Report on Ethical Issues, Professional Conduct & Support Analysis

This report examines the ethical and global issues impacting businesses, focusing on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and professionalism. It uses Volkswagen as a case study, highlighting the ethical challenges within a global business environment. The report defines CSR and its importance, detailing Volkswagen's emission scandal and its consequences. It discusses how codes of conduct, such as adopting advanced technology and focusing on environmental development, can help resolve these issues. The report also explores support from professional bodies, referencing Microsoft's CSR initiatives and the benefits of collaboration. The reflection section outlines a CPD plan for learning about ethical and social issues, aiming to develop sustainable business practices and career opportunities. The report concludes that CSR is crucial for a firm's image and success, emphasizing the need for ethical conduct and collaboration to overcome challenges.

Preparing for a
Professional Career

Contents
Contents...........................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
Introduction and definition of issues and challenges...................................................................1
Explains the codes of conduct that can assist in resolving / addressing the issue.......................2
Discusses the support and guidance available from the relevant Professional Bodies................3
Concludes with an assessment of the likely impact both the support and codes of conduct
could have on the issue................................................................................................................3
Reflection.....................................................................................................................................3
References........................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Global and ethical issues are considered as one of important component that create impact over
image of firm. There are different global and ethical issues are faced by businesses like corporate
social responsibility, sustainability and other (Adnan, Hay and van Staden, 2018). Corporate
social responsibility is one of the major issues which is faced by the firm as business needs to
fulfil hits responsibility of members of societies. This report includes the study of Volkswagen
which is a German company operating in motor vehicle. It was founded in the year 1937 in
Germany by German Labour Front. This project report includes assessment of ethical business
issues as well as challenges within global business environment along with linking to corporate
social responsibility and professionalism.
MAIN BODY
Introduction and definition of issues and challenges
CSR is one of serious issues faced by different organisation in different industry. There is
increasing awareness among people now a days due to which companies are more concerned for
these issues. It create impact over image of company and also over sales of organisation. CSR
can be described as combination of different rules, procedures and system governed through
business and other things. It is a broad concept that can take different form and all these
depended on scale of industry. It is a concept which provide benefits to both community and
company. It also assist firm to build strong bond among corporations and employees. It also aims
to boost morale and also create good feel among employees and employees (Ali, Danish and
Asrar‐ul‐Haq, 2020). It helps them to be connect with world and also for to be socially
responsible. Volkswagen is one of organisation which is operating in automotive industry. It is a
industry which is facing issues in CSR due to its failure. Volkswagen is one of organisation
which has claims its diesel engine as less emission in compare to conventional petroleum. This
firm is promoting its product in market with the fact that conventional vehicle is also reducing
nitrogen oxide pollutants with 90%. In the year 2015, there is complaint registered against this
organisation by the Federal Trade Commission and with this, it is identified that clean cars of
Volkswagen are emitting up to 4000percent nitrogen oxide in compare to legal limit allocated to
firm. In order to pass out cars from pollution test, the firm has installed software and due to all
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these, firm needs to penalised of around $1.45 billion (10 Corporate Social Responsibility
Examples, 2022).
These issues create a negative impact on the image of the firm in minds of the prospective target
market and also does not results in a positive situation. There is increasing environmental
awareness among people of UK and this situation create negative impact over the image of firm.
It also reduce marketing share of firm and also decrease capabilities of firm to compete in
marketplace (Lu and et. al., 2021). Adoption of CSR in Volkswagen creates a positive situation
for firms and also helps them to compete in the marketplace. It is one of term which provide
success and growth to businesses and helps them to get growth in marketplace.
Explains the codes of conduct that can assist in resolving / addressing the issue
Code of conduct can be described common policy of company which is dependent on different
principles, standards, ethical and moral values expectation of company which can be held in an
organisation among employees and third party. There are different issues faced by Volkswagen
in marketplace like negative impact over image, decrease in sales and other. In order to
overcome of this issues, business also needs to adopt code of conduct which assist business.
Some of these code of conduct which can assists Volkswagen to overcome of issues are
mentioned below:
 Volkswagen should adopt advance technology in their organisation which will helps
them to overcome of issues faced by firm. It will assists them to reduce emission level in
the environment which is important to protect environment from harmful gases. These
are important in order to increase contribution of business towards environment and also
create positive impact over image of firm (Orazalin and Baydauletov, 2020).
 Focusing on environment development is another code of conduct that should be adopted
by business of Volkswagen in order to overcome issues that occur in the environment.
