Comparing CSR Reports: Coles Supermarket vs. Commonwealth Bank

This report provides a comparative analysis of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reports of Coles Supermarket and Commonwealth Bank (CBA). The assignment begins by introducing the concept of CSR and its importance in modern business, emphasizing the need for ethical and sustainable practices. It then provides background information on both companies, outlining their core business activities and the countries in which they operate. The report delves into a detailed comparison of the two companies, examining their approaches to CSR, including the issues they address, their values, and their sustainability strategies. It highlights the differences in their CSR initiatives, such as Coles' focus on ethical sourcing and environmental impact reduction, versus CBA's emphasis on financial wellbeing and customer-centricity. The report assesses the extent to which each company addresses sustainable development goals and analyzes their sustainability phases. Furthermore, the report evaluates how well the social reports reflect the values of each company, pointing out inconsistencies and areas for improvement. The conclusion summarizes the findings, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of both companies' CSR efforts and their overall commitment to ethical and sustainable business practices. This report is a student's work, available on Desklib, a platform providing AI-based study tools for students.

Running head: COMPARISION OF CSR REPORT
COMPARISION OF CSR REPORT
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University Name
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Introduction
Corporate Social responsibility (CSR) is the way in which a particular business
organization operates in an ethical and sustainable manner and deals with the environmental
and social impacts responsible. It is very essential that a business organization operates in a
way that demonstrates social responsibility; it needs to take into account the social and
environmental issues. The consumers today actively seeks products and services from the
companies that are increasingly aware of the importance of social responsible and they seek
the products and services from the business organizations that operates its business activities
in a most ethical way possible (Asseembly, 2015). Therefore, it is evident that business
organizations must take interest in the social and environmental issues as it impacts there
profit margin. This enables the company to attract customers who share the same values
which in turns makes the business operate in a sustainable manner. This assignment identifies
and describes the core business activities and countries of two selected companies that are
Coles, and Common Wealth Bank. It compares the two companies in terms of the issues
dealt. It analysis and compares the values and approaches to business sustainability and
compares the CSR report of two companies.
Discussion
Comparison of two companies
Cole’s supermarket Australia Pty Ltd. is a supermarket based in Australia. It offers
wide range of products and services including grocery, electronics, gift cares, and other
poultry items. The company was founded in the year 1914. Coles Supermarket strives to offer
real value to their customers by offering its products at a reduced price and improves the
quality of its products and services by offering fresh products and delivering an easier and by

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providing the customers a better shopping every day in a week (Bass, & Milosevic, 2018). It
builds a deeper long term relationship with its key stakeholders while having caring and
passionate team members. Coles operates throughout Australia including various re-branded
BI-LO supermarkets. The company has over 100,000 employees with its rival Woolworths, it
accounts for more than 80% of the Australian market (Visser, 2016). The company claims to
support other Australian business by offering q1uality products to their customers. It provides
ethically sourced food products to its customers. On the other hand Commonwealth Bank
Australia is known as the Australia’s leading provider of integrated financial services, it is
associated with the business activities which provided financial support to its customers
including retail premium, business and institutional banking. It carries out its business
activities mainly in Australia. Further, it provides additional business and institutional
banking, provides funds management, superannuation insurance and other investments.
Commonwealth Bank Australia ensures its customers to become a better and more customer
focused bank. It continues to focus on delivering plan and maintain to become a simpler and
better bank of their customers (Spence, 2016). They are determined in keeping their business
activities and their progress transparent. In the last year there were reports outlining the
shortcomings in governance, culture and accountability of the company. However, it has
implemented a remedial action plan and they ensure to improve their risk management
capability and deliver better service for its customers. The company is determines in
undertaking cultural change and takes a sustained focus on their customers. Commonwealth
Bank Australia has an approach towards measureable goals, has clean responsibilities, and
accountability. It continuously reviews its business activities to ensure that they are on their
tract (Maas & Reniers, 2014). The company plans to improve management of non financial
risks and improve their level of execution of their plan.

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Differences evident between two companies in terms of issues dealt
Analyzing the corporate social responsibility report of Coles Australia, it has been seen that
the company has effectively implemented CSR strategies and plans in its business activities
and operations. Coles Australia builds good relationship with the communities it works for
such as their team members and customers (Jenkins, 2014). The company provides trainings
to their employees and suppliers in order to protect the environment. Besides that, the
company invests highly upon implementing new and advanced technology to reduce the
environmental pollutions. Moreover, Coles has gained a good reputation in the market by
using latest technologies. It is considered as the new eco friendly supermarket, which aims to
consume around 30% less energy (Górny, 2014). However, according to the reports, the
company have behaved irresponsible with its small suppliers; they have imposed unrealistic
conditions on fishing companies operate in Pacific area. Commonwealth Bank is guided by
their vision and enhance the financial wellbeing of their customers by focusing on their long
term strategy. They continue to deliver strong value to their stakeholders. The company has
been improving customer remediation has been their priority. The company provides support
and they are building capabilities to better deal with their customers facing financial hardship,
domestic violence. The company plays a vital role in the economy. They have maintained
their commitments in investing innovations to ensure long term support, growth and
prosperity. However, as per reports, they needs to change their culture, they need to enhance
their accountability and be more open to challenge (Devin, & Richards, 2018). Further they
need to improve their performance. To cover up their social issues, the company have
implemented plan to take a proactive approach to risks. They are determined to improve their
execution of the plan, the track their progress and continued having transparency to their

