Corporate Responsibility
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Clearly explain the various concepts of CR and their potential impact on
organisations;
2. Identify opportunities for value-adding CR within established organisation;
3. Demonstrate a capacity to clearly communicate CR strategies to a variety of
stakeholders;
4. Clearly and appropriately communicate in both oral and written forms.
Related graduate attribute(s)
1. UC graduates are professional – employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge
and skills;
1. UC graduates are professional – communicate effectively;
1. UC graduates are professional – use creativity, critical thinking, analysis
and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems;
1. UC graduates are professional – take pride in their professional and
personal integrity.
2. UC graduates are global citizens – think globally about issues in their
profession;
2. UC graduates are global citizens – adopt an informed and balanced approach
across professional and international boundaries;
2. UC graduates are global citizens – understand issues in their profession from
the perspective of other cultures;
Assignment 3
Brief: Organisational Action Plan.
Value: 30%.
End Outcome: Continuing on from your last task, a hypothetical plan
for organisational action towards responsible outcomes: activation and
communication of your CR program internally and externally.
Format: Report type-written or word processed in 12-point font, double spaced,
with margins of at least 25mm. Appropriate subheadings to provide structure to
your assignment.
Word Count: 2000 words (10% allowable either way).
Please indicate word count on cover.
Due Date: Before final week of trimester.
This task is part 2 of your CR program for a hypothetical business.
This task requires you to outline, and justify an action plan for your hypothetical
organisation from part 1. Your goal here is to consider how your organisation
is equipped to action your program, outline the steps required to within the
organisation to implement these activities. You should also consider a plan for
stakeholder identification and engagement, as well as a communication process
both internally and externally.
This plan needs to be structured, systematic, and must use theories, models, and
concepts you have learned in this subject.
Your plan may be structured however you think best to present your ideas.
However, within this assignment you should:
1. Describe your key activities linked closely to the organisational functions
and business units that will be involved. A plan for implementation should be
tabulated, and can be closely linked to the concepts covered in Module 8.
2. Outline changes to the organisation that are required, or what needs to
occur in order to achieve your CR goals covered in part 1. This should be
considered across:
• Organisational Culture
• Management and Leadership
• Structure and business organisation
• The People within the organisation
This can be closely linked to concepts covered in Module 6.
3. Describe a process of stakeholder identification, and outline how you will
engage and further dialogue with key stakeholders.
This can be linked to concepts covered in Module 9.
4. A communications plan for both internal and external audiences. Consider
how your CR program will be disseminated to employees, as well as how
external marketing and communication efforts will help achieve your
stated goals and outcomes.
A hypothetical social mission statement should be considered, and this section
should be linked to content from Module 9.
Additional Information
2. UC graduates are global citizens – behave ethically and sustainably in their
professional and personal lives.
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners – reflect on their own practice, updating
and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and
academic development;
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners – be self-aware;
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners – adapt to complexity, ambiguity and
change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas;
5. A summary of your action plan, and some key considerations for review and
assessment practices that need to be anticipated and considered.
At least one model of social impact assessment or performance measurement
should be included. This can be linked closely to concepts from Module 10.
Hints
• This assignment is not testing your wider research ability, moreso your
understanding and comprehension of the approaches and processes discussed
in Modules 4-10. Think about how these could be actioned by organisations,
and design your plan around these.
• This assignment also needs to build upon your part 1 plan… try to think about
continuing your scope, key CR goals and outcomes and links to key models to
help give a sense of integration and linkage between these two assessment
pieces. Demonstrate evolution and development of your program ideas,
you are being assessed on this continuity.
• Try to be holistic with your action plan suggestions – think about how the entire
organisation is being affected and what needs to change towards responsible
outcomes. They also need to be real-world in terms of terms of applicability
and linked directly with what your wider CR strategy proposes.
• Subheadings can be a good formatting and stylistic tool here to segment your
ideas and thoughts. Use them effectively – the best subheadings act to frame
and give context to an entire paragraph, and can subtly convey contention/
evaluation outcomes.
• Try to explain and structure your report with the concepts and some of the
models from the course. Modules 4-10 are a great place to start for this
entire assignment.
• Submit the report in a .doc or .docx format only.
Ask Yourself
• Explanation of Rationale: Have you explained key rationale as to why this
organizational approach or process is best or most appropriate to achieve
responsible outcomes? Why you have suggested this a potential organisational
consideration? Why this stakeholder group? Why this approach over the other
available methods?
• Application of theories and models: This is one of the most important aspects
of your assignment. You must demonstrate that you understand the topics
well enough to apply them to your action plan. Please note: description and/
or critique of these processes is not expected. However, please provide some
insight as to why this approach is necessary towards achievement of your wider
CR goals and outcomes.
• Structured, Organised Response: Does your assignment flow logically and
sequentially? Are the different components of your report discussed in a
sensible order? Have you made appropriate use of subheadings?
