University of Northampton BUS3001 CSR Portfolio: Reflective Analysis

This portfolio, submitted by a student, presents a reflective analysis of corporate social responsibility (CSR) based on two student-led seminars (SLS) attended during the course BUS3001 at the University of Northampton. The portfolio delves into the impact of social media on CSR, particularly for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and the role of social media in marketing and communication, including case studies like Taco Bell. It also examines whistleblowing and workplace ethics, exploring the ethical dilemmas faced by employees and the impact of whistleblowing on companies, using the General Motors case as an example. The author reflects on the seminar discussions, integrating personal insights and learnings about how these topics affect business practices and the importance of ethical considerations in professional life. The portfolio includes references to books, journals, and online resources used for the seminars.

CSR PORTFOLIO

Table of Contents
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
Social Media and CSR.................................................................................................................3
Whistle-blowing and workplace ethics........................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

MAIN BODY
Social Media and CSR
Part A
The use of social media in meeting the corporate social responsibility has been an
increasing trend in the past years and this can be adequately summed from the gradual shift in
the manner in which the companies now market their product. Social Media has indeed become a
platform to communicate with the stakeholders of the company increasing transparency and
making the company and its views more accessible to the general and targeted public (Hopkins,
2017). Today, rather than making consumers buy their products, focus has shifted on making the
consumers understand and recognise which is the correct product to be brought. Rather than just
limiting themselves to PR activities, when people actually see companies performing CSR
duties, it goes a long way for the company. Use of social media assists the companies in
developing a marketing platform for the company, offering an avenue through which sales of the
company can be increased, developing the innovation edge in the companies and developing a
communication platform between the users and producers of a particular product or service.
Additionally in SME’s the vitality of Social media is incomprehensible since the ease and
flexibility with which they can make their message heard to a larger section of public is
instrumental in the success of the company. The lower cost and capacity to target a wider section
of public are two key factors in increasing the use and facilitating these SME’s in expanding
their philosophy. This helps in building a positive change in the culture and society and
modernising the lifestyle without compromising on the nature and further, it also assists in
increasing the consumption of the local and regional produce (Ny, 2015). This brings economical
and financial prosperity thus fulfilling the basic nature of an SME.
However, for and SME, while choosing and venturing into social media marketing there
are many challenges the major being how to make themselves recognized amongst the myriad of
marketing campaigns used by bigger companies who are a pro at using social media. Choosing
the correct social media platform and then determining the cost that will be incurred and
developing proper strategy for marketing are some of the key challenges that SME’s face while
venturing (Voss, 2016).
Taco Bell is one such company that has been rocking the Social Media. The first step was
by developing a unique voice where they used humour and wittiness without faking it, and they

work consistently on learning bout new trends and then using creativity along with wit. For
example when they wanted to promote about the new mobile ordering app rather than creating
publicity about t, they left all social media platforms with a single message.
I think this is a brilliant way of using social media and without increasing the unnecessary cost
and burdens and also ensures that the company is creative in its activities (How Taco Bell is
Winning at Social Media Marketing, 2017).
Part B
I think that use of social media has assisted the companies, particularly SME's in increasing their
overall targeted marketing segment and developing better practices that help the in serving their
consumers in a better way. I also think that social media has marginally reduced the burden of
cost on the companies and made them focus more on the creativity and innovation aspect. I also

think that the fact that it can be used to market products globally has contributed very much in
improving the quality of the marketing that is being done. However, the social media marketing
activities has another major aspect in their use in the CSR activities which was not addressed in
the Seminar and this was the conveying of the actual message i.e. when social media is used to
market a product there are many instances when the company, in order to make their product
innovative, fail to deliver the true intent or purpose of CSR activities.
Whistle-blowing and workplace ethics
Part A
The concept of whistle-blowing can be defined as exposing or leaking of information that
is confidential in nature and is treated as a violation in the rights of privacy i.e. this information
that s leaked is not within the ethical boundaries of how a confidential or sensitive information
must be treated. This treachery of committing whistle blowing has different impact on private
and public enterprises and can be treated as a serious crime or offence that can be committed.
Different countries have developed different acts and standards that can be used to govern this
aspect. However, there are many third party organizations that are working towards protecting
the rights of these whistle-blowers and this is usually done when the information that is leaked is
fraudulent in nature or involves some crime or offence (Vandekerckhove, 2016). When the
employees of a company report on something that is not correctly or justly done by a company
and complains to the management it is known as whistleblowing.
The term workplace ethics can be defined as the morals, principles and guidelines that a
person uses while fulfilling the job roles and duties that are assigned to them in the workplace.
These are virtues, values and strengths that help in identification and judgement of the character
of an employee and also points out the trustworthiness of that particular employee. There are a
series of workplace ethics that need to be complied with and one of this is ensuring that the
confidentiality of the company is not compromised with.
When linking whistle blowing to the workplace ethics, it can be adequately derived that
this is not approved in the code of conduct developed under the workplace ethics and therefore is
treated as a serious offence (Miceli and Near, 2016). This is considered as a serious contrast with
the workplace ethics that have been developed by a company. However, it is also an important
tool in uncovering some of the important aspects of the company and also exposing that where
they are wrong i.e. which of their practices they need to correct.

