SBM3204 - Reflective Report on Ethics, Sustainability & Regulations

This report provides a reflective analysis of organizational ethics and sustainability, focusing on regulations, laws, and business ethics. It examines the implications of social and public pressure on ethical behavior within organizations, highlighting the importance of organizational values in supporting ethical decision-making. The report discusses ethical dilemmas that threaten organizations and industries, emphasizing the role of corporate social responsibility in promoting ethical practices. It draws upon course learnings and practical experiences, such as an internship at Tesco, to illustrate key concepts and provide insights into fostering a culture of ethics and sustainability within businesses. The reflection covers understanding of laws and regulations, organizational values, social and public pressure, ethical dilemmas, and promoting corporate responsibility.

Running head: REFLECTION ON SUSTAINABILITY AND ETHICS
Reflection on Sustainability and Ethics
Name of the University:
Name of the Student:
Authors Note:

1REFLECTION ON SUSTAINABILITY AND ETHICS
Introduction
After completing my course on ethics and sustainability of businesses I have developed
better understanding on the fact that there are certain implications of social along with public
pressure for maintaining ethical behavior in the organizations. The objective of the report is to
develop a reflective analysis on the organizational ethics and sustainability along with
understanding the regulations along with the importance of law and business ethics in the
organizations. Moreover, the report will also explain self-understanding on the implications of
social and public pressure for ethical behavior within the organizations. In addition, such
understanding will also facilitate in evaluating the ways in which promoting organizations
corporate social responsibility by means of values internally along with state holders in the
media can result in ethical decision making and company’s success.
Demonstration of Understanding of the Law and Regulations in Ethical Decision Making
From completing my course on business ethics and sustainability subject i have attained a
better understanding on the regulations, law and business ethics in the organizations that can
support ethical business decision making. Basic on the understanding I have gathered, I
considered analyzing the case of a renowned Australian retail organization that is Tesco. From
analyzing business ethics laws and regulations followed in this retail company I have attained a
detailed understanding regarding the fact that they have ethical laws and regulations on uniform
treatment of employees (Ben Khaled & Gond, 2019). Moreover, I have also understood that the
companies focus on maintaining corporate social responsibility as their ethical business approach
as through this the companies maintain the obligation of safeguarding the community. I have
also attained an increased understanding regarding the companies ethical business approach

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through following state and federal laws that can that safeguard people from unethical
environmental practices. From accomplishing the course and after completing internship in
Tesco, I have also attained an increased understanding on the business ethics related with
financial aspects of the company. Moreover, I have also attained a better knowledge regarding
the fact that the companies must conduct ethical operations with respect to finance, investment
and companies’ business expansion. For instance, I can state that the organizations must not
bribe the state legislators for the tax credits and in such approach I have also realized that insider
trading is also restricted in the companies for sustaining efficient business ethics. After
completing the course on business ethics and sustainability I have learned that ethics and law has
a huge role in maintaining employee relations for sustaining better business ethics. My
knowledge has also increased regarding consumer value strategy focused on which ethical
standards in business are observed to be built on consumer focus along with commitment that
offers value to consumers.
Organizational Values Supporting Ethical Decision Making
From accomplishing course on ethics and sustainability on business I have gathered
better understanding on the importance of maintaining organizational values in supporting
ethical decision making of companies. In support of such statement, I have also understood that
the business decision for core values must be in place for offering the goals that can be employed
in constraining the criteria used in the business decision network of the companies. After
completing my internship in Tesco, i have attained increased knowledge on three aspects that in
order to change values of the company the code of conduct must be given a careful
consideration. From realizing the organizational values followed by Tesco, I have learned that
changing basics for company ethics in decision making, it requires a new agreement with each

3REFLECTION ON SUSTAINABILITY AND ETHICS
individual in order to reconcile with their individual moral choices. In support of such learning, I
have evaluated the effectiveness of Tesco’s ire values and principles as their ethical decision
making approach and have gathered that they are focused on acting responsibly towards the
community and the employees in the company are also treated as a team (Bishop& Connors,
2018). In consideration to such example and from the course learning I have attained a detailed
knowledge that values and ethics are positively related and is important for any organization. I
attained a detailed understanding on the fact that cetin important core values maintained by the
organizations in the form of integrity, caring, professionalism, stewardship and teamwork
facilitates in strategic decision making in companies. Moreover, I have attained a detailed
knowledge on certain important values such as capability to recognize ethical issues, ethical
consequences of decisions and that can support ethical decisions. I have also gathered an
increased understanding regarding the fact that core values developed by the companies support
the vision along with shaping the culture of the organization that offers advantages in the form of
ethical business decision making.
Implications of Social and Public Pressure for Ethical Behavior of Organizations
After completing my course on ethics and sustainability of businesses I have developed
better understanding on the fact that there are certain implications of social along with public
pressure for maintaining ethical behavior in the organizations. Supporting such understanding, I
have attained an increased knowledge on the fact that most of the renowned companies such as
Tesco, Woolworths and Coles consider that external social pressure serves as a major driver of
its business (Crane & Matten, 2016). I have attained a detailed knowledge from the course that
the companies must maintain a better consideration for social expectations in areas of general
involvement of the community along with environmental responsibility. Moreover, I have

