives which are taken by them:
 Reducing Employee discrimination: The company is conducting various events for
ensuring equal opportunities for everyone. They try to keep the flow of communication
by these events.
 Removing Child Labour: The company sources products from developing nations and it
ensures that no child labour is used in manufacturing process (Maloni, Smith and
Napshin, 2012).
 Reduction in Carbon emission: The company is using various methods for reducing
carbon emissions. Such as, modifying supply chain management and reducing the time
taken in completion of process.
The company has adopted various methods to fulfil all these three initiatives which are
undertaken by Unilever too which is as big as Marks and Spenser. To understand who uses better
polices, comparison and contrast is given below:
Basis Marks and Spenser Unilever
Reducing
Employee
discrimination
The company uses offline and online
methods for reducing employee
discrimination and ensure equal
opportunity as well as communication
in organisation.
Unilever uses motivational
speeches and uses various laws for
ensuring that there is no
discrimination in organisation.
Removing child
labour
It sourced majority of its products
from developing nations. It ensures
that manufacturers follows company
guidelines for not using child labour.
It uses spot checking and other
methods to ensure that there is no
child labour working in company.
Also it funds education of children
of workers.
Reduction in
Carbon Emissions
They are introducing different
methods to bring efficiency into the
systems.
They are cutting down the
pollution emitted from building.
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Concluding the comparison, it can be stated that both companies are better when it comes
to using various methods and techniques to fulfil their CSR initiatives. But Marks and Spenser
has adopted better procedures (Painter-Morland, 2015).
CONCLUSION And RECOMMENDATIONS
It can be recommended from above report, that the organisation should follow up various
activities that helps in social up bringing and welfare of society to large extent. This will helps in
developing good brand image in company. The corporate social responsibility also helps in
creating good position in market and leads to decrease risk of legal complication in organisation
functionally. Marls and Spencer develop various plans in order to comply with its social
responsibility and works of minor people of country and provide education to children. Company
is also engaged in developing motivation workplace in business environment by providing equal
opportunity of growth in firm by reducing discrimination among different employees.
From the above report, it has been concluded that Mark and Spenser company has carried
out Corporate Social Responsibility, which has been very supportive and essential for many
people in need. This company has actually tried to launch this type of activity in their own
county and even in other countries. The practices that this organisation follow is to avoid child
labour , no workers exploitation, no gender discrimination over job opportunities, not allowing
the company to emit carbon emissions which can cause great danger to the normal audience.
There is also a discussion about anti-corruption policies which are practised in this firm. The
total information on every fields has been gathered in this report and proper initiatives have been
taken by this organisation to carry out these CSR activities on real world.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Adams, C. and Petrella, L., 2010. Collaboration, connections and change: the UN global
compact, the global reporting initiative, principles for responsible management
education and the globally responsible leadership initiative. Sustainability Accounting,
Management and Policy Journal. 1(2). pp.292-296.
Alcaraz, J.M. and Thiruvattal, E., 2010. An Interview With Manuel Escudero The United
Nations' Principles for Responsible Management Education: A Global Call for
Sustainability. Academy of Management Learning & Education. 9(3). pp.542-550.
Caraiani, C., and et. al., 2012. Social and environmental performance indicators: Dimensions of
integrated reporting and benefits for responsible management and sustainability. African
Journal of Business Management. 6(14). p.4990.
Doh, J.P. and Quigley, N.R., 2014. Responsible leadership and stakeholder management:
Influence pathways and organizational outcomes. The Academy of Management
Perspectives. 28(3). pp.255-274.
Dyllick, T., 2015. Responsible management education for a sustainable world: The challenges
for business schools. Journal of Management Development. 34(1). pp.16-33.
Ennals, R., 2014. Responsible Management in Government. In Responsible Management (pp.
131-140). Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
Ennals, R., 2014. Responsible management: Corporate responsibility and working life. Springer.
Forray, J.M. and Leigh, J.S., 2012. A primer on the principles of responsible management
education: Intellectual roots and waves of change. Journal of Management Education.
36(3). pp.295-309.
Godemann, J., and et. al., 2014. United Nations supported principles for responsible
management education: purpose, progress and prospects. Journal of Cleaner Production.
62. pp.16-23.
Hilliard, I., 2013. Responsible management, incentive systems, and productivity. Journal of
business ethics. 118(2). pp.365-377.
Maloni, M.J., Smith, S.D. and Napshin, S., 2012. A methodology for building faculty support for
the United Nations principles for responsible management education. Journal of
Management Education. 36(3). pp.312-336.
Painter-Morland, M., 2015. Philosophical assumptions undermining responsible management
education. Journal of Management Development. 34(1). pp.61-75.
Zhang, M.M., and et. al., 2015. Towards a research agenda on the sustainable and socially
responsible management of agency workers through a flexicurity model of HRM.
Journal of Business Ethics. 127(3). p.513.
Online
Top 10 UK’s Most Sustainable Big Businesses. 2016. [Online]. Availble thorugh:
<https://www.sustainablebusinesstoolkit.com/big-business-csr-in-uk/>. [Accessed on 7th
July 2017].
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