assignment and answer OTHM Level 6

1. OTHM LEVEL 6 DIPLOMA IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
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SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PRACTICES
Assignment and the Answer Sturcture
Unit Title Sustainable BusinessPractices
Unit Reference NumberA/616/2738
Unit Level Level 6
Assessor
Date issued
Hand inDate
Unit GradingStructure Pass
AssessmentGuidance Toachieve thisunit,learnersmustachievethe learning
outcomesandmeetthe standardsspecifiedbyall
assessmentcriteriaforthe unit.
LO LO DescriptionACACDescription
1 Understandthe global
sustainabilityagenda.
1.1 Evaluate the global sustainabilityagendaandhow
it relatestonational practice.
1.2 Analyse the forcesforchange inthe sustainable
businessenvironment.
1.3 Evaluate the impactof current sustainabilityissues
on businesses.
2 Understandthe conceptof
the sustainable business
organisation.
2.1 Determine the scope of the sustainable business
organisation.
2.2 Evaluate the impacton businessstructure and
objectivesof becomingasustainable business
organisation.
3 Be able to review
sustainable strategic
businessplanning.
3.1 Analyse the conceptof the triple bottomline and
reviewhowitisimplementedinbusiness
organisations.
3.2 Determine change requiredwithinbusiness
organisationstomeetasustainabilityagenda.
3.3 Reviewthe processof sustainable strategic
businessplanning.
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Scenario

2. PrimarkCase study
Thiscase studywastakenfrom http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/primark/beyond-corporatesocial-
responsibility
Introduction
Primarkisa subsidiarycompanyof the ABF(AssociatedBritishFoods)Group.The company
was launchedin1969 inIrelandtradingas Penny's.By2000, there were over100 stores
across BritainandIreland.By2012 Primarkhad 238 branchesacrossthe UK, Irelandand
Europe.Primarkhasbecome distinctiveforofferingunbeatablevalue whileneverlosingits
innovative,fashion-drivenedge.
Like manyretail fashionbusinesses,Primarkdoesnotmanufacture goodsitself.Itsexpertise
liesinunderstandingitscustomersandworkingwithitssupplierstoproduce goodsto
Primark’sspecification.Itthengetsthe rightgoodsto the right placesat the rightprices.Its
profitabilitydependsonsheervolume of sales.Primark'svalue-for-moneypricesrelyonlow
costs.These are achievedinpartthrougheconomiesof scale andefficientdistribution.
Primark’sproductsare mainlysourcedfromsuppliersinEurope andAsia.Itskeysourcing
countriesare China,India,BangladeshandTurkey.Puttingthe manufacturingof garments
intothese countriescreatesjobs.These are oftenatbetterratesof paythan othertypesof
workon offer,improvingoverall standardsof living.
Primarkhas initiatedaprogramme of activitieswhichsupportsitscorporate social
responsibility(CSR) stance andensuresthatitstradingmeetsthe company’svaluesand
ethical standards.Underpinningitsprogramme of activitiesisPrimark’sCode of Conduct
whichensuresthatall workersmakingitsproductsare treateddecently,paidafairwage and
workin goodworkingconditions.Formore informationplease visitwww.primarkethicaltrade.
co.uk
Thiscase studylooksat Primark’sinvolvementinthe HERproject(HealthEnablesReturns)
whichisraisingawarenessanddeliveringhealthcare educationtofemale workersinsupplier
countries.
What isCSR?
Businessesneedtoacknowledge andrespondtofactorsintheirenvironment,forexample,
changesinavailable workforce orthe business’impactonits local communities.Corporate
social responsibilityrepresentsthe responsibilitythata businesshastowardsall its
stakeholders,notjusttoownersor shareholders,todeal withtheirneedsfairly.
Internal stakeholdersinclude shareholdersandemployees.Shareholderswantareturnon
theircapital andthisdependsonmakinga profit.Thatin turnmeansby addingvalue.
Employeeswantjobsecurity,goodpayandconditionsandjobsatisfaction.External
stakeholdersincludecustomers,suppliers,non-governmental organisations,workersand
the local communitieswhereproductsare made.All of these have differentneeds.
An organisationthereforeneedstobe able torespondanddemonstrate responsibilityin
differentways.Thismightinclude activitiesaswide-rangingasencouragingemployeesto
volunteerincommunityprojects;sponsoringandsupportingcharitywork;orcontributing
time andmoneyto improvingitsenvironmental impact.
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Why PrimarkembracesCSR
As an international businesswithaglobal supplychainanda growingretail base,Primark
believesthatbusinesshasaresponsibilitytoact and trade ethicallyandthat,bydoingso,it
can be a force for good.Its businessdirectlycontributestothe employmentof more than
700,000 workersacrossthree continents.Ensuringthattheirrightsare respectediskeytoits