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gathered a detailed understanding on the aspect that an increased level of organizational
commitment can mitigate inappropriate social intense pressure. For instance, supposing such
view I have realized the influences on the ethical decision making by the professional
accountants that can make the workplace environment highly conductive for ethical decision
making. I have gathered a detailed knowledge that such ethical decision making process by the
professional accountants are focused on decreasing unsuitable social influence pressure through
taking steps in increasing organizational commitment. I have also learned that public pressure to
the companies to get involved in unethical behaviors can increase personal-organizational
conflict that can decrease company commitment and job satisfaction. The learning gathered from
the course subjects revealed that companies must focus on mitigating inappropriate social
influence pressure that can come from the superiors and peers in the company. Through
addressing organizational-professional conflict that is deemed to expose the members of business
sectors to social inference pressure at the time of making ethical judgments (Geddes, Lindebaum,
& Gabriel, 2016).
Ethical Dilemmas that Threaten Organization and Industry
From accomplishing the course on ethics and sustainability of the businesses, I have
attained an increased learning on the ethical dilemmas that take place in the organizations and
the industries that can impact the sustainability of such businesses. I have also attained an
increased understanding on the ethics dilemmas can take place in the firm of workplace
misconduct that is deemed to affect the sustainability of the businesses. For intake, I have
analyzed several facts related regarding several industries that the major areas where the
companies and businesses face ethical dilemmas includes accounting, social media, harassment,
discrimination, health and safety along with the technology based ethical concerns. Moreover,

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after completing the course areas covering several aspects regarding ethics and sustainability of
the businesses and industries I have attained a detailed knowledge on the numerous ethical
dilemmas that poses a threat. I have attained a detailed understanding on the fact that several
busineses are involved in unethical accounting practices that can pose a serious threat especially
in the publically traded organizations. For instance, I have come across an example of such
ethical dilemma faced by American Energy Company “Enron” scandal in the year 2001 that
inaccurately recorded its financial statements and signed statements despite of being improper
that resulted in failure of the business (Dion, 2017). From evaluating such case, I have released
that ethical accounting guidelines must be followed by the companies in maintaining their
corporate financial accounting. I have attained better knowledge regarding the fact that the
biggest challenge of ethical dilemma is that it do not offer a complete solution that might comply
with the ethical norms. Moreover, after completing my internship i have realized that there exist
certain ethical dilemmas within the workplace of the companies that is in the form of conflict of
interest, improper hiring practices along with settling of supplies in the business. I have realized
that maintaining integrity in the organization through having ethical corporate governance
polices and regulations that can facilitate in guiding the ethical activities of the company.
Promoting Organizational Corporate Responsibility
During my course on ethics and sustainability of the companies, I have learned that an
organizations corporate responsibility can be promoted through values internally along with the
stakeholders within the media. Considering same, I have also gathered a better understanding on
the fact that corporate social responsibility of the companies can be promoted through corporate
social responsibility strategies that can facilitate in improving business competitiveness, market
positioning, investor relationships, recruiting along with risk management. In my internship I

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have gone through analyzing the working environment and the business activities of the
organization that increased my learning on those involving employees within defining and
advancing the CSR approaches can facilitate the business in maintaining its activities socially
responsible. Moreover, my learning has also improved regarding the fact that fir the companies
to be socially responsible it is required to have an obligation to remain financially accountable to
the shareholders of the company (Davies, 2016). My knowledge has also enhanced regarding the
fact that the human resource leaders of the organizations are also responsible for promoting the
corporate social responsibility within their organizations. Focused on such learning, I have also
gathered that communicating company values internally as well as to the stakeholders through
various media channels can facilitate in promoting corporate social responsibility. Considering
same, I can explain that CSR activities performed by the organizations can facilitate in building
companies reputation with less real benefits to the society.
Conclusion
The objective of the report is to develop a reflective analysis on the organizational ethics
and sustainability along with understanding the regulations along with the importance of law and
business ethics in the organizations. After completing my course on ethics and sustainability of
businesses I have developed better understanding on the fact that there are certain implications of
social along with public pressure for maintaining ethical behavior in the organizations.
Considering same, I have also gathered a better understanding on the fact that corporate social
responsibility of the companies can be promoted through corporate social responsibility
strategies that can facilitate in improving business competitiveness, market positioning, investor
relationships, recruiting along with risk management.

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References
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tools in organisations?.
Bishop, P., & Connors, C. (2018). Management, organisation, and ethics in the public sector.
Routledge.
Crane, A., & Matten, D. (2016). Business ethics: Managing corporate citizenship and
sustainability in the age of globalization. Oxford University Press.
Davies, P. W. (2016). Current issues in business ethics. Routledge.
Dion, M. (2017). Corporate citizenship as an ethic of care: corporate values, codes of ethics and
global governance. In Perspectives on corporate citizenship (pp. 118-138). Routledge.
Geddes, D., Lindebaum, D., & Gabriel, Y. (2016). Moral Emotions and Ethics in Organisations:
Introduction to the Special Issue. Journal of Business Ethics, 16-025.

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