Final Reflection: Sustainable Business and Leadership - Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of sustainable business and leadership, focusing on the development of a code of conduct (COC) for managers. It explores the interconnectedness of sustainable development, corporate social responsibility (CSR), business ethics, leadership, and corporate governance. The report emphasizes the importance of these factors in creating a positive organizational environment and enhancing performance. It delves into the principles of sustainable development, the significance of CSR activities, and the role of ethical considerations and effective leadership in achieving organizational goals. The author, drawing on course insights, reflection logs, and various academic sources, constructs a COC that integrates these elements to guide managerial decision-making and promote sustainable practices within an organization. The report concludes by highlighting the crucial role of the COC in fostering both individual and organizational growth towards a more sustainable future.

Running head: SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS AND LEADERSHIP
Sustainable Business and Leadership
Page 1

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS AND LEADERSHIP
Table of Contents
Introduction 3
Discussion 3
Sustainable Development.......................................................................................................3
Corporate Social Responsibility.............................................................................................3
Business Ethics.......................................................................................................................4
Leadership..............................................................................................................................4
Corporate Governance...........................................................................................................4
Developing a Code of Conduct for Good Manager...............................................................5
Conclusion 5
References 6
Page 2

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS AND LEADERSHIP
Introduction
The assignment consists of various aspects of sustainable business and leadership. This
explains the importance and benefits of sustainability development for an individual as well
as for the organisation. Sustainable business and leadership are composed of various aspects
that majorly create an impact on sustainable development in an internal and external manner.
This course consists of economic, social and ecological suitability and leadership
development. In addition, this deals with various aspects, which include corporate social
responsibility, corporate governance, business ethics, sustainable development and
leadership. These factors are co-related with sustainable business and leadership. Thus, the
objective of this assignment is to find out the various aspects related to sustainable business
and leadership along with a code of conduct (COC), which is useful for becoming a manager
as well as the opportunity and challenges the individual and organisation.
Discussion
Sustainable Development
The major aspects of sustainable development are the overall growth of the country, an
individual and an organisation. This development is related various factors such as economic,
social and ecological developments. The importance of suitable development analyses the
overall growth which affects the whole factors. Furthermore, sustainable development can be
described as the development, which meets the present demands and needs, without
compromising the requirements of the future generation. Sustainable development performs
with the aim to control the world’s resources effectively. The importance of sustainable
development includes development towards the standard of living, as the process always
focuses on improving the quality of human lives by providing proper supporting system.
This eventually helps to improve the standard of living. Another importance of this
development is that it improves the eco-system by developing the quality of air, water, and
related resources, thereby helping to maintain the environment resources for the future
generations. The last objective of this development is economic development by addressing
and improving revenue and investment by meeting basic needs (Sachs, 2015). The
relationship between these pillars consists of the concept of the Triple bottom line concept
explained by John Elkington (1994). It explains the interaction as well as the correlation of
these basic pillars of sustainable development and maintains the balance of the overall
development. However, maintaining these three pillars is a challenging task, balancing this is
possible by providing proper and effective observation.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) becomes a major and compulsory component for a
business report. Every company must maintain a report of social responsibility, which
includes various activities, related to social development on an annual basis. CSR is based on
various aspects such as stakeholders, investment, supplier and consumer. In addition, CSR
can be defined as a relationship between the governments, individual citizens and global
corporations, the effects of which can be defined individually. The activities of CSR are
based on majorly three principles, which include Sustainability, Accountability and
Transparency. Here, sustainability explains the effects which present the action taking
process for the future along with the duration and effects towards the individual, organisation
and the country. When maintaining sustainability one must be concerned about maintaining
Page 3