3. continuedgrowth.
Primarkdoesnotown the companiesorfactoriesthatproduce itsgoods,but itdoeshave a
responsibilitytothe workersinthose factories,toitscustomersandshareholders,toensure
that itsproductsare made in goodworkingconditions.The HERprojectinBangladeshisan
example of howPrimarkisactivelyseekingtomake positivechangesinthe livesof its
supplierworkforces.
In Bangladesh,over50%of the manufacturingworkforce ismade upof women.The jobs
available towomeningarmentfactoriesgive themgreaterindependence andhelptoreduce
poverty.However,these womenoftenhave littleeducationandlow levelsof literacyasthey
drop outof educationearlytohelptheirfamilies.
Theyalsolack basicknowledge of health,hygiene andnutritionandanunderstandingof
howa woman’sbodyworks.Poorhygiene often causespersistentandpainful infections.
Childbirthisparticularlyhazardousandpost-birthcomplicationsare common.There islittle
understandingof the symptomsof sexuallytransmitteddiseases(includingHIV) orthe
meansof preventingtransmission. Farmore womenthanmenare malnourished,andmany
womensufferfromanaemia.These issues,oftencombinedwithalackof accessto qualified
medical advice,meanthatthe female workforce isparticularlyvulnerable.
The HERproject useseducationasthe keytool againstall these interrelatedproblems.The
programme aimsnot onlytoimprove the healthof female workersthroughtrainingand
education,butalsotogive themthe toolsto helpthemtake charge of theirpersonal and
workinglives.Thesebenefits inturnpasson to theirfamiliesandhelptoenhance whole
communities.
Making CSRhappen
The HERproject isan initiativestartedbyBSR(BusinessforSocial Responsibility),anongovernmental
organisationthatworkswithover250 companiesonenvironmental,social and
humanrights.The HERproject hasso far helpedover50,000 womenindifferentcountries.It
has done thisthroughworkingwithcompanieslike Primark,Primark’ssuppliersandlocal
healthproviders.
The HERproject issimple butsurprisingly powerful:
A small numberof female staff inafactory(around10%) isselectedtobecome
healtheducationtrainerscalled‘peergroupeducators’.
The local healthservice providertrainsthe peergroupeducators,whoare then
responsible fortrainingthe otherwomenbasedinthe workplace,passingonthe
message andhelpingtodisseminatewhattheyhave learned.
The processemphasisesmutual helpandencouragement.The womentrainersare effective
because theyfullyunderstandthe local culture.Theyare notseenasoutsidersimposing
strange ideas.Instead,the trainersunderstandwhythe womenmaybe reluctanttoseek
helpwithissuesthatcanbe sensitive.Theycanbuildtheirself-confidenceaswell astheir
practical knowledge.
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The HERproject isalsohelpingothersnotdirectlyinvolvedinthe project.Outside the
workshopsinformal learningcontinues.Womenbuildsupportiverelationshipsandtalkto
each otheroutof work.Thisis reinforcedbythe projecthelpingtosetupfactory clinicsand
creatingvital referral linkstolocal hospitals.
SelinaKamal isa factoryqualityinspectorandapeereducatorfor HERproject.Throughher
owntrainingshe isnowmore aware of the importance of cleanlinessforherselfandher
children.Theyall nowdrinkpurifiedwaterandeatmore vegetables.She hasalreadyhelped

