Analysis of CSR, Greenwashing, and Ethical Practices in Business

This report delves into the complexities of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and the deceptive practice of greenwashing within the global business environment. It begins by defining CSR and illustrating the challenges companies face, particularly the issue of greenwashing, using Marks and Spencer as a case study. The report explores the negative consequences of greenwashing, such as eroded consumer trust and decreased investor confidence. It then outlines various codes of conduct that can help resolve these issues, emphasizing accountability, transparency, and respect for human rights. The report also highlights guidance from professional bodies like the International Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD), focusing on sustainable development and ethical business practices. Additionally, the report includes a CPD (Continuing Professional Development) plan, reflecting on the lessons learned and implications for future professional development, emphasizing the importance of ethical decision-making and policy implementation in CSR activities. The conclusion underscores the significance of ethical CSR practices for long-term market sustainability and the need for continuous skill enhancement for a successful career.

Preparing for a professional
career

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
PART A...........................................................................................................................................1
Introduction and Definition of the issue/challenge chosen....................................................1
Codes of conduct that can assist in resolving the issue..........................................................2
Guidance available from the relevant professional bodies.....................................................2
Conclusion..............................................................................................................................3
PART B............................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Global business environment consists of many challenges for a business organisation in today's
scenario (Vilanova and Puig, 2016). Present report is based on the different issues faced by a
company at the time of performing different operations and what actions they take in order to
resolve them so that stronger sustainability can be built. Including this, report will also show the
different codes of conduct that may help up a company in removing different barriers faced by
them. Lastly, different guidance that has been given by professional bodies will also so we
included in this report.
PART A
Introduction and Definition of the issue/challenge chosen
Corporate social responsibility can be defined as a type of self-regulation that helps a company
in in contributing to the society's welfare. This type of responsibility come to with number of
goals in relation to philanthropic, charitable, activist and volunteering type of practices. Over the
years, CSR has been a crucial problem for number of business organisation because that has let
them to deal with various issues as well where greenwashing practice is considered to be one of
the challenge that came in front of developing or conducting a CSR activity (Chen and et. al.,
2017). This could be understood with a good example of Marks and Spencer where the company
effectively started asking their customers for bringing back them the close that they do not use so
that they can recycle them. the reason behind this activity was to support the environment
through recycling different clothes and make new ones from them. But, what exactly was
happening behind the back of customers was totally opposite of it, and this CSR act was
conducted to mislead potential customers as Marks and Spencer was already producing high
amount of pollution from its factories (Wybo and Van Wassenhove, 2016)
Over the years, it has been analysed that skyrocketing incidence of greenwashing can have
profound negative effects on consumer and investor confidence in environmentally friendly
firms and products. Mitigating greenwashing is particularly challenging in a context of limited
and uncertain regulation. At initial level this act that Marks and Spencer has performed help the
company in gaining competitive advantages as their customers started believing that this
company is producing environmental friendly products through considering recycling process.
But later on the whole scenario got changed and company has gone through various problems
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like decrease in goodwill, lack of interest of new investors and so on. This whole thing reduced
the productivity as well of the company. Also, it has been found that many companies are
conducting CSR activities in order to you look good in front of the society which is not coming
into ethical consideration and raised questions on their own reputation and of other companies as
well that are trying to perform CSR activities for a charity or for any other reasons (Santo and et.
al., 2018).
Codes of conduct that can assist in resolving the issue
There are ample number of codes of conduct that has been built for any sized business company,
whether it public, private and non-profit in relation to CSR (Aničić, Divjak and Arbanas, 2016).
Away with this, whether a company is carrying a small or big size but that has agreed among
different aspects linked with ethical consideration and these are given underneath:
 The primal code of conduct that has been pound is that a company should be much
accountable for whatever it is going to perform in relation to the society, environment,
economy, and any other element.
 transparency is also required to be taken into consideration at the time of taking decisions
in relation to the society e while performing corporate social responsibility where
different actions along with the activities may lead the society to go through different
issues if any unconditional beneficial consideration takes place and this my also show
create negative aspects for environment (Castellano and et. al., 2017).