Suggested Structure
• Title Page
• Contents Page
• Executive Summary
1. An implementation plan: Key activities and business functions outlined
2. Organisational Considerations and Changes
3. Stakeholder Identification and Engagement Approach
4. Internal and External Communications Plan
5. Summary – Including review and assessment approach
• List of References
• Appendix
Essay Checklist
Title: Full title of plan, single spaced on the first page.
Identification: Full name and student number, single spaced on the first page.
Journal Articles: Plan uses a minimum of three research and/or academic/
market references and all are referenced in the report.
Page Numbers: Pages numbers placed on top right hand corner of each
page, without brackets or full stops.
Presentation and Format: Report type-written or word processed in
12-point font, double spaced, with margins of at least 25mm. Appropriate
subheadings to provide structure to your assignment.
Referencing: Harvard or APA system of referencing is used.
Full reference list – not bibliography – included at end of plan.
Library and Resources: Report includes primarily research databases,
websites and reports, but can include journals, papers and books sourced
from the library or other university resources.
Assessment
Criteria
Less than 50
Pass
50-64
Credit
65-74
Distinction
75-84
High Distinction
85 plus
Holistic consideration
of the organisational
impacts of
CR strategy
implementation
(people/processes/
structure/
management).
Linked to challenges
outlined in part 1.
(30%)
Discussion of
organisational
changes is poorly
described and
limited, doesn’t link to
challenges identified
previously.
Discussion of
organisational changes
required is developing:
further explanation
could have boosted
comprehension
implementation,
or more holistic
consideration
required.
Good scope and
explanation of
organisational
changes required.
Well linked to
challenges from
part 1.
Very broad scope
and explanation
of organisational
changes required
for implementation.
Strong and consistent
links to challenges
from part 1.
Scope of changes
required is holistic
and discussion is
nuanced in regards
to implementation of
this CR plan. Tightly
linked to part 1
challenges.
Effective strategies
and rationale
of external
communications
of CR program to a
variety of identified
stakeholders.
(20%)
Inadequate
identification
of external
stakeholders, less
developed external
communication
strategies.
Stakeholder
identification process
is underdeveloped
with unclear external
communication plan.
Satisfactory
identification of
stakeholders with
some developing
consideration external
engagement and
dialogue approaches.
Very good
consideration of
external audience
engagement with well
articulated strategies
for identifying and
continuing stakeholder
dialogue toward
program goals.
Excellent consideration
of external audience
with well articulated
strategies for
identifying and
furthering stakeholder
engagement towards
and beyond program
goals.
Nuanced
consideration of
internal processes
and channels of
organisational
communication,
including developed
social mission
statement.
(20%)
Unsatisfactory or
missing internal
communications
strategies, inadequate
social mission
statement creation.
Underdeveloped
internal
communications
strategies, basic social
mission statement
development.
Satisfactory internal
communications
strategies outlined,
with a good scope
for social mission
statement claims.
Very good
consideration of
internal audience
engagement, well
articulated strategies
for organisational
communication
and social mission
statement
development is
strong.
Outstanding outline
of process for
internal audience
engagement, social
mission statement
development is
well linked to
wider strategy and
organisational
values.
Insightful and
holistic review
and assessment
considerations,
with confident
understanding of at
least one method
of social impact
assessment. Linked to
goals and outcomes
of part 1.
(20%)
Incoherent and less
clear assessment
and review approach
lacking in social
impact assessment.
A poor social impact
assessment, review
and assessment
plan is less wellrationalised
and
considered.
Satisfactory clarity
in assessment and
review approach, with
a good understanding
of social impact
assessment.
Very practical
assessment and
review outline,
which is highly is
professional and
considers social
impact holistically.
An engaging review
strategy that is
real-world in terms
of relevance to
program, and strong
rationalisation
of social impact
assessment
practices.
Formatting
requirements,
professionalism
in language and
presentation,
structured response.
(5%)
Plan has unclear
expression, incorrect
grammar/spelling.
Requires support for
improvement.
Plan has basic level
of written expression
which requires
additional support
to enhance written
expression, grammar
and spelling.
Plan is written with
good expression,
grammar and spelling
demonstrated. Solid
structure.
Plan is written with
very good expression,
grammar and spelling.
Structure supports
analysis.
Plan is written with
clear and concise
expression with
highly consistent and
accurate grammar
and spelling. Excellent
structure for case
study analysis.
Examples/research
used is appropriately
sourced, cited and
referenced.
(5%)
Plan includes mostly
incorrect citing and
referencing.
Plan includes
consistent errors and/
or inconsistencies
with citations and
referencing.
Plan includes
satisfactory citations
and referencing using
the APA/Harvard
referencing system
with some errors and/
or inconsistencies.
Plan includes
accurate citations
and referencing
using APA/Harvard
referencing system
with few errors.
Plan includes highly
accurate citations
and referencing using
the APA/Harvard
referencing system.
Marking Sheet for Assignment