4. a friend,Shilpi,whoisaschool teacher.
The value of the HERproject
Improvingthe healthof womenworkers inBangladeshandhelpingtoempowerandeducate
the female workforce isanimportantethical goal initsownright.The benefitsto
communitiescanalsobe seen.Overtime,initiativeslike thiscansupportkeyissuessuchas
reducinginfantmortality.
FactoriesinBangladeshtakingpartinHERprojectshave seenhealthyreturnsonthe money
investedbyPrimarkinthe programme.Thishasbeenachievedthroughimprovementsin
productivity,amore stable workforce,lowerabsenteeism, decreasedlabourturnover,
improvedqualityandareductioninhousekeepingcosts.Asanexample,the managing
directorof one factory inBangladeshfoundthatabsenteeisminthe factoryfell by55%
duringthe firstsix monthsof the HERproject.Turnoverof female workersdropped fromover
50% to around12%.
Mrs KanizFatemaisthe managingdirectorof a medium-sizedfactoryinDhaka,
Bangladesh.Whenthe HERprojectwasintroducedtoherfactorya yearago, she was
unconvinced,viewingitas‘justanotherproject’.However,justone yearlaterherview has
beentransformed.Women'shealthisnow highonheragenda.A healthierworkforce is
literallypayingdividends.
Absenteeismandlabourturnoverare downbya startling50%.Productivityisup,andeven
internal staff communicationismore effective.MrsKanizFatemanow employsafemale
doctor and hasset upa scheme toprovide sanitarynapkinstoherfemale workers,helping
to embedanewculture withinthe factoryandallowinghealtheducationinthe factoryto
continue afterthe projectends.
Otherbenefitsare hardertomeasure butare increasinglyrecognisedbythe factory
managers.Gettingwomentocommunicate effectivelyonhealthmattersbuildstrustand
confidence.Thisfeedsbackintobettercommunicationwithsupervisors andmanagers.This,
inturn, leadstoimprovedteamworkandthe motivationtoacceptmore responsibilityand
leadershiprolesinthe community.
Thisdemonstratesthe principlesof the Hawthorne effecttheoryof motivation.TheoristElton
Mayo foundthat factoryworkerswithlonghoursof routine workwere motivatedbysomeone
takingan interestinthemandtheirwork.Feelingthattheymatteredasindividuals,they
experiencedanewconnectionwiththe job.Asaresult,productivityimproved.Ina similar
way,by focusingonthe womenworkersandtheirhealthissues,the HERprojectisalso
deliveringimprovedmotivation.See the HERprojectvideoathttp://www.primarkethicaltrading.
co.uk/ourwork/c/womens_health
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Conclusion
The industrialisedcountriesof the worldbenefitfromthe lowercostsof labourincountries
such as BangladeshandIndia.
However,more consumersare nowaskingif thisisethical andquestioningits sustainability.
home trade-offsbetweenstakeholderneedsare inevitable.CSRdoesnotcome free.It
involvesareal commitmentof resources,managementtime andenergy.Onthe otherhand,
as studiesof the HERprojectinothercountrieshave shown,eachdollarinvestedinthe
healthof female employeescanyieldmore thanthree dollarsinbusinessbenefits.In
addition,the improvementsinhumanwell-beingare incomparable.
Despite criticismof globalisation,businessandtrade canbe a force for good.Thisis
increasinglyrecognisedinthe waysthatconsumersassignvaluestobrands.Primarkis

5. makingprogressintakingonwiderresponsibilitiesanddevisingrelevantprojectsthatwork
on the ground.It has done thiswithhelpfromNGOsandorganisationssuchasBSR. Its
approach withthe HERprojectisnot purelyaboutbusinessbenefitsbutfocusedonmakinga
difference tothe livesof itssupplierworkers.
To date,4,500 womeninPrimark’sfactorieshave beentrainedunderthe HERprojectin
Bangladesh.The projectresultshave shownsuchbenefitthatthe projectisbeingrolledout
to Primark’ssuppliersinChinaandIndia.Primark’songoinginvolvementwiththe women
workersinBangladeshandothersuppliercountrieswill helptoprovide itwitha sustainable
and ethical businessmodel.
Task 1 of 2 Presentation(ACs1.1,1.2 & 1.3)
Scenario
You are workingforBargainum,a competitorof Primark.Afterreadingthe above case study,
your manageraskedyouto investigatethe feasibilityof doingsomethingsimilarorbetter.
Instructions
Prepare a presentationtobrief the directoraboutthe importance of sustainability:
1. Investigate the currentglobal sustainabilityagendaandissues(e.g.fairtrade,
poverty,environment,etc.) byprovidingexamples
2. Reviewthe impactof the current issuesonbusinesses(e.g.effectonconsumers,
effectsonprofitability,etc.)
3. Analyse the reasonsforUK organisationtoadoptsustainable practices(e.g.brand
recognition,legislation,etc.)
DeliveryandSubmission
1x Power-pointpresentationandexecutive summary(1500words) excluding
diagrams,references,andappendices
Task 2 of 2 Report(ACs2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2 & 3.3)
Scenario
Your pitchwas convincing,andthe OperationsDirectoraskedyoutowrite ashort reportfor
more detailsandto buildacase forit.
Instructions
Withreference tothe case studyand otherorganisations,
1. Determine whatbeingasustainable businessorganisationmeans
2. Explainthe changes(strategicandoperational)thatare beingrequiredtobecome a
sustainable businessorganisation
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3. Explainthe principle of the triple bottomline andhow itcan be implemented,using
examplessuchasPrimarkand otherorganisations
4. Provide a flowchartandreviewthe strategicsustainableplanningprocess(e.g.set
sustainable vision,assesscurrentsituation,create afinancial plan,etc.)
DeliveryandSubmission
1x Report(2000 words) excludingdiagrams,references,andappendices
Referencing:
You shoulduse andcite a range of academicand reliable sources.
A comprehensive Harvardstyle reference listmustbe includedatthe endof the
work.

6. Answer- Use the following structure toanswer the question comprehensively to
get the maximum marks
SBS Assignment Structure
1.1 Investigate the backgroundfor current global sustainability agenda( 300
words)
Refer to human civilization, how people lived before the industrial revolution and
what changes took place in the late 18th
century ( 1750)
Refer to the world population at the start of the industrialrevolution and how it
has grown within the last 200 years.
Refer to the economic development took place after industrial revolution and the
currentvalue of annual world economic production
Refer to the finite resources and how the currenteconomic model has used such
resources to develop economy
The profit-oriented business modeland how it has neglected customers,
communities, employees and the environment
Discuss theresult of the economic model that has created inequality, poverty,
health, water, exclusion, conflict among communities and countries, stock piling
of mass destructivearms, terrorismand humanitarian crises faced by the world
1.2 Current global sustainability agenda( 400 word)
Refer to world conferencein 1972 in Stockholm
Refer to the publication of Brundtland’s Commission reportand definition of
sustainabledevelopment
Refer to the conference on sustainabledevelopment goals in 2015 and the
decisions made
Briefly describethe sustainabledevelopment goals of the UN

7. ( refer to Is the world economy sustainable, UN SDGs note and other readings
and articles)
1.2 Impact of the current issues onbusiness ( 400 word)
Say all issues found in developing SDGs havedirect and indirect effect on
businesses
Take few issues such as inequality, poverty, water, global warming, climate
change, health, pollution, exploitation of natural and human resources, human
conflicts, affect businesses
Take few examples fromcurrentbusinesses practicing sustainability such as
Primark, Patagonia, Unilever, MAS, Brandixetc.
( refer to Is world sustainableNote , other readings and UN SDGs notes )
1.3 Reasons toadopt sustainable practices for UKorganizations ( 400 words)
Industrialrevolution started fromUK and the currentbusiness and economic
models that has created this world started fromUK
UK is a major economic player in the world and has business interest all over the
world
Discuss benefits of adopting sustainablebusiness practices :brand image, increase
market share, reducerisk, innovations, customer loyalty, employee retention,
complying with laws, profitability
( Refer to Why sustainability note and other readings)
Powerpoint
Then developa power point of around 10 slides fromthe above essay and
attach. Do not have more than 6 sentences inaslide.
2. 1 What does it mean tobe sustainable business
Define sustainablebusiness
Graphicalillustration of a sustainablebusiness : Profits plus caring for society and
environment

8. Importanceof becoming a sustainablebusiness in the current world and
integrating sustainability to business strategy
The trend in major corporations adopting sustainability
( why sustainability and CSR notes)
2.2 Changes (strategic andoperational) requiredtobecome asustainable
business
Importanceof embedding sustainability in the business vision and companywide
awareness of the vision and creating commitment of leadership and employees
CSR and its implications for sustainability
Lean management, reducing carbon footprint, fair trading, adding value to all
stakeholders
Operational level changes required such as converting the marketing mix to
marketing matrix
( refer to Strategic Sustainableplanning Note , Allen Pomring’s Sustainability and
other readings)
2.3 Tripple BottomLine
Define
Graphicalillustration
Importanceof TBL
Provideexample fromPrimark, Patagonia, Unilever, Coca cola, Pepsi cola, MAS,
Brandix, etc.
( refer to TBL note and articles on Sustainable leaders in the internet)
2.4 Strategic sustainableplanning
Discuss thestep-by-step approach for planning

9. Show a graphicalflow chart of various steps and explain
AssumeBargainumis not practicing sustainability
Financial plan may not be in figures as no baseline financial data is given but
describe.
You may say that the adoption of SBP is an investmentand it would be paid back
profitably by citing Primark HER projectand many other initiatives of other
companies in SBP such as fair trading, green and lean production methods etc.
( Refer to sustainable planning note)