Workplace - Corporate Social Responsibility
As part of its brand, an employer espouses (supports) a commitment to green energy. How does a focus on sustainability support the employment brand's credibility? A) By educating employees on ways to reduce their carbon footprint B) By encouraging employees on ways to save the company money C) By placing a focus on awareness regardless of the bottom-line effect D) By presenting an appearance of commitment to overshadow other activities
A) By educating employees on ways to reduce their carbon footprint Sustainability practices will have the greatest impact on credibility cuz the action supports the intention. Such practices can include sustainable purchasing guidelines, efficient energy use, eliminating toxins in manufacturing, the ability of products to be disassembled & recycled, & the use of communication technologies that help to reduce the carbon footprint.
How is HR involved in social sustainability in relation to the triple bottom line? A) By working with leadership to ensure that bribery & corruption are not taking place B) By serving on a committee to discuss how the organization can increase business flexibility C) By creating a policy stating that employees may rent only electric cars for business trips D) By ensuring that all departments have a recycling program in place
A) By working with leadership to ensure that bribery & corruption are not taking place Bribery & corruption are social sustainability measures. Recycling & transportation are part of environmental sustainability, & business flexibility deals with economic sustainability.
What best demonstrates ethical universalism? A) Fundamental principles apply in all cultures. B) Firms are required to follow a code of ethics. C) Ethical behaviors may vary across cultures & countries. D) A well-developed ethical code should be applied to all countries.
A) Fundamental principles apply in all cultures. Ethical universalism proposes that there are fundamental ethical principles that apply across all cultures; in other words, they are universally relevant.
Which is the most significant impact of the triple bottom line? A) It serves as the foundation for measurement & reporting of sustainability performance. B) It enables organizations that are less effective financially to still claim success. C) It provides a universally accepted definition of corporate citizenship for all organizations. D) It enables governments to quantify sustainability efforts through measurement of relevant data.
A) It serves as the foundation for measurement & reporting of