Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and its importance for sustainability and competitive advantage.
Assignment Summary:
You are required to submit this unit in three parts:
Part 1 - Project Management Plan - 26/03/2017 (Formative Assessment)
Part 2 - Project Log Book - 21/05/2017 (Formative Assessment)
Part 3 - Performance Review - 23/07/2017 (Summative Assessment)
Three sections (Create templates): The Project Management Plan: how project is being planned; executed; monitored; actions required. The Project Log Book: evidence of project development; ongoing reflection; changes in direction of project; problems encountered and steps taken to overcome. The Performance Review: evidence of reflection and evaluation of the project management process and individual performance; self-assessment and project assessment.
When completing the tasks provided please ensure you directly address each assessment criterion paying particular attention to the command verb requirements. For ease of reference relevant command verbs have been underlined.
Pearson-set theme and topic:
“CSR is the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large.” (World Business Council for Sustainable Development). Businesses worldwide have increasingly embraced the concept of CSR as a means to develop and adopt sustainable practices and approaches in their business operations. It is a multifaceted concept that encompasses many different aspects ranging from philanthropy, ethical responsibilities and environmental considerations. Most recently, in response to maximising stakeholder value and expectations, the strategic benefits of CSR has seen many companies having a competitive advantage. Together with the rise of globalisation, companies now employ CSR managers, experts and consultants to produce comprehensive CSR policies and programmes, to give them a competitive edge and build stakeholder trust and loyalty. This unit will enable students to examine the multi dimensions of CSR within the context of business operations applied to a small-scale project. This will provide the opportunity for students to contextualise the principles of CSR and explore the merits of CSR in relation to meeting competitive and sustainable organisational objectives.
Part 1
Evidence: Project Management Plan
You are required to use the ‘Project Management Plan’ template to complete this task.
Pass: This task provides you with the opportunity to achieve: P1, P2 and P3.
P1: Devise clear aims and objectives for your project.
P2: Produce a project management plan incorporating: costs, scope, time, quality, communication, risk and resources.
P3: Produce a work breakdown structure and a Gantt chart to provide timeframes and stages for completion.
M1: To achieve M1 you are required to produce a comprehensive project management plan with clearly planned milestones and a schedule for monitoring and completing the aims and objectives of the project. You are not required to produce an additional document but rather incorporate this level of detail into the ‘Project Management Plan’ you completed for P1, P2 and P3. .
Part 2
Evidence: Project Log Book
You are required to use the ‘Project Log Book’ template to complete this task.
Pass: This task provides you with the opportunity to achieve: P4. P4: Carry out small-scale research by applying qualitative and quantitative research methods appropriate for meeting project aims and objectives.
Merit: This task provides you with the opportunity to achieve: M2. M2: To achieve M2 you are required to complete the M2 section of the ‘Project Log Book’. In this section you are asked to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of the different research methods you have applied to your project.
Distinction: This task provides you with the opportunity to achieve D1. D1: To achieve D1 you are required to complete the D1 section of the ‘Project Log Book’. In this section you are required to reflect on your Project Management Plan (completed in part 1) and your ‘Project Log Book’ in order to critically evaluate the project management process and the research methods used.
Part 3
Evidence: Performance Review
You are required to use the ‘Performance Review’ template to complete this task.
Pass: This task provides you with the opportunity to achieve: P5, P6 and P7. P5: Analyse your research and data using appropriate tools and techniques. P6: Communicate appropriate recommendations as a result of research and data analysis to draw valid and meaningful conclusions. P7: Reflect on the value of undertaking the research to meet stated objectives and own learning and performance.
Merit: This task provides you with the opportunity to achieve: M3 and M4. M3: To achieve M3 you are required to complete the M3 section of the ‘Performance Review’. In this section you are required to evaluate your selection of appropriate tools and techniques for accuracy and authenticity to support and justify recommendations. M4: To achieve M4 you are required to complete the M4 section of the ‘Performance Review’. In this section you are required to evaluate the value of the project management process and use of quality research to meet stated objectives and support own learning and performance.
Distinction: This task provides you with the opportunity to achieve D2. D2: To achieve D2 you are required to complete the D2 section of the ‘Performance Review’. In this section you are required to review all aspects of Part 3 to critically evaluate and reflect on the project outcomes, the decision-making process and changes or developments of the initial project management plan to support justification of recommendations and learning during the project.
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN MAINTAINING THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE AS WELL AS SUSTAINABILITY
1) Part 1:
Definition of the project:
As stated by Meredith and Mantel Jr, (2011), project is one of the collaborative as well as individual enterprise that mainly involves designs or research, which is carefully planned mainly by the project team in order to achieve one specific aim. This project is intended to describe the CSR strategy and its effectiveness for the 2 Sisters food group which is one of the food based organisation in the UK. As 2 sisters food group is food based organisation so that they need to maintain different rules and regulations regarding food standards that are implemented by the government of the UK. Moreover, they need to maintain effective relationship with the supplier so that they can get contiguous flow of raw materials. Therefore, effective CSR strategy needs to be implemented by them to avoid any kind of environmental issues such as emission of green house gas.