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS AND LEADERSHIP
the balance and saving the limited resources for future development. The next principle of
accountability explains about maintaining and measuring environmental performance along
with firms report actions. The accountability is concerned about both the internal and external
aspects, which are related to the organisation. The last principle explains about transparency
that is majorly concerned with the external effects. Transparency can be explained as a
process of recognising responsibility on the part of the external effects of the organisation as
well as the external stakeholders (McWilliams and Siegel, 2001). Thus, the CSR is majorly
necessary for social and environmental development, as it will help to reduce the social
problems by enhancing the number of CSR activities in an organisation (Friedman, 1970).
Business Ethics
The term business ethics can generally be explained as a process of identifying the difference
between right and wrong activities taking place within the organisation. The business ethics is
majorly necessary for managing the business effectively, as this can help to analyze and
control the conflicts and opportunities of the business, thereby helping to understand and
maintain the gap between right and wrong aspects (Moore, Detert, Trevino, Baker, & Mayer,
2012). This aspect has a core relationship in developing business policies and practices. The
major aspects of business ethics are related to confidentiality, trustworthiness, human values
and long-term legal benefits. Business ethics always consider identifying morality, and legal
factors along with those related to legal issues as well as the respective solutions (Ng, and
Burke, 2010).
Leadership
Leadership is an important factor for any business, which can help to enhance success and
business growth. The concept of leadership influences the thought, attitude, and behaviour of
others. A leader plays a major role in managing the team towards achieving employee’s
goals. Leadership integrates with various other aspects, which include excellent
communication, enthusiasm, good motivation skills, supportive, and inspirational along with
integrity and humility. Leadership is majorly important for solving ethical issues effectively
(Terjesen, Couto, & Francisco, 2016). These mentioned aspects are the basic requirements
of a good leader, whose job is to control their team’s activities of achieving the common or
individual goal. Therefore, maintaining a proper and clear communication with the individual
and team is immensely necessary. The leader must be enthusiastic as the team always follow
everything about their leader. Therefore, enthusiasm is majorly needed for handing and
motivating the team efficiently. A leader should be a good motivator for the others, as only
then can the leader be able to motivate their team members. Supportive and being humble is
majorly necessary for managing and developing the team effectively. Since, a leader will
only be able to understand their team members, if they behave in a supportive and humble
way. Inspiring with integrity is majorly important for achieving particular goals and decision
making. A leader must be trusted by the team members; otherwise, it will be difficult for
them to understand the problems of the team members effectively.
Corporate Governance
The term corporate governance combines with the board of director of the company to
control and analyse external and internal factors. This aspect is related with the various
business related factors including legal, shareholders rights, disclosure, rights of the
stakeholders and shareholder influences. Thus, the corporate governance proves to be helpful
for understanding and analysing various aspects as it is majorly helpful in terms of
conducting decision-making process for the organisation, as well as for the development of
Page 4

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS AND LEADERSHIP
the individuals (Mallin, 2013). A proper corporate governance help to solve the financial and
business-related issues effectively (Cuomo, Mallin, and Zattoni, 2016).
Developing a Code of Conduct for Good Manager
Developing a Code of Conduct is majorly important for an organisation for developing
organisation decision making which comprises organizational goals and values. The code of
conduct is a major requirement for every organisation for enhancing the individual as well as
organisational goal. Codes of conduct are important for providing the major guidelines and
reference the users in day to day decision making. This Code of Conduct is reflecting on
linking the organisation’s mission, vision, values, principles and motivation to the standards
of professional conduct. Here the code of conduct is to present my values, goals and
objectives of my life. Therefore, for developing a code of conduct, an in-depth analysis and
concern is must. My codes of conduct are clear and my focus thus combines three core
subjects, which include managing my organisation, people and myself. A proper manager
should be able to manage these three aspects to create good management.
My aim of creating a Code of Conduct is to improve the performance and culture of
organisation. For adopting this code of conduct I need to majorly focus on sustainable
development, CSR activities, corporate governance, business ethics, and leadership. Since all
these aspects are related to the Code of Conduct. I believe I am aware of these mentioned
aspects for performing effectively in the future. The leadership is majorly required as a leader
proves to be better than the manager towards developing their team. Thus, I should have
these resources and skills ready to become a proper manager. In addition, COC is also
helping me in managing and enhancing the employee’s performance as the process is
conducted in a systematic manner. Thus, it can be understood that developing and managing
COC is a core necessity for me. This will also not be possible to develop this without the help
of proper and effective sustainable development and leadership skills. It has thus, been
identified that all the related aspects are equally important for conducting COC effectively.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it can be analyzed that sustainable business and leadership have developed a
major impact on the organisational environment and in terms of enhancing performance.
Sustainable development thus consists of the related factors which include corporate
governance, CSR, business ethics and leadership. This can conclude all aspects majorly
influencing the COC for the organisation. Thus, developing COC for the manager as well as
sustainable development with leadership is co-related factors and these all factors are equally
important for the manager and organisational development.
Page 5

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS AND LEADERSHIP
References
Cuomo, F., Mallin, C. and Zattoni, A., 2016, ‘ Corporate governance codes: A review and
research agenda’, Corporate governance: an international review, 24(3), pp.222-241.
Friedman, M 1970, ‘A Friedman doctrine: The social responsibility of business is to increase
its profits’, The New York Times Magazine, 13(1970), pp.32-33.
Mallin, C. A 2013, Corporate Governance.4th Ed, Oxford University Press, UK.
McWilliams, A. and Siegel, D., 2001, ‘Corporate social responsibility: A theory of the firm
perspective’, Academy of management review, 26(1), pp.117-127.
Moore, C., Detert, J. R., Treviño, L. K., Baker, V. L., & Mayer, D. M 2012, ‘Why employees
do bad things: Moral disen- gagement and unethical organizational behavior’, Personnel
Psychology, 65, 1–48.
Ng, E.S. and Burke, R.J 2010, ‘Predictor of business students attitudes toward sustainable
business practices’, Journal of Business Ethics, 95(4), pp.603-615.
Sachs, Jeffrey D 2015, The age of sustainable development. Columbia, University Press, UK.
Terjesen, S., Couto, E. B., & Francisco, P. M 2016, ‘Does the presence of independent and
female directors impact firm performance? A multi-country study of board diversity, Journal
of Management & Governance, 20(3), 447-483.
Page 6