Preparing for a Professional Career: Sustainability Report

This report delves into the critical ethical challenge of sustainability within the contemporary global business environment. It begins by defining sustainability and its three pillars: economy, environment, and society, emphasizing its growing importance as a global issue. The report then introduces and analyzes the issue, highlighting the differing approaches of companies like Unilever, which actively promotes sustainability through its codes of conduct, and Zara, which faces challenges due to its fast-fashion model. The core of the report examines how codes of conduct within organizations, such as Unilever's emphasis on integrity and transparency, aid in addressing sustainability issues. Furthermore, it discusses the support and guidance provided by relevant professional bodies and organizations, like various conservation groups, and their role in enhancing employee performance and promoting sustainable practices. The report concludes by assessing the potential impact of these codes of conduct and professional support, emphasizing the positive outcomes of compliance, such as minimized waste and increased profits, while also warning of the negative consequences of non-compliance, including legal repercussions and reputational damage. The inclusion of a CPD plan in the appendix further underscores the practical application of these concepts in professional development.

Preparing for a
Professional Career

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY.............................................................................................................................3
Introduce and define the issue/challenge chosen...................................................................3
Explains the code of conduct that assist in resolving/addressing the issue............................4
Discuss the support and guidance available from the relevant Professional
Bodies/Organisations.............................................................................................................4
Concludes with an assessment of the likely impact both the support and codes of conduct
could have on the issue..........................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION..........................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES...........................................................................................................................6
Books and Journals:...............................................................................................................6
Appendix:...................................................................................................................................7
CPD plan................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
It is found that today's global business environment is becoming very competitive and
full of problems and threats. That's why it is necessary to find and analyse ethical challenges
for organisations which are running their business in a global environment (Liu, 2018). It is
important to include the challenges for research which assist in achieving the ways of solving
the problem. This report includes one important ethical challenge in the global business
environment which is sustainability. Sustainability is considered the paramount among the
environmental concepts discussed by each and every organisation. It becomes an important
ethical challenge for organisations which provide positive as well as negative impacts.
MAIN BODY
Introduce and define the issue/challenge chosen
It is very important to understand sustainability. Sustainability is defined as meeting
the needs of the present without compromising with the future generation. That means future
generations will not face any problems in order to meet their own needs. Three important
pillars of sustainability are the economy, the environment and society. It becomes in global
issue in now these days because it affects all the people who live on the planet (Alexander,
2018). It is found let sustainability becomes a global ethical challenge or issue. Living with
sustainability includes an individual living with moral and physical constraints provided by
the planet. When people are choosing to live sustainability then it means they made of moral
commitment to the earth that they will not waste the natural resources and always focus on
making the environment healthy. But now these days, it is found everybody that
sustainability is become ended and after seeing the impact, each country is now focusing on
maintaining sustainability. In this process, there are many organisations which become
successful in which one of them being Unilever. They are focusing on identifying the ways
which help to maintain sustainability and for that purpose, they launch many campaigns as
well as modify their processes (Luthra and et.al., 2018). On the other hand, Zara is found in
the world's leading fashion brand but they are failed in sustainability because this company is
known for fast fashion which creates many wastage and pollution in the environment. So in
this way sustainability is affected by each and every type of organisation as well as people. It
provides positive as well as negative impacts on the businesses.

Explains the code of conduct that assist in resolving/addressing the issue
After understanding the impact of sustainability, it is important to note that every
organisation has their code of conduct which they made for the purpose of showing the policy
related to sustainability. Unilever is one of them as they are having a great value in which
they focus on integrity, responsibility, respect, etc. for each people (Alexander, 2020). They
are focused on behaving ethically in the environment and that's why they make transparency.
As per their code of conduct, the organisation is always focused on honesty, open s and
integrity which are included in their daily operations. They always try to give importance to
human rights. With the help of the code of conduct, they are trying to resolve the issues.
Discuss the support and guidance available from the relevant Professional
Bodies/Organisations
Many professional bodies in the organisation are involved in the sustainability
program such as the arboriculture association, butterfly conservation, biodiversity Scotland,
bat conservation trust, etc. These are just a few examples which are involved in sustainability
and focusing on increasing the effectiveness in performance of employees. These
organisations are found to be very important for aiding ethical issues (Ferronato and Torretta,
2019). Organisations are making partnerships with such types of associations and
sustainability companies. They are getting many benefits with the partnership of such type of
organisation because these are very experienced in making the performance more sustainable.
They can provide training to the employees of an organisation that how they will improve
their job performance and make them more sustainably.
Concludes with an assessment of the likely impact both the support and codes of conduct
could have on the issue
It is necessary to understand for organisations that the inclusion of professional bodies
and count of contacts is very important for them to implement sustainability in their daily
operations. It will provide a positive impact on the organisation if it is effectively executed
and implemented (Lehtonen and et.al., 2018). When organisations are following the code of
conduct and advice of professional bodies then they will get very benefits because it provides
a direct impact on the productions as well as daily operations. It minimizes the waste which
ultimately increases the profits of companies. In this way, organisations will take benefit.
But it is found that code of conduct and the advice of professional bodies are ignored
or not followed then organisations will face many negative consequences. Companies will