 Another crucial code of conduct that came in front is respecting the human rights
considering all the recognitions that can take place at the time of conducting any sort of
activities where giving importance to universality.
Numerous organizations currently practice some type of social duty, yet some are making it a
centre of their tasks. For instance, Ben and Jerry's uses not out of the question exchange fixings
and has built up a dairy ranch maintainability program in its home territory of Vermont. CSR
encompasses a wide assortment of strategies, from giving a part of benefits to a non-profit, to
giving an item or administration to a beneficiary for each deal made (Haslerig and Navarro,
2016)
Guidance available from the relevant professional bodies
The guidance that has been taken into consideration for the chosen issue that is CSR has been
utilised of international institute of sustainable development (IISD). Basically, this professional
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body has contributed towards sustainable development through to delivering number of
recommendations to the business organisations in relation to investment within the international
trade economy, climate change and energy measurement and assessment, renewable sources and
so on that has held companies like Marks and Spencer and more there CSR activities in a much
more transparent and in an ethical manner. Focusing on the information given on internet this
professional body has worked on international negotiation where it has shared knowledge that
they have gathered from different collaborative projects through which global partners along
with the small business organisations can easily perform number of CSR activities for the
betterment of living standards and the society as well.
Conclusion
Taking into consideration of different policies made by various professional bodies and looking
among different aspects of codes of conduct and altering them could help a business organisation
like Marks and Spencer to gain competitive advantages through getting support of society.
PART B
CPD Plan
Area of Learning Reflection of
learning
Future Implications Action
Greenwashing
practice
What I have learnt
from the module is
how CSR activities
gets turn into
greenwashing acts
where customers may
start getting misleads.
People in all over the
world are still not
aware of the fact that,
many of the business
organisations are still
misleading them
through promoting
the products and
services in a way that
influence targeted
customer’s mind-set.
In the near future,
when I will be joining
The primary objective in
present context that has been
built is “To enhance my own
knowledge by 20% in 6
months in relation with
Greenwashing activities.
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a business
organisation for
conducting my own
business, where
knowledge relation to
this practice will help
me in taking right
decisions and
suggesting to the
owner of the
company to not to
who conducts this
kind of activities as
these may mislead
customers.
Policies developed by
professional bodies
on Corporate Social
responsibility.
Policies in present
time developed by
professional bodies
consists of dynamic
nature which I have
analysed that it will
be necessary for me
to to keep on looking
at different changes
that these companies
has made for the
purpose of better
CSR activities that an
organisation can
conduct for the
betterment of the
Today the business
environment is
carrying an uncertain
business environment
or nature where it has
become vital for
business companies
and for me as well to
to consider all the
information ANR
they are already
having in relation to
the policy and also it
is must for them to
bring appropriate
changes within the
Primal objective in present
context is to enhance my own
training skills and research
skills by 10% within 3 months
so that I may become able to
develop appropriate policies
considering the information
given by professional bodies.
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society, nature,
environment and so
on.
existing policies for
the betterment of
society. This will lead
me to analyse the
situation first and
then take right
decisions for the
specific purpose to
reduce the issues
faced by company in
relation to CSR.
CONCLUSION
With the help of above mentioned report, it is concluded that corporate social responsibility is is
a crucial duty which is required by every single organisation to conduct in order to support the
nature and environment both at the same time. Through considering all the regulations, code of
conduct and looking at sustainability in an ethical manner, a company could sustain within the
market for a longer period of time. Away with this, it is also summarised that continuous
improvement is needed for every single individual when it comes to enhance number of
prominent skills for a better future.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Aničić, K.P., Divjak, B. and Arbanas, K., 2016. Preparing ICT graduates for real-world
challenges: results of a meta-analysis. IEEE Transactions on Education. 60(3). pp.191-
197.
Castellano, M.E and et. al., 2017. Preparing students for college and career in the United States:
The effects of career-themed programs of study on high school performance. Vocations
and Learning. 10(1). pp.47-70.
Chen, H.C and et. al., 2017. The health professions education pathway: preparing students,
residents, and fellows to become future educators. Teaching and learning in
medicine. 29(2). pp.216-227.
Haslerig, S.J. and Navarro, K.M., 2016. Aligning athletes’ career choices and graduate degree
pathways: Implications for 21st-century career development professionals. Journal of
Career Development. 43(3). pp.211-226.
Santos, M and et. al., 2018. Preparing English learners for college and career: Lessons from
successful High schools. Teachers College Press.
Vilanova, A. and Puig, N., 2016. Personal strategies for managing a second career: The
experiences of Spanish Olympians. International Review for the Sociology of
Sport. 51(5), pp.529-546.
Wybo, J.L. and Van Wassenhove, W., 2016. Preparing graduate students to be HSE
professionals. Safety Science. 81. pp.25-34.
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