CSR Investigation Report: Brico Devices' Ethical Practices Analysis

This report evaluates the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of Brico Devices, commissioned after negative media coverage. The investigation, based on interviews, questionnaires, and site inspections, reveals significant shortcomings in remuneration (below minimum wage and no superannuation), poor working conditions (lack of hierarchy and excessive work hours), unsafe waste disposal methods, and environmentally unsustainable practices. The report concludes that Brico Devices violates CSR standards and recommends implementing workplace management, increasing pay rates, and adopting safe waste disposal measures. References to academic sources support the findings and recommendations, underscoring the need for improved ethical and sustainable business practices. The company needs to implement a workplace management for its employees and a clear level of hierarchy to save the working conditions. A waste disposal mechanism must be put in place to solve the environment and the employees from pollution and maintain a good level of environmental sustainability.

Brico Devices: Corporate Social Responsibility Investigation
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1 Executive Summary
Bidco Devices is currently faced with economic, legal, moral and physical issues. From an
independent audit carried out under direct order from the CEO Mr Martin Flanagan, it was
evident that; Brico Devices were not concerned about environmental sustainability and the
working conditions of their employees. It was also clear that the workers were underpaid and
the facilities lacked working day control system for its workers.
The company need to implement a workplace management for its workers and a clear level of
hierarchy to save the working conditions. A waste disposal mechanism must be put in place to
solve the environment and the employees from pollution and maintain a good level of
environmental sustainability.
A good Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is beneficial to the company, to its employees
and to the society as a whole. A powerful CSR must be in line with Brico Devices brand identity
and must be supported by all the shareholders for its success.
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2 Table of Contents
1 Executive Summary........................................................................ 2
3 Introduction.................................................................................4
4 Findings..................................................................................... 4
4.1 Remuneration.................................................................................................................................4
4.1.1 No Superannuation....................................................................................................................4
4.2 Working Conditions.......................................................................................................................4
4.3 Waste disposal methods..................................................................................................................5
4.4 Environmentally unsustainable practice.........................................................................................5
5 Conclusion...................................................................................5
6 Recommendations.......................................................................... 6
7 References...................................................................................7
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3 Introduction
The purpose of this report is to evaluate the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at Brico
Devices and to make recommendations for improvements. The report was commissioned by
the CEO Mr Mathew Flanagan after a negative coverage in the press and media about the Brico
Devices.
This report will look at;
 Remuneration
 Working conditions
 Waste disposal methods
 Environmental unsustainable practice
The information was gathered from face-to-face interviews, a questionnaire sent to the managers
and supervisors and a site inspection carried out plus a scrutiny on the internal company
documents.
4 Findings
4.1 Remuneration
A CSR audit showed that;
 Brico Devices have been paying below the minimum pay rate as required by the
government. A comparison of the salary to the basic rate fixed by the government
showed a low pay rate which in turn affects the productivity and the CSR.
4.1.1 No Superannuation
A CSR audit revealed that there was no superannuation at Brico Devices and employees retired
at the age of 60.
4.2 Working Conditions
After an investigation at Brico Devices, it became clear that;
 A chain of command was not implemented within the company which was the major
cause of the poor working conditions.
 The poor working condition has affected the corporate social responsibility since the
working environment is not conducive making the team members stressed.
 Records showed that the employees worked more than 60 hours per week and one day off
per week was not adhered to in some facilities within Brico Devices.
4.3 Waste disposal methods
It was discovered that;
- The waste disposal practices were unsafe and directly and indirectly damaged the
environment causing incurable infections.
- Both the employees and the environment were affected by the unsafe waste disposal at
Brico Devices.
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4.4 Environmentally unsustainable practice
After the investigation it became clear that;
- there was an increasing use of the limited resources in the manufacturing process at the
company
5 Conclusion
In light of the above findings, it is evident that Brico Devices has violated the Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR). The employees working conditions are below the required standards as
determined by the Australia government. According to the Australian economic indicators
February 2012, working conditions are regulated by the federal legislations, the awards, the
workplace agreement, and the contracts which are unresented at Brico Devices. If the pay rate is
not looked at the company risk losing its employees lowering their productivity and may face a
government sanction. An increase in the pay rate will increase retention level hence increasing
productivity at Brico Devices.
6 Recommendations
1. The company need to implement a workplace management for its employees- according to
Cotton and Hart, staff wellbeing is determined by the risk management framework used in
a company. The level of hierarchy in the company will foresee the working conditions of
all employees (Hardy and Howe2010).
2. Payment rate increased to the basic rate as required by the government- the Australian
government minimum wage stand at AU$15.96 per hour which sum to AU$606.40 per
week (Charlesworth and Heron 2012).
3. Safe waste disposal measures and proper discharge of toxic gases- from the Australian
research council, environmental harm is a crime and mismanagement makes the waste
cycle hazardous (Vander Beken and Balcean 2006).
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References
Banerjee, S.B., 2008. Corporate social responsibility: The good, the bad and the ugly. Critical
sociology, 34(1), pp.51-79
Charlesworth, S. and Heron, A., 2012. New Australian working time minimum standards:
Reproducing the same old gendered architecture?. Journal of Industrial relations, 54(2), pp.164-
181.
Cooper, R., 2010. The ‘new’ industrial relations and international economic crisis: Australia in
2009. Journal of Industrial Relations, 52(3), pp.261-274.
Costa, I., Massard, G. and Agarwal, A., 2010. Waste management policies for industrial
symbiosis development: case studies in European countries. Journal of Cleaner Production,
18(8), pp.815-822.
Golob, U. and Bartlett, J.L., 2007. Communicating about corporate social responsibility: A
comparative study of CSR reporting in Australia and Slovenia. Public Relations Review, 33(1),
pp.1-9.
Hardy, T. and Howe, J., 2010. Partners in enforcement? The new balance between government
and trade union enforcement of employment standards in Australia.
Ray, R., Sanes, M. and Schmitt, J., 2013. No-vacation nation revisited. Center for Economic and
Policy Research.
Vander Beken, T. and Balcaen, A., 2006. Crime opportunities provided by legislation in market
sectors: mobile phones, waste disposal, banking, pharmaceuticals. European Journal on
Criminal Policy and Research, 12(3-4), pp.299-323.
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