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stakeholders (Costa & Menichini, 2013). They plan to improve customer experience and
handle the risks outcomes. The leaders of the company have a deep sense of accountability;
they demonstrate a better risks and customer outcomes.
Sustainable development goals and the extent to which these were addressed
As per the report, the sustainable development goals must fulfil the major goals of
organizations. It includes having full transparency and accountability having wide variety of
porters such as the national and local governments, agencies and others. The sustainable
development goals of the organizations must include operational effectiveness, and national
ownership. The organizational size must be reduces to be global level and organize joint
programme coordinating teams. It must respect the country leadership and support capacity
building for such leadership (Corporate responsibility, 2018). Concerning Coles Australia, it
is committed in providing fresh food and groceries to its customers, financial services
through its supermarket and online channels. The company, as per their CSR reports supports
farmers, community, suppliers and other team members. It offers great products, sources its
products ethically and highly focuses on human rights. It sources its products responsibly
with a focus on animal welfare and the environment. Furthermore, the company ensures
quality and provides safe products to its customers and promotes health and nutrition (Costa,
& Menichini, 2013). Apart from that, the Coles Australia is reducing its environmental
impacts like minimising waste and promoting recycling, the company involves in sustainable
packages and uses energy efficiently and reduces its greenhouse emissions. Therefore, by
taking measures, the company have efficiently addressed to the sustainable development
goals. As compared to Commonwealth Bank Australia, is considered as the most sustainable
business and ranked first among the banks all across the world. The global sustainability
ranking of the company indicates that the sustainability goals have been addressed. It

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considers balanced social, environmental and its governance performance while it committed
in providing superior returns to its investors (Górny, 2014). It launched its opportunity
initiatives as a part of their corporate responsibility plan and addresses the sustainable
development goals.
Identification and analysis of company’s sustainability phase
It has been analysis that Coles Australian has been vying for leadership in sustainability.
As per reports Coles Australia has strategically implemented ambitious new environmental
and sustainability targets in order to cope up with the growing pressure from the customers to
reduce waste generation. The company reduced plastic packaging on fruits and vegetables. It
has recycled new range of grocery bags and announced a program to proceed with the sale of
bags. Therefore, it can be said that the company has transformed its business model into a
sustainable return design(Corporate responsibility, 2018). From analyzing the sustainability
reports f the company it has been evident that the company is committed to sustainability. It
follows sustainability principles into its values. Further, it coordinates the sustainability
approach with the key business strategies. At this stage the company initiatives clean
predicts, effectiveness and enjoys competitive advantage from the sustainability initiatives.
As compared to Commonwealth Bank of Australia, it adopts a transformative culture. It is
committed towards having high level of transparency, accountability. As mentioned in the
sustainability and the CSR report of the company, they have maintained their commitments in
investing innovating and continue to support long term growth and prosperity. The company
is transforming itself to support major technological advances. It ensures new ways to
enhance the customer’s financial wellbeing (Spence, 2016). Further, it has rolled out an
onsite renewable program. At every level the Common wealth Bank Australia aims to reflect
diversity in the society. The company heightens the value of the contribution that is made to

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the society and considers reviewing the emerging issues and changing the stakeholder
expectations.
Extent to which social reports reflect values of the companies
The stated values of Coles Australia is to strive towards providing value to their
customers and the values of the company is to underpin there strategy and drive a behaviour
which enables the company to build deeper and long term relationship with the customers and
have an outstanding shopping experience fort the customers (Spence, 2016). It has been
analyzed that the company has effective implemented its core business values and strategies
in their operations. It has been reported that the company works with the communities of
business including team members and customers in order to maintain a long term relationship
with them as it has been stated in their values (Visser, 2016). Further the company is highly
engaged in social works such as funding in health care institutes and child care. However,
some of the company’s policies towards the suppliers and distributors have been criticised as
they considerable hurt the vendors and distributors. This way they have behaved against their
Corporate Social responsibility. Based on the research and the report there are evidences of
charges and allegations filed against Coles (Jenkins, 2014). This has been beyond their values
and ethics. As compared to common wealth bank Australia, the core values of the company
includes integrity, collaboration that is working as one team, they highly values excellence
and deeply values accountability. However, as per the report it have been several
shortcomings in the governance of the bank, its culture and issues with accountability, which
is not as per there values. However, the company have addressed the issues effectively (Costa
& Menichini, 2013). In order to overcome the issues, the company made a comprehensive
remedial action plan. It outlines the company’s actions to be taken in order to improve its risk
management capability and deliver better outcome to their customers. Moreover the company

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has a sustained focus on measurable goals; they have clear responsibilities and plans to keep
their activities transparent (Devin & Richards, 2018). The company efficiently strengthens its
governance and oversight, it aims to achieve a better customers and risks outcomes. They aim
to achieve a better customer and risks outcomes. Commonwealth Bank Australia is highly
focused on building a culture that is highly accountable, consumer focused and transparent,
as stated in their values.
Conclusion
From the group’s discussion and the analysis of the CSR reports of two companies, it
can be concluded that both the companies Coles Australia and commonwealth bank Australia
have effectively implemented their CSR strategies and goals. Both the companies faced
issues and dealt with them effectively. However, it was analyzed comparing both the
company, that Commonwealth Bank have better addressed the issues faced, they publically
ensured that they will be addressing the issues and therefore, they have already implemented
a remedial action to enhance their accountability, which an issue faced by the company. It has
been successful in maintaining its operating and conducting its business operations
efficiently. There are in a transformational stage of sustainability. On the other hand, Coles
Australia has also maintained their business operation in a sustainable manner, which has
enables the business organization to gain a good reputation in the market by using the latest
technologies. They strive to achieve leadership position and compete with its rivals. It has
been evident from the research and reports, that it is more dedicated towards managing its
business in a more environmentally sustainable manner. It is evident from its CSR reports.
However, it was found there Coles Australia faced issues as well. It was therefore learned
that CSR is increasingly important to maintain as it enhances profitability and sustainability.

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