Sustainability in Operations & Supply Chain Report

Description

Select a firm of interest and read their most recent citizenship / social responsibility report and communicate the primary social-, environmental-, and supply chain-related initiatives—as they relate to the firm’s operations and supply chain—underway in the company and the relevant performance outcomes of these initiatives (if they are available). Your entry will be in a table on this template . As a foil to the company’s self-reported information, spend some time researching what other organizations (e.g., press and NGOs…with cited sources!) have to say about the company’s activities, checking to see if they are engaged in potentially harmful activities not mentioned in their report (Do the other voices corroborate or contradict what the company has said about their own actions?). Finally, comment on your personal reactions to the report and other voices. Pasting images in the bottom three rows of the table can help to explain/support your text entries. INSTRUCTIONS: The rows on the template  are the same as below. Entries should not be entire paragraphs! Use the descriptions below. [NOTE: the environmental and social issues should have an operations- or supply chain-related connection. For example, company philanthropy, while a good thing for a community, is not something that is related to the Inputs>>Transformation Process>>Outputs model we’ve been using.] Again, images pasted–perhaps of graphics from the report–into your table will earn more points than reports without them.  GRI Framework? | This is asking if the firm used some kind of framework for the structure of its report. This may be noted in the introduction or in an appendix; it could also show up in a table where specific guidance on a section of the report used a reference framework. Other frameworks  (Links to an external site.)  could be based on the UN, CDP, and SASB.  ENVIRONMENTAL elements/issues/initiatives Identify two or three primary initiatives the organization is reporting that address most important ENVIRONMENTAL issues facing the company. The issues should be related to operations and can address inputs, the transformation process, or outputs (e.g., waste, emissions, etc.). When possible, do identify the quantitative benefits/results of the initiatives (e.g., tons of emissions saved, water saved, etc.). SOCIAL elements/issues/initiatives Identify two or three initiatives the organization is reporting that addresses an important SOCIAL issue facing the company. Initiatives addressing social issues in the workplace are likely candidates here (e.g., workplace safety, child labor). Customer issues (e.g., reducing magnetic exposure from mobile phones) may be included as well. When possible, do identify the quantitative benefits/results of the initiatives (e.g., worker injuries reduced). SUPPLY CHAIN elements/issues/initiatives Identify two or three initiatives the organization is reporting that address important SOCIAL or ENVIRONMENTAL issues that are in their SUPPLY CHAIN. You might even search for the firm’s ‘Supplier Code of Conduct’ or a report that specifically addresses supplier responsibility (such as the one Apple releases  (Links to an external site.) ). In this section, also include a bullet point that lists a few of the countries in which the firm’s suppliers are located. OTHER VOICES: Consider what other organizations (NGOs, press, etc.) are saying about the company and its actions, including perspectives that might differ from the one presented in the organization’s report. Be careful about using unsubstantiated information (e.g., statements from blogs). PERSONAL REACTION: Share your thoughts about the company after reading their report. Why do you think the firm published this report, in its current form? What surprised you? Did your feelings about the firm change after reading the report?  Why or why not? Did it change after reading other voices of the firm? FROM THE ARTICLE, What’s Your Strategy for SC Disclosure?  (Links to an external site.) :  What items from the ‘Supply Chain Disclosure Radar’ graphic (from the article) are included in the report? From the ‘Supply Chain Transparency Matrix’ graphic, where would you position the organization? Why? Of the major items reported by the organization, which cell of the ‘Supply Chain Disclosure Matrix’ graphic is most represented?