The ethical dilemmas that the employees face while whistle blowing is the disapproval of the
colleagues as well as the managers. The employee is right in his own place but still, the
governing bodies do not find it ethical when the employee whistle blows bout another employee
or a policy of the company (Near and Miceli, 2016). This raises questions on the loyalty of the
employee towards the company and the employee has to personally face many consequences in
case of whistle blowing.
The best example that can be used here is the case of General Motors where the employee
of the company Courtland Kelley before the higher authorities that the ignition switches in the
cars manufactured by GM were faulty and led to sudden stoppage or crashing of the car.
Although, he was pushed out of his job making other inspectors fear as well, the reputation of the
company dwindled which led to the company earning major losses.
Part B
Based on this aspect which was discussed in the seminar, I was able to learn that whistle blowing
can even be done in a positive manner by saving the life of many of consumers of the company
that might get afflicted otherwise. I was also able to recognise that this acts as a precedence of
what can happen when you raise voice against the practices of your own organisation. I think I
will carry on what I learned in this seminar further in my life when I myself actually get
employed in a company in a permanent employment basis.
CONCLUSION
There were total 4 seminars that were conducted overall in order to develop the knowledge
amongst us related to the CSR Portfolio of the company and all of them were instrumental in
adding different aspects of knowledge regarding how the companies operate. I attended all the
seminars and chose seminar one and seminar three as my write up topics for the SLS discussion.
Seminar one helped me in analysing and identifying that how social media can be used as a tool
for conducting CSR activities where I learnt that a company posting a simple picture of them
planting a tree rings more bell to its follower rather than conducting an extensive PR activity. I
also learnt that how this social media marketing is hugely beneficial for the SME’s since it helps
them in truly showcasing their creativity without being worried much about the huge impact of
cost. I was able to recognise the importance of creativity and innovation in the present era and
the necessity to develop it along with its use in fulfilling the CSR responsibilities of the
company. I think that marketing the CSR activities that a company is doing without making it

seem like marketing is truly the most important thing that social media has helped in achieving.
Apart from this, I also learnt about whistle blowing. Earlier I used to associate with this concept
negatively but after hearing this seminar, I was able to learn that there are various other aspects
as well that are associated with the whistle blowing. Though, the entire concept is entwined with
ethical dilemmas and workplace conflicts whereby, in order to bring out the wrongdoing of
someone, you yourself are doing something wrong. The irony is noticeable and yet, in my
opinion, if a wrong act can truly help in saving the lives of even a single person let alone the
hundreds of afflicted customers, then that wrong act is worth committing since it is human life
that we are talking about here. It also helped me in learning that how the job role that is assigned
to you in a company demands responsibilities and commitment to the company, yes, but more to
the society to which you are ulterior server. Their safety is the ethic which I shall give the
highest priority when I get employed in future.
Therefore, both the seminars that I illustrated about were life changing experiences for
me where I learnt something meaningful and useful that I will definitely use and inculcate in my
practical life experience and in addition to my knowledge, these seminars helped me in
developing my wisdom.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Hopkins, R., 2017. Getting to the core of the matter: an exploratory study on how social
enterprises in the West of Ireland identify their potential target market and communicate
their core brand values (Doctoral dissertation, Institute of Technology, Sligo).
Miceli, M.P. and Near, J.P., 2016. Whistleblowing. In Encyclopedia of Human Resource
Management. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.
Near, J.P. and Miceli, M.P., 2016. After the wrongdoing: What managers should know about
whistleblowing. Business Horizons, 59(1). pp.105-114.
Ny, H.T.T., 2015. THE INFLUENCES OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ON
CORPORATE IMAGE (A CASE STUDY OF TH GROUP IN HO CHI MINH CITY,
VIETNAM) (Doctoral dissertation, President University).
Vandekerckhove, W., 2016. Whistleblowing and organizational social responsibility: A global
assessment. Routledge.
Voss, L., 2016. Case study: An Evaluation of Criteria in the Supply Chain of Case company to
Gain the Preferred Status for Customers and Suppliers (Master's thesis, University of
Twente).
Online
How Taco Bell is Winning at Social Media Marketing. 2017. [Online]. Available through:
<https://awario.com/blog/case-study-taco-bell-rocks-social-media-can-learn/>
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