Leadership Role in Social Responsibility: Analysis of M&S

This report examines the leadership role in corporate social responsibility (CSR), focusing on Marks & Spencer (M&S) as a case study. It analyzes M&S's recent market share problems, competition, and the risks associated with voluntary social responsibilities, particularly concerning its Plan A initiative. The report highlights challenges in customer demand, e-commerce, and store optimization. It also discusses the costs and customer happiness aspects of CSR implementation. Furthermore, it offers recommendations for increasing employee and customer engagement in CSR, such as aligning personal and corporate values and defining long-term goals. The report concludes by referencing relevant books, journals, and online resources to support its findings.

The Leadership Role in Social
Responsibility

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Recent market share problems and competition:........................................................................1
Risk of entering into voluntary social responsibilities:...............................................................2
Recommendations of increasing employee and customer engagement in CSR:........................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4

INTRODUCTION
Marks and Spencer (M&S), which is regarded as the most dynamic brand is also the
world's most sustainable business. This brand was set up in the year 1884 is major British
multinational retailer which is specialised in selling home products, accessories, clothing and
luxury food products. In the year 2010 after suffering major loss in its women clothing service,
company decided to restructure its function and polices. Before this in year 2007, company
launched its Plan A which will be focusing on its sustainability in making it more socially and
environmentally responsible business practices.
Recent market share problems and competition:
M&S has been indulging into most favourable planning of what changes have been taken
place within environment and society (M&S makes a play to become world's most sustainable
business. 2018). All the challenges which company has been facing from last 15 years would be
drifting and under-fulfilling needs and demand of customer in market. But then also, the growth
of company into market it very much firm as they are been involving into donating foods and
cloths to charitable scheme. This will be lessening down thrown out food and they could be
easily recycling that food which is not be given to anyone. Whereas, the top three challenges
which at present M&S is facing and that also need to sort it down by making dynamic and
effective planning.
Customer- As it is very much clear that customers are essence of any business, management
need to look for all what its customers are wanting and demanding. In the current times, it was
also mentioned that in the past 15 years, company is not been able to cope up with increasing
demand of customers. The sales of food at M&S was reasonably very good but that of clothing
and especially that of women clothing was not seems to be good enough. The profits from food
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products of company were just half of the whole profits of M&S customers are much more in
demand with this (Huda & Mohd Nasir, (2018). On the other hand, company has not been able to
meet up its fashion that customers are in demand of.
E-commerce- in this phrase of digitalisation Marks and Spencer is taking its steps towards e-
commerce as others are getting more into this and becoming competitive as well (The five big
challenges facing M&S, 2018). Still, it is seen that customers are preferring more of the offline
shopping as they are wanting to experience a high street shopping.
Sorting the stores- It was said that larger the store higher would be its revenue but at this time, it
was not all correct or true as online sites have been developing and pouring more money into
business.
Risk of entering into voluntary social responsibilities:
Corporate social responsibility means the duty and role of any company which is
operating within boundaries of nation and society towards their customers, community and also
environment. It is their responsibility top keep the above mentioned away from any kind of risk
but in this as well, there are problems which are pertaining.
In M&S, they have started Plan A which was bringing out sustainability from right things
to do they were thinking this would be only way ot do business. In this plan, there was
mentioned about five years environment and social challenges which all companies are facing
and how could they cope up with them all. However, achievement were not that much good in all
aspect.
Cost of implementation- This was major drawback which company was facing due to its
implementation of Plan A within, estimated cost to company was around 200 million (The five
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big challenges facing M&S, 2018). This was not aligned to plan that was done by company. It
was seen that if CSR will not be good option for company, then it would be costing them huge
amount of loss.
Customer happiness- this was also essential for company which resulted into negative response
from them. M&S was affording huge cost to satisfy and keep customers happy in all terms in this
Plan A, they were having 20 targets which they need to achieve.
Recommendations of increasing employee and customer engagement in CSR:
M&S will be doing very much into increasing sustainability and employee engagement
into this CSR. They are engaging their customers into all business decisions at every level of
company conducted into sustainability (Engaging Employees to Create a Sustainable Business,
2018).
Aligning personal and corporate values- this would be done by company in taking out what
employees goals and what are that of company so that value and responsibilities of company are
not taken for granted.
Defining long term goal of company- by this also they could cultivating employee and
community engagement within CSR as well. If the long term purpose and interest of company is
known to all employees, then it will become easy for them to achieve that particular target
(Edinger-Schons, Scheidler & Wieseke, J. (2018).
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Edinger-Schons, L. M., Scheidler, S., & Wieseke, J. (2018). Frontline employees as corporate
social responsibility (CSR) ambassadors: A quasi-field experiment. Journal of business ethics. 1-
15.
Huda, M., & Mohd Nasir, B. (2018). Transmitting leadership based civic responsibility: insights
from service learning. International Journal of Ethics and Systems. 34(1). 20-31.
Online:
Engaging Employees to Create a Sustainable Business. 2018. [Online]. Accessed through:
<https://ssir.org/articles/entry/engaging_employees_to_create_a_sustainable_business>.
M&S makes a play to become world's most sustainable business. 2018. [Online]. Accessed
through: <https://www.pioneerspost.com/news-views/20151127/ms-makes-play-become-
world-s-most-sustainable-business>.
The five big challenges facing M&S. 2018. [Online]. Accessed through:
<https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/five-big-challenges-facing-m-s-boss-steve-rowe/
article/1389807>.
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