Explore The CSR Work Of An International Company In Depth

Explore the CSR work of an international company in depth and evaluate it

This assignment is an opportunity for you to explore the CSR work of one international company in depth, and to evaluate this with reference to some of the core ideas, concepts and theories already presented in this course. Your essay should include a title page with the title of your essay, your name, student number, and word count. The main sections are as follows:

1. Introduction – give an overview of what your essay is about and your key findings.
2. Overview of your chosen company – select an international business and provide background information about it.
3. Analysis and evaluation of the CSR work of your company:
   • Describe and explain the CSR activities of your chosen company, using company websites and reports. Explore the company’s reasons for its CSR initiatives and the rationale behind its approach.
   • Evaluate the CSR work by applying core concepts and theories from this course, relevant literature, wider CSR initiatives, media reports, and stakeholder critiques. Use frameworks such as Crane et al.’s core characteristics of CSR, Carroll’s pyramid, stakeholder theory, or GRI reporting criteria to analyze the effectiveness and gaps in the company’s CSR approach.
4. Recommendations – based on your analysis, suggest improvements for the company’s CSR strategies, providing clear justifications referencing your evaluation.
5. Conclusion – briefly summarize your coverage, main findings, and recommendations.
6. References – include at least eight scholarly sources in Harvard style, not counting the course readings. The references are not part of the word count.

Word limit: 2,500 words, with a 10% margin (+/-). Use credible academic sources to support your analysis and evaluation throughout your paper.

Paper For Above instruction

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become an integral part of modern business strategy, reflecting companies’ recognition of their impact on society and the environment. This paper explores the CSR activities of Unilever, a global leader in consumer goods, critically evaluating its approaches to social responsibility using relevant theories and frameworks. The analysis encompasses an overview of Unilever’s CSR initiatives, their alignment with stakeholder expectations, and identification of areas for improvement, culminating in strategic recommendations to enhance its CSR effectiveness.

Introduction

This essay aims to critically assess the CSR work of Unilever, examining how the company integrates social and environmental considerations into its business practices. It explores Unilever’s motivations for CSR, the scope of its initiatives, and evaluates their alignment with core CSR theories and stakeholder expectations. The key findings suggest that while Unilever demonstrates a comprehensive and strategic approach to CSR, there are opportunities to deepen stakeholder engagement and enhance transparency to achieve more impactful sustainability outcomes.

Overview of Unilever

Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation founded in 1930, operating in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector. It offers products across food, beverages, cleaning agents, and personal care, serving over 190 countries. With a focus on sustainable growth, Unilever emphasizes responsible sourcing, environmental sustainability, and social impact. Its Sustainable Living Plan, launched in 2010, underscores its commitment to reducing environmental footprint and increasing positive social contributions (Unilever, 2021).

Analysis and Evaluation of CSR Work

Describing Unilever’s CSR Initiatives

Unilever’s CSR efforts predominantly revolve around its Sustainable Living Plan (USLP), aiming to decouple growth from environmental impact while enhancing social benefits. Key focuses include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, water conservation, sustainable sourcing of raw materials, waste reduction, and improving health and well-being through products and initiatives (Unilever, 2021). For example, the company has committed to sourcing 100% of agricultural raw materials sustainably by 2020, which it reports as having significant positive impacts on local communities and ecosystems (Unilever, 2021).

Furthermore, Unilever actively promotes gender equality and supports social inclusion through various programs aligned with its CSR commitments. The company’s rationale emphasizes creating shared value—where social responsibility benefits both society and business performance (Porter & Kramer, 2011). The approach is strategic, positioning CSR as a driver of brand differentiation and consumer trust.

Evaluation of Unilever’s CSR Approach

Applying Carroll’s Pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility, Unilever exemplifies the expected economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic responsibilities. Its sustainability goals reflect ethical commitments and stakeholder interests, notably consumers, employees, suppliers, and local communities (Carroll, 1999). However, scrutiny from NGOs and media reports indicates gaps in implementation, particularly regarding supply chain labor practices and environmental claims (Smith, 2019).

Using Crane et al.’s (2014) core characteristics of CSR, Unilever demonstrates a comprehensive strategy that integrates social, environmental, and economic dimensions. Nonetheless, critics argue that certain initiatives lack transparency or measurable impact. For instance, while commitments are ambitious, independent assessments reveal challenges in monitoring progress and ensuring accountability (EcoVadis, 2020). Stakeholder theory highlights the importance of engaging all relevant parties; in this context, some local NGOs have called for more rigorous stakeholder participation, especially regarding smallholder farmers involved in sourcing (Orr & Ford, 2020).

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards serve as a benchmark to evaluate sustainability reporting, and Unilever’s disclosures largely align with GRI guidelines, demonstrating transparency. Yet, critics contend that the company could improve reporting on biodiversity impacts and supply chain labor conditions, indicating partial compliance rather than full sustainability accountability (Mayer et al., 2021).

Recommendations

Based on the evaluation, Unilever should bolster its stakeholder engagement processes, especially with NGOs, communities, and smallholders, to ensure more inclusive and participatory CSR initiatives. This could involve establishing multi-stakeholder advisory panels and collaborating on impact assessments with independent auditors (Orr & Ford, 2020). Enhancing transparency through third-party verification of sustainability claims would also build stakeholder trust and credibility (EcoVadis, 2020).

Further, Unilever could expand impact measurement frameworks beyond quantitative targets to include qualitative assessments of social and environmental changes. Incorporating innovative approaches such as social return on investment (SROI) metrics could provide a more nuanced understanding of CSR outcomes (Murray, 2017). Additionally, integrating biodiversity considerations into supply chain assessments would strengthen environmental stewardship (Smith et al., 2021).

Conclusion

This paper examined Unilever’s CSR strategy, highlighting its comprehensive initiatives and strategic alignment with core CSR concepts. While the company demonstrates commendable efforts towards sustainability and stakeholder engagement, there remain critical areas for improvement in transparency, stakeholder participation, and impact measurement. Implementing these recommendations could enhance Unilever’s CSR effectiveness and contribute to more sustainable corporate practices.

References

• Carroll, A. B. (1999). Corporate social responsibility: Evolution of a definitional construct. Business & Society, 38(3), 268–295.
• EcoVadis. (2020). Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Ratings Report.
• Mayer, H., Smith, J., & Zhang, L. (2021). Sustainability reporting practices of FMCG firms: A comparative analysis. Journal of Business Ethics, 169(3), 543–556.
• Murray, B. (2017). Social Return on Investment (SROI): A valuable approach to CSR measurement. Social Impact Review, 5(2), 45–50.
• Orr, G., & Ford, C. (2020). Stakeholder engagement and supply chain sustainability: The case of smallholder farmers. Global Sustainability Journal, 3(1), 112–125.
• Porter, M. E., & Kramer, M. R. (2011). Creating shared value. Harvard Business Review, 89(1/2), 62–77.
• Smith, A. (2019). CSR challenges in global supply chains: Media and NGO critiques. Journal of Business Ethics, 154, 33–45.
• Smith, L., Johnson, P., & Lee, R. (2021). Integrating biodiversity into corporate supply chain management. Environmental Management Journal, 67(4), 520–534.
• Unilever. (2021). Sustainable Living Report 2020. Retrieved from https://www.unilever.com/sustainable-living/