face legal action from the law authority of the country because every country has its
legislation related to maintaining sustainability. This can be better understood with the help
of an example of industries which are releasing a higher amount of carbon from other
harmful gases in the environment (Luetz, Bergsma and Hills, 2019). It is found that they are
also limited in releasing harmful gases and if they are not following the code of conduct then
the government takes legal actions against the organisation. It is really bad for companies
because it provides a negative impact on their reputation in the market.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded from the above discussion that organisations take immediate
action for maintaining sustainability in their daily operations because it becomes an ethical
global challenge for every country. Without sustainability, the organisation is not able to get
success and even do their sales. It is necessary to involve the code of conduct related to the
ethical issues which help them to deal with issues. This report included sustainability as a
global ethical challenge which is necessary by each and every organisation to provide their
focus than only a company is achieving their goals and objectives and also not providing any
negative impact on the environment.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Alexander, R., 2018. Sustainability in global production networks–Introducing the notion of
extended supplier networks. Competition & Change, 22(3), pp.255-273.
Alexander, R., 2020. Emerging roles of lead buyer governance for sustainability across global
production networks. Journal of Business Ethics, 162(2), pp.269-290.
Ferronato, N. and Torretta, V., 2019. Waste mismanagement in developing countries: A
review of global issues. International journal of environmental research and public
health, 16(6), p.1060.
Lehtonen, A., and et.al., 2018. A pedagogy of interconnectedness for encountering climate
change as a wicked sustainability problem. Journal of Cleaner Production, 199,
pp.860-867.
Liu, Y., 2018. Introduction to land use and rural sustainability in China. Land use policy, 74,
pp.1-4.
Luetz, J.M., Bergsma, C. and Hills, K., 2019. The poor just might be the educators we need
for global sustainability—a manifesto for consulting the unconsulted.
In Sustainability and the Humanities (pp. 115-140). Springer, Cham.
Luthra, S., and et.al., 2018. Evaluating the drivers to information and communication
technology for effective sustainability initiatives in supply chains. International
Journal of Information Technology & Decision Making, 17(01), pp.311-338.

Appendix:
CPD plan
CPD PLAN
Area of Learning Reflection of
Learning
Future
Implications
Action
Integrity is found to
be the foundation on
which it becomes
necessary for
businesses we want
to become
sustainable should
be built. Without the
inclusion of
integrity, there is no
sustainable business
able to survive in the
market. Integrity is
the fundamental
principle and that's
why it is necessary
to develop integrity
in the individual as it
refers to taking
responsibility for the
actions and
decisions of an
individual who made
by them, especially
when an individual
makes a mistake.
As I already know
about this code of
conduct but I do not
understand the real
meaning and
application of this
code of conduct. I
didn't know how
organisations use
this code of conduct
to address business
and global ethical
issues.
But after
understanding the
real meaning of
integrity and
application in life, I
will become a bright
student in the school
as well as a better
employee in the
organisation who is
always known
because of their
integrity.
To develop integrity,
I will be focused on
examining my
morals and ethics. In
addition to this, I
will try to become a
rule model of
integrating in front
of others and also
standing up for my
belief in front of the
people.
Supporting the
community around
This code of conduct
is not unknown
But after learning
about the impact of
I will try to support
an individual who is

us is very important
for the organisation
as well as for each
individual because
sustainability cannot
be achieved only
with the actions of
the organisation but
each individual must
behave sustainably
then only they will
be achieved. For that
purpose supporting
the community
around us is very
important and forms
to be a great code of
conduct.
because our parents
are always trying to
explain that we need
to support a
community. So I
already learned
about this code of
conduct but
generally, people
avoid and I also
become a part of that
people.
this code of conduct
I will focus on my
future actions.
required. I will try I
will not give any
money to the
individual but I have
a motive to support
those people so that
they can make
money on their own
hands.
Professional
behaviour is an
important code of
conduct as when an
individual is
performing their job
in professionally
then the organisation
will get benefit and
individual also get
benefit in terms of
rewards.
As I am a student so
I did not know about
this code of conduct
which is a great part
of sustainability. I
get shocked that
professional
behaviour is an
important part of
sustainability as it
helps to perform a
work ethically.
It is a great morning
for me as my
professional life is
not starting so I will
work on this code of
conduct and try to be
professional in my
working life.
To develop
professional
behaviour, I will
work on my
academic as well as
employability skills.
I will make a target
that my performance
is always up to the
mark and I will
complete my work
within time.
Confidentiality is
also found to be
important to
Confidentiality is
important and I did
not learn about this
After learning I will
definitely work on
them.
For that purpose, I
will not disclose the
important

maintain
sustainability in the
environment.
code of conduct. information related
to the organisation.