For this, business needs to make efforts in this direction and also needs to create values
among employees.
 It is also important for the business of Volkswagen to join different environmental
development programs. It is one of the good initiatives in order to protect the
environment and also for contributing for corporate social responsibility. It helps the
business to create a positive image in minds of its target customers.
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Discusses the support and guidance available from the relevant Professional Bodies
There are different types of organisation which have adopted CSR in their organisation. Aiding
of operation of the firm with other organisation will create a positive impact on the image of firm
and also helps them to overcome of issues that occur in the marketplace. It is one of the
important components for businesses in order to overcome of impact CSR issues occurring in
business.
Microsoft is one of organisations which is making different CSR issues in the marketplace and
also focusing in improving employability and improving skills. It is also focusing on
environmental sustainability in order to make contribution in direction of CSR (Sharma, 2019). It
is one of organisation which form partnership with different non profit organisation and schools
in order to improve education and also to create an impact over their performance with use of
technology. It is also focusing on improving the quality life of people. Aid with such firm in
marketplace create positive impact over image of firm and also allow firm to invest over such
kind of non profit organisation in which Microsoft is investing (14 Best Socially Responsible
Companies That Are Making Impact, 2022).
Concludes with an assessment of the likely impact both the support and codes of conduct could
have on the issue
From above discussion, it can be concluded that Corporate social responsibility is one of
important component for business which is create impact over image of firm in marketplace.
There are different types of issues faced by business in context of corporate social responsibility
and in order to overcome of such impact, business can adopt different code of conduct (Ye and
et. al., 2020). For this, business can join different environmental development program that
create positive impact over image of the firm. It can also collaborate its work with companies
which is highly committed with corporate social responsibilities.
Reflection
CPD PLAN
What do I want
to learn?
What will I do to
achieve this?
What resources or
support will I need?
What is my success
criteria?
In this module, I have
learned about ethical
and social issues. It is
With the learning of this
topic, I will be able to
learn about different
There are different
resources required by a
To contribute to develop a
business that helps to
overcome to global issues.
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one of the important
topic which provides
me guidance in the
different field.
global and ethical issues
faced by businesses.
Global issues create an
impact over whole world
in different contexts. It
also create an impact
over the business and its
sales and profit. In order
to overcome of this,
business needs to adopt
different strategies in it.
person for this purpose of
gaining learning. It is
important for me to learn
about these as it makes
me aware of global issues
and also assists me to use
this knowledge in the
future periods of time
(Yuan and et. al., 2020).
Corporate social
responsibilities is
another topic which I
have learned about it.
Corporate social
responsibility is one of
issues which create
serious impact over
performance of firm. It
also impact over sales
and profitability of firm. It
is essential for business to
adopt this factor in their
organisation in order to
overcome of its impact.
This learning will assist
me in future in order to
develop good career
opportunities. It is also
important for business in
order to find out
solutions of problem
occur in business.
To find out good career
opportunities with fulfilling
my social responsibilities.
Code of conduct It is another topic about
which I have learned in
this module. It is one of
important component
which will helps firm to
follow a specific policy
and procedure.
This learning will helps
me in future period of
time. It is essential for me
in order to overcome of
challenges occur for
business.
To develop policies in
business that will contribute
to sustainable development.
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References
Books and Journals
Adnan, S.M., Hay, D. and van Staden, C.J., 2018. The influence of culture and corporate
governance on corporate social responsibility disclosure: A cross country
analysis. Journal of Cleaner Production, 198, pp.820-832.
Ali, H.Y., Danish, R.Q. and Asrar‐ul‐Haq, M., 2020. How corporate social responsibility boosts
firm financial performance: The mediating role of corporate image and customer
satisfaction. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 27(1),
pp.166-177.
Lu, J., and et. al., 2021. Assessment of corporate social responsibility by addressing sustainable
development goals. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental
Management, 28(2), pp.686-703.
Orazalin, N. and Baydauletov, M., 2020. Corporate social responsibility strategy and corporate
environmental and social performance: The moderating role of board gender
diversity. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 27(4),
pp.1664-1676.
Sharma, E., 2019. A review of corporate social responsibility in developed and developing
nations. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 26(4),
pp.712-720.
Ye, N., and et. al., 2020. A bibliometric analysis of corporate social responsibility in sustainable
development. Journal of Cleaner Production, 272, p.122679.
Yuan, Y., and et. al., 2020. Business strategy and corporate social responsibility. Journal of
Business Ethics, 162(2), pp.359-377.
Online:
10 Corporate Social Responsibility Examples, 2022. [Online]. Available through:
<https://prowly.com/magazine/corporate-social-responsibility-examples/>
14 Best Socially Responsible Companies That Are Making Impact, 2022. [Online]. Available
through: <https://donorbox.org/nonprofit-blog/best-corporate-responsibility-companies#13>
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