Module 3: Corporate Social Responsibility

Collaborative Learning (Group Work)

Instructions:

Please indicate your group members and work together on this:

THE SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE SHOE COMPANY

When Blake Mycoskie was visiting Argentina in 2016, a bright idea came to him. At the same time
that he was wearing alpargatas, resilient, lightweight, canvas slip-ons, shoes typically worn by
Argentinean farm workers, he was also visiting poor villages, where many of the residents had no
shoes at all. His bright idea was that he was going to start a shoe company and give away a pair
of shoes to some needy child or person for every pair of shoes he sold. Thus, the basic mission
of his company was formulated.

Employing self-financing, especially at first, Blake decided to name his company Toms: Shoes for
Tomorrow. Blake is from Texas, and he likes to read books about such business success stories
as those of Ted Turner, Richard Branson, and Sam Walton. He appends the following message
at the end of his emails: “Disclaimer: you will not win the rat race wearing Toms.”

In the summer of 2016, he unveiled his first line of Toms shoes. Stores such as American Rag
and Fred Segal in Los Angeles, and Scoop in New York, started carrying his shoes. By fall, he
had sold 10,000 pairs of Toms and was off to the Argentina countryside, along with several
volunteers, to give away 10,000 pairs of shoes. In a Time magazine article, Blake was quoted as
saying, “I always thought I’d spend the first half of my life making money and the second half
giving it away. I never thought I could do both at the same time.”

By February 2017, Blake’s company had orders from 300 stores for 41,000 of his spring and
summer collection of shoes, and he has big plans to go international by entering markets in Japan,
Australia, Canada, France, and Spain in summer 2018. The company is also planning to introduce
a line of children’s shoes called Tiny Toms. Another shoe drop is planned for Argentina, with
future trips targeting Asia and Africa.

Questions for Discussion

1. How would you assess Toms’ CSR using the four-part CSR definition? Is the company based
on the typical business case for CSR or more of an ethical/philanthropic model?

2. Do you believe Blake’s twin goals of economics and social responsibility are compatible for
the long-term and at the current level?

3. What challenges do you foresee for the company’s future?

Sources: Nadia Mustafa, “A Shoe That Fits So Many Souls,” Time

Rubric for Collaborative Learning

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1
Content Shows a full Shows a good Shows a good Does not seem to
understanding of understanding of understanding of understand the
the topic. the topic. parts of the topic. topic very well.
Collaboration Almost always Usually listens to, Often listens to, Rarely listens to,
with Peers listens to, shares shares with, and shares with, and shares with, and
with, and supports the supports the supports the
supports the efforts of others efforts of others efforts of others
efforts of others in the group. in the group but in the group.
in the group. Does not cause sometimes is not Often is not a
Tries to keep \"waves\" in the a good team good team
people working group. member. member.
well together.
Stays on Topic Stays on topic all Stays on topic Stays on topic It was hard to tell
(100%) of the most (99-90%) of some (89%-75%) what the topic
time. the time. of the time. was.
Preparedness Student is Student seems The student is Student does not
completely pretty prepared somewhat seem at all
prepared and has but might have prepared, but it is prepared to
obviously needed a couple clear that present.
rehearsed. more rehearsals. rehearsal was
lacking.
Vocabulary Uses vocabulary Uses vocabulary Uses vocabulary Uses several (5
appropriate for appropriate for appropriate for or more) words or
the audience. the audience. the audience. phrases that are
Extends Includes 1-2 Does not include not understood
audience words that might any vocabulary by the audience.
vocabulary by be new to most of that might be new
defining words the audience, but to the audience.
that might be new does not define
to most of the them.
audience.