Problem statement of the project:
2 sisters food group is one of the UK based biggest food company that mainly sells poultry, biscuits, red meat, frozen, chilled food as well as the bakery food. They have effective supplier for supplying chicken, red meat, bakery related raw materials etcetera. It has been observed in the present time, 2 Sisters food group has scored lowest in the animal welfare, which creates CSR related issues. Moreover, the organisation does not have any effective strategy to motivate their employee. They force employees to put very hard work but at the end, they do not provide any appreciation along with the holidays. This reduces the productivity of the company and distracts the investors because they are now considering the organisation as the unethical organisation.
Strategy of the project:
In order to understand the effectiveness of the CSR strategy of the 2 Sisters food group, a survey was conducted on the employees so that the appropriate scenario can be seen. For the conduction of the survey, the researcher has developed a set of the questionnaire and asked those questions to the sample respondents who are mainly the employees of 2 Sisters food group.
Objective regarding the project:
Aims:
The main aim of this research understands the main impact of the CSR strategy on the operation of 2 Sisters food group so that they can maintain a sustainability and competitive advantage.
Objective:
Objective related to performance, time and costs:
The time related objective of this project is completing the project and gain a brief overview regarding CSR strategy within 5 weeks time.
The cost related objective is completing the whole project within £700.
The performance related objective is achieving a brief insight regarding the ethical practices at the 2 Sisters food group and recommending effective CSR strategy by which the organisation can practising more ethical approach.
Deliverables of the project:
The main deliverables of this project understands the main problem in the CSR strategy of the 2 Sisters food group and develop an effective CSR strategy by which the organisation can maintain more competitive advantage and sustainability.
Scope statement of the project:
According to Cleland and King (2013), project scope is one of the part of the planning regarding project which mainly involves the documentation and determination of the list of different goals, deliverables, functions, tasks, deadlines as well as features of any project. It has been observed that the organisation faces issues because they do not have any effective employee welfare scheme. Along with that, 2 Sisters food group do not have any effective focuses on the animal welfare strategy. This project mainly describes different issues faced by 2 Sisters food group and deliver strategy by which this food company can achieve more sustainability.
Included scope of project:
Excluded scope of the project:
Stakeholders as well as resources for this project:
The main stakeholders of this project are the employees, managers, as well as the investors of the 2 Sisters food group.
Different types of resources that are utilised in these particular projects are the physical, human resource and the economic resources (Davenport et al. 2012). Physical resources that are utilised in this project are different stationeries along with the laptops, internet routers etcetera. On the other hand, human resources involved in this project are the field executives and the financial resources that are required for this project is the £700.
Success criteria of the project:
Success criteria of this project is understanding different weaknesses in the CSR strategy of the 2 Sisters food group and developing an effective CSR strategy by which 2 Sisters food group can achieve competitive advantage and sustainability. Other success criteria of this project are developing an effective animal welfare scheme in the 2 Sisters food group along with employee wellbeing strategy.
Assumptions of the project:
As 2 Sisters food group is one of the established organisation so that the main assumptions of this project is the organisation already has one of the established strategy.
2) Implementation plan of the project:
After the development of any planning regarding any project, it is mandatory to develop an effective strategy by which the project can be successfully implemented.
Work breakdown structure of this project:
Figure 1: Work breakdown structure
(Source: Created by author)
Schedules of the project:
| Different tasks | 1st week | 2nd week | 3rd week | 4th week | 5th week |
| Developing a clear understanding regarding the main problem of the 2 Sisters food group | |||||
| Developing the goal of the project | |||||
| Development of the strategy for the project | |||||
| Inducting meeting with the high level management and gaining permission to conduct interview on employees | |||||
| Conduction of the survey on the employees of 2 Sisters food group | |||||
| Recording the feedback and understanding the problem | |||||
| Conducting interview on the investors to understand the reason behind their destruction | |||||
| Recording as well as analysing the feedback through the effective utilisation of the proper techniques | |||||
| Preparation of the final documents for this research |
Table 1: Gantt chart
(Source: created by author)
3) Processes of the project:
Process of the project mainly involves different stages by which any project can be successfully conducted. Process of any project mainly involves the initiation, progress and the termination of the project.
Communication plan:
| Communication purposes | Frequency | Communication method | Audiences of the communication |
| Achieving the right direction to conduct the project and discussing the progress of the project | Frequent | Main verbal communication along with digital communication through different chatting apps | Member of the project |
| Understanding the main problem that they are facing in the 2 Sisters food group | Sometimes | Oral communication | Employees of the 2 Sisters food group |
| Understanding the reason behind the destruction of them for investing in the 2 Sisters food group | Sometimes | Oral communication | Investors of the 2 Sisters food group |
Table 2: Communication plan for the project
(Source: Developed by author)
4) Risk management plan of this project:
| No. | Risks | Probability of occurrences | Impact of the risks | Effect on the projects | Technique to reduce risks |
| 1 | Loss of project direction | Medium | High | Ineffective outcome | Regular communication with the supervisor regarding the direction of the project |
| 2 | Understanding the most effective project strategy | Medium | Medium | Ineffective outcome | Consult the supervisor the evaluate the most effective research strategy |
| 3 | Lack of achieving feedback from the employees | High | High | Failure of the project | Developing the communication skills and implementing proper approaching style |
| 4 | Gaining feedback from the investors | High | High | Failure of this project | Show more politeness and describing the necessity of the project |
| 5 | Ineffective data analysis | High | High | Unintended outcome | Conducting consultation with the experts |
Table 3: risk management table
(Source: Created by author)
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