GROUP ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET

STUDENT DETAILS
Student name: Đặng Thái An Student ID number: 31221026563
Student name: Đặng Ánh Dương Student ID number: 31221025497
Student name: Đặng Thị Phương Ngân Student ID number: 31221025432
Student name: Văn Thị Mỹ Phượng Student ID number: 31221021040
Student name: Đường Hạc Bảo Quyên Student ID number: 31221025991
Student name: Nguyễn Phúc Uyên Thanh Student ID number: 31221021357
Student name: Trần Thị Phương Yến Student ID number: 31221023842

UNIT AND TUTORIAL DETAILS

Unit name: Academic English Unit number: AEn-DH48ISB-11
Wed, 12:00 AM - 15:15
Tutorial/Lecture: Group Essay Outline Class day and time: PM
Lecturer or Tutor name: Mr. John Bayarong

ASSIGNMENT DETAILS
Title: Group Essay Outline - Business Ethics
Length: 921 words Due date: Sun, Mar 12 2023 Date submitted: Sun, Mar 12 2023

DECLARATION
I hold a copy of this assignment if the original is lost or damaged.
I hereby certify that no part of this assignment or product has been copied from any other student’s work or
from any other source except where due acknowledgement is made in the assignment.
I hereby certify that no part of this assignment or product has been submitted by me in another
(previous or current) assessment, except where appropriately referenced, and with prior permission
from the Lecturer / Tutor / Unit Coordinator for this unit.
No part of the assignment/product has been written/ produced for me by any other person except
where collaboration has been authorised by the Lecturer / Tutor /Unit Coordinator concerned.
I am aware that this work may be reproduced and submitted to plagiarism detection software programs for
the purpose of detecting possible plagiarism (which may retain a copy on its database for future plagiarism
checking).
Student’s signature: Đặng Thái An
Student’s signature: Đặng Ánh Dương
Student’s signature: Đặng Thị Phương Ngân
Student’s signature: Văn Thị Mỹ Phượng
Student’s signature: Đường Hạc Bảo Quyên
Student’s signature: Nguyễn Phúc Uyên Thanh
Student’s signature: Trần Thị Phương Yến
Note: An examiner or lecturer / tutor has the right to not mark this assignment if the above declaration has not
been signed.

1
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION 3
II. DEFINITIONS & BACKGROUND 3
III. BODY 3
IV. CONCLUSION 5
V. REFERENCES 6

2
 I. INTRODUCTION

This outline will argue that corporations should be socially responsible in their business activities
rather than merely focusing on profits. This will be supported by several reasons. Firstly, if the
corporation takes social responsibility seriously, it will thrive in the long run by enhancing its
quite general should use hedging
reputation and revenue. Secondly, the production activities of the firm have a profound effect on
the social economy as well as the biological balance. Thirdly, companies can increase employee
engagement by taking on social responsibility. On the other hand, a counter-argument is that many
people believe corporate social responsibility is just a marketing tool because many companies have
been accused of ‘greenwashing’. However, the response to this is transparent action and policy can
prevent this controversy. OK

II. DEFINITIONS & BACKGROUND

Business ethics are the standards for morally right and wrong business behavior. It reflects what
companies do to contribute to the benefits of society. The business ethics index (BEI), developed in
the US, systematically evaluates customer sentiment toward ethical business practices (Tsalikis et al,
2008). Sustainable corporations can promote integrity among their employees and gain trust from
stakeholders such as investors and customers. In other words, maintaining business ethics
contributes to sustainable development of society. This is why corporate social responsibility should
be prioritized in any business activities. Good

III. BODY

Firstly, the company can survive and thrive in the long run when it concerns social responsibility
seriously.

Explain + Evidence: Socially active companies are more likely to be viewed favorably by stakeholders
and customers, which can help them improve their reputation and grow their clientele.

- According to a Harvard Business School study (2013), consumers are more inclined to buy
products and services from businesses that show a commitment to social responsibility
(Bennett, 2022). This phenomenon is understandable thanks to increased customers’
Good awareness about the product.

- The CSR report can be used as a powerful outreach tool as part of an ongoing shareholder
relations campaign and also as a demonstration of transparency (Noked, 2013). The
stakeholders and the potential investors can base on CSR information to make investment
decisions.

Secondly, business activities have a significant impact on the environment, they profoundly
compromise both the economy and human life. Therefore, being socially responsible is a must for
any corporation.

