Challenges of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability in the Fashion Sector

Business Ethics,
Responsibility and
Sustainability

Table of content
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Examine and discuss the key challenges relating to corporate responsibility and sustainability
relating to your chosen sector.................................................................................................3
Analyse and explain what you consider to be 'best practice' within the sector, making
references to ethical and moral issues....................................................................................3
Make recommendations for businesses in the sector to show they are being more responsible
by taking into account global considerations.........................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERNCES...................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
An internal obligation of an organisation due to which a number of private businesses use
self-regulatory requirements in order to contribute to the society through voluntary or charitable
spending is called corporate social responsibility (Bansal and Song, 2017). As the time passes
there are various number of laws which have been developed in order to make sure that
organizations in order to make it a security to invest in society and attain corporate social
responsibility. Sustainability of an organisation is directly linked with corporate social
responsibility. This happens as part of a social responsibility helps in fulfilling the sustainability
aspects in an organisation so that in return society provides the organisation with various
resources required for its business. For the following report Mark and Spencer have been chosen
which is the British multinational company and is trading in clothing and fashion products
throughout United Kingdom. Michael Spencer is a fashion brand which sells apparels throughout
the world. Mark and Spencer employees approximately 150000 people throughout the world. It
has approximately 1000 stores. In the following report there are discussions with all various
challenges which are related to sustainability and corporate social responsibility of Mark &
Spencer. Topics like best practices for this sector and ethical and moral issues compiled with
CSR for this organisation are also included. At the end there are recommendations to following
company so that they can increase business taking corporate social responsibility into
consideration so that they can attain sustainability.
MAIN BODY
Examine and discuss the key challenges relating to corporate responsibility and sustainability
relating to your chosen sector
Corporate social responsibility is on essential part of every organisation which is needed to be
fulfilled by every organisation in order to complete all the applications and commitment of
business towards society. Mark and Spencer are the building branding selling fashion as well as
clothing sector which it provides throughout the world. Spencer is required monthly
sustainability along with all its social responsibility which it has two words the society which it
has towards society (Bird and Davis-Nozemack, 2018). This provides a company with a number
of benefits but in order to develop social responsibility plan a company needs to solve a number

of issues as well as problems which are related directly to the implementation of corporate social
responsibility activities within an organisation.
Lack of participation of community in corporate social responsibility activities: Corporate
social responsibility can be said to be a combination of corporate and society. It is often seen that
these days the local community act alone and does not take participation in the corporate social
responsibility. This stays to be an important factor for Marks & Spencer as well. This have been
challenging the functioning of the company towards CSR (Brusoni and Vaccaro, 2017). There is
issue that people in society face problem in understanding the motive of organisations behind
CSR. The community does not think that CSR is important this have negatively impacted the
functioning of CSR by various companies including Marks & Spencer.
Need to build local capacity: NGOs face problems and cannot successfully carry on various
CSR activities efficiently for the society at large. It is also seen that they face a number of
problems such as low level of resources presents with them to serve society. Due to this it
becomes important for Marks & Spencer to make sure that they identify and develop the capacity
for building both local government and non- governmental organisations. Company needs
trained and skilled employees for this who can help them in achieving this goal towards ongoing
CSR activities in the organisation. This will help company to take steps towards CSR effectively
and also reduce scope of such issues as well as challenges.
Issues related to transparency: Due to reduction in transparency by organisation the challenges
in CSR performed by them often arises. It has often been seen in Marks & Spencer that they are
not transparent about the funds spend by them in CSR which often results in various issues for
developing a program for CSR by them.the utilisation of funds for CSR also becomes an issue in
such cases. Company needs to understand the morale and ethics of community and bring
transparency between organisation and local community. They need to win the trust of local
community through this. This will be the key to success for company towards their CSR
program.
Low availability of well organised as well as non-government organisations: It is recognised
that often in the rural areas of a nation NGOs are not very well organised. This also results in a
set back for company because these organisations face problem in working with company due to
their disorganisation. If these are well organised CSR activities can be successfully implemented
on every aspect society. They take efforts by working in local community, getting involved with