The following activities are designed to stimulate a current events discussion. Generative in nature, these questions can be a launching point for additional assignments or research projects.

Teachers are encouraged to adapt these activities to meet the contextual needs of their classroom.

In some cases, reading the article with students may be appropriate, coupled with reviewing the information sheet to further explore the concepts and contexts being discussed. From here, teachers can select from the questions provided below. The activity is structured to introduce students to the issues, then allow them to explore and apply their learnings. Students are encouraged to further reflect on the issues.

Core Skill Sets:

These icons identify the most relevant core skills students will develop using this resource. Learn more about the WE.org: Learning Framework at www.weday.com/weschools.

VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 7

FOR BUSINESS THE FUTURE LIES IN SUSTAINABILITYELEMENTARY RESOURCES

BACKGROUND INFORMATION !• Examples of corporations engaging in good

citizenship—doing things for the benefit of the community—go back to the late 1800s. In the 1870s, for example, Steinway, a piano company built parks, a library and a school for its employees and their families next to its factory in New York. (Archie Carroll, A History of Corporate Social Responsibility) !

• In 1953, American economist Howard Bowen wrote a book entitled Social Responsibilities of the Businessman in which he suggested that businesses have a responsibility beyond simply making a profit, “to pursue those policies, to make those decisions, or to follow those lines of action which are desirable in terms of the objectives and values of our society.” Because of this, Bowen is sometimes called the “Father of Corporate Social Responsibility.” (Archie Carroll, Corporate Social Responsibility: Evolution of a Definitional Construct) !

• The 1960s and 1970s saw the growth of CSR as corporations and governments began to take actions to make business more socially and environmentally responsible. The

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development was created in 1960 to promote sustainable economic growth with a higher standard of living for people around the world. (Centre for Excellence in CSR) !

• At the UN Earth Summit in Rio de Janiero in 1992, the idea was introduced of the “triple bottom line”—that social and environmental responsibility can give a business competitive advantage. (Centre for Excellence in CSR) !

• In 2006, entrepreneurs Jay Coen Gilbert, Bart Houlahan and Andrew Kassoy founded non-profit organization B Lab and created a system for assessing and certifying socially-responsible businesses, called B Corps. (B Lab) !

• In a speech at the Executives Club of Chicago on April 7, 2015, Paul Polman, the chief executive officer of Unilever, told fellow businessmen that more than 75 per cent of the world’s largest companies “now have clear social and environmental goals.” (Paul Polman, Leveraging Enlightened Capitalism to Help Repair a Broken World)

gNOTE TO EDUCATORS g

KEY TERMSCapitalism—An economic system based on predominantly private ownership of manufacturing and trade, with the purpose of making a profit. It is called “capitalism” because the goal is the accumulation of capital—which mean wealth in money or other assets. Other usual aspects of capitalism include business competition and labour for wages.

Corporate citizenship—The idea that corporations should contribute to the social and environmental well-being of the communities where they do business.

Sustainability—Doing something in a way that does not deplete natural resources or destroy the environment.

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TELUS employees and their families volunteer together as part of their commitment to the community. Photo source: Free The Children archives.

THEMES AND COURSE CONNECTIONS • Themes: Education, Local Issues, Global Issues, Economy, Politics,

Values and Ethics

• Course Connections: Language, Social Studies ! MATERIALS • Front board

• Student journals or note paper

• Writing utensils ! SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS AND LEARNING GOALS Students will: • Develop and express responses to issues and problems.

• Reassess their responses to issues on the basis of new information.

• Participate in active group work and class discussions.

• Communicate effectively in writing, orally or visually.

• Demonstrate the ability to think critically.

• Develop, express and defend a position on an issue. ! MAP IT Have students locate the different regions mentioned in the article to gain an understanding of the expanse and involvement of this issue.

• Canada

• United States ! DISCUSS

1. How would you define Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)? Why do you think corporations have begun to prioritize CSR? What are the benefits of incorporating CSR into a company model? Who benefits from CSR?

2. Are there products you won’t buy or companies you won’t support for ethical reasons? What are some examples of unethical business practices?

3. Do sustainability initiatives and social responsibility initiatives prompt you into buying certain products and supporting specific companies? If so, what are they and why?

4. Do you think consumers are more likely to spend more on products that come with social and environmental benefits? Why or why not?

5. Do small local shops have different responsibilities than larger international corporations? Why? What are the differences? !!

DIVE DEEPER !Write the definition for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) on the board: !Corporate Social Responsibility is defined as the voluntary activities undertaken by a company to operate in an economic, social and environmentally sustainable manner.

Source: www.international.gc.ca/trade-agreements-accords-commerciaux/topics-domaines/other-autre/csr-rse.aspx?lang=eng

Ask students:

• How can companies contribute to a good society through good business practices? Provide one or two specific examples of how a company can be socially responsible.

• Do you think employee engagement is part of CSR? How can employers be socially responsible with their employees? (i.e. provide flexible working hours, stress management, coaching and mentoring, etc.)

• How can a business be socially responsible to the environment? !Write the term “Ethical Consumerism” on the board with the following definition: !Ethical consumerism is defined as the practice of purchasing products and services produced in a way that minimizes social and/or environmental damage, while avoiding products and services deemed to have a negative impact on society or the environment.

Source: www.igd.com/Research/Sustainability/Ethical-social-issues/3429/Ethical-Consumerism/ !Ask students:

• What is the link between CSR and ethical consumerism?

Explain to students that as consumers, we have a unique opportunity to ask more from the businesses we support. We can choose to purchase goods that are ethically sourced, meaning the products were made with the least amount of harm to the environment and animals, and no exploitation of humans or human labour. !Organize the class into group of two to three students. Ask the class to think about the businesses they patronize. In their groups have them list five to seven businesses in their notebooks. Tell them to choose one of the businesses from their list and create a brief CSR report to share with the class. Their report should answer the following:

• What is the company and what are their business objectives?

• Do they sell a product, service or both?

• Are they involved in any CSR practices? If so, how are they socially responsible? How does their CSR relate to their overall business?

• Does it seem like the company is fully committed to their CSR practices?

• Is there evidence of success or results from their socially responsible program?

• How can consumers become more involved with their program? !Allow groups a few minutes to present their reports. To conclude have students reflect how they can make their school more socially responsible. For example, promoting a recycling program to ensure lunch bags or wrappers can be recycled, or engaging in food drives to give back to the community. !!

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