3
 Explain + Evidence:

- According to The New Climate Economy (2018), up to 95% of plastic packaging worth $120
billion is discarded immediately after use, and microplastics were discovered in 114 aquatic
species that would become human food. Therefore, to safeguard their own business and
human life, the firms must be aware of their actions on the environment.
Good
- The metal industry of Europe does harm to the ecosystem and human health. Biota is
harmed by heavy metals including Cd, Hg, and Pb. Although ambient air concentrations are
above limit values in only a few areas in Europe, the atmospheric deposition of heavy metals
causes ecosystems, species, and bioaccumulation in the food chain to be exposed, with
negative effects on people's health (Heavy metal emissions in Europe, 2022).

Thirdly, companies can engage more with their employees through their corporate social
responsibility.

Explain + Evidence: Not only do companies these days concentrate on harvesting huge profits, but
they also put effort into social value in order to boost workplace morale and productivity.

- According to a study by Porter Novelli (2020), nearly 70% of employees assert that they
would not work for a company without a strong purpose. While 90% of employees who find
Good
their work having a strong sense of purpose say they would be more inspired and loyal.

- A report from Gallup (2022) shows that employee engagement directly contributes to the
company's overall performance. The research indicates that engaged employees help firms
achieve a 17% increase in productivity, 21% growth in profits, and 41% lower absenteeism.

On the other hand, an argument for this topic is that corporate social responsibility is only a
marketing tool since a lot of firms have been condemned for greenwashing.

Explain + Evidence:

- According to Forbes Magazine, Volkswagen - a global car brand stated publicly that all of its
cars were environmentally friendly with the least amount of emission. However, in reality, its
cars generated 40 times the permissible limit of nitrogen oxide, adversely contaminating the
Good
global atmosphere. (Dans, E. (2022, April 14)

- The Earth Island Institute sued the Coca-Cola Company for false advertising in 2021 (Joe,
2021). This brand has stated that it is a sustainable firm and promoted its products as
environmentally friendly. However, from the Brand Audit report in 2020, it was ranked the
number one plastic producer in the world with over 13,000 branded Coca-Cola plastics in
many countries around the world.

However, a response to this is that this issue can be avoided by transparent policy and action.

Explain + Evidence:

4
 - Greenwashing and bad business ethics can not develop in an environment embracing
transparency. The transparent action of the company can be a role model for others and
avoid any misunderstanding.
OK
- According to Forbes, in 2020, a sustainable menswear brand - ASKET, started to include the
‘impact receipt' along with its clothes. This provides information about CO2 emissions as
well as the energy used to create each item of clothing (Pinnock, 2021). => so what is the result of
this action?
IV. CONCLUSION

This outline has shown that companies need to be concerned the environmental and social
sustainability in their business activities. The reasons given are it facilitates business survival and
growth in the long run, directly impacts the environment and human life, and it helps to establish
the motivation for employees. Although a counterargument is that businesses promote CSR as a
marketing tool to advertise their brand image, the response shows that ultimately transparent
policy and actions could alleviate this problem.

V. REFERENCES Good range of sources including some academic papers

2018. (n.d.). New Climate Economy Report. Retrieved from

https://newclimateeconomy.report/2018/

Appannagari, R. R. R. (n.d.). Environmental Pollution Causes and Consequences: A Study.

ResearchGate. Retrieved from

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ramamohana-Reddy-Appannagari/publication/32394

4189_Environmental_Pollution_Causes_and_Consequences_A_Study/links/5ab3dfeea6fdcc

1bc0c3f043/Environmental-Pollution-Causes-and-Consequences-A-Study.pdf%20

Bennett, S. (2023, February 20). Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Statistics 2022 - Everything

You Need to Know. Webinar Care. Retrieved from

https://webinarcare.com/best-corporate-social-responsibility-software/corporate-social-res

ponsibility-statistics/#13

5
Burns, J. (2019, October 20). Companies should concentrate on maximising their profits. Financial

Times. Retrieved from

https://www.ft.com/content/06279bd0-f0c1-11e9-a55a-30afa498db1b

Campbell, K. (2013, July 6). IKEA Uses A Staggering 1% Of The World's Wood. Gizmodo Australia.

Retrieved from

https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2013/07/ikea-uses-a-staggering-1-of-the-worlds-wood/

Charpail, M. (n.d.). Fashion & Environment — SustainYourStyle. Sustain Your Style. Retrieved from

https://www.sustainyourstyle.org/en/whats-wrong-with-the-fashion-industry

Chiu, K.H. and Hsu, C.L. (2010), “Research on the connections between corporate social

responsibility and corporation image in the risk society: take the mobile telecommunication

industry as an example”, International Journal of Electronic Business Management, Vol. 8 No. 3, pp.

183-194.

Enrique Dans. Volkswagen And The Failure Of Corporate Social Responsibility. Forbes. Retrieved

from

https://www.forbes.com/sites/enriquedans/2015/09/27/volkswagen-and-the-failure-of-corp

orate-social-responsibility/?sh=4c49a0de4405

Environmental Technology | Impact of Technology on Environment. (2021, November 13). Edinburgh

Sensors. Retrieved from

https://edinburghsensors.com/news-and-events/environmental-technology-the-impact-of-t

echnology-on-the-environment-and-environmental-technology/

Heavy metal emissions in Europe. (2022, November 22). European Environment Agency. Retrieved

March 5, 2023, from https://www.eea.europa.eu/ims/heavy-metal-emissions-in-europe

6
How greenwashing can be avoided through transparency. (n.d.). Worldfavor Sustainability Blog.

Retrieved from

https://blog.worldfavor.com/how-greenwashing-can-be-avoided-through-transparency

Kearney, A. (2009). Green” winners: The performance of sustainability-focused organizations during

the financial crisis. Business and Human Rights Resource Center.

Kiran, R., & Sharma, A. (2011). Corporate social responsibility: A corporate strategy for new

business opportunities. Journal of international business ethics, 4(1), 10.

Murray, S. (2019, October 20). Jobseekers want employers to commit to meaningful social impact.

Financial Times. Retrieved from

https://www.ft.com/content/39d1367c-e445-11e9-b112-9624ec9edc59

Peters, A. (2019, February 14). Millennials would earn less to work at a sustainable company. Fast

Company. Retrieved from

https://www.fastcompany.com/90306556/most-millennials-would-take-a-pay-cut-to-work-at-a-sust

ainable-company

Pinnock, O. (n.d.). Sustainable Fashion Wants Brands To Redefine Business Growth. Forbes.

Retrieved from

https://www.forbes.com/sites/oliviapinnock/2021/09/24/degrowth-is-trending-in-sustainabl

e-fashion-what-does-that-mean-for-brands/?sh=4daf69ce4a6f

Porter Novelli. (2020, August 21). Porter Novelli Purpose Tracker, Wave X: Employee Perspectives on

Responsible Leadership During Crisis. Retrieved from

https://www.porternovelli.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/02_Porter-Novelli-Tracker-Wa

ve-X-Employee-Perspectives-on-Responsible-Leadership-During-Crisis.pdf

7
Robins, F. (2008). Why corporate social responsibility should be popularised but not imposed.

Corporate Governance: The International Journal of Business in Society, 8(3), 330–341.

https://doi.org/10.1108/14720700810879204

State of the Global Workplace Report. (n.d.). Gallup. Retrieved from

https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace.aspx#formheade

Stern, M., & RetailWire. (n.d.). H&M Case Shows How Greenwashing Breaks Brand Promise. Forbes.

Retrieved from

https://www.forbes.com/sites/retailwire/2022/07/13/hm-case-shows-how-greenwashing-br

eaks-brand-promise/?sh=3efe8ce91171

Teather, D. (2003, February 14). Scandal of crashed company’s tax evasion. The Guardian. Retrieved

from https://www.theguardian.com/business/2003/feb/14/corporatefraud.enron1

The relationship between business and society. (n.d.). Academia.edu - Share research. Retrieved

from https://www.academia.edu/6078716/The_relationship_between_business_and_society

Top CSR Trends You Need to Know In 2022. (n.d.). EVERFI. Retrieved from

https://everfi.com/blog/community-engagement/corporate-social-responsibility-trends/

Tsalikis, J., Seaton, B., & Li, T. (2008). The International Business Ethics Index: Asian Emerging

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25482173

The corporate social responsibility report and effective stakeholder engagement. (2013, December

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https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2013/12/28/the-corporate-social-responsibility-report-and-effect

ive-stakeholder-engagement/

Verma, P. (2022, November 30). Samsung to hire 1000 engineers from IITs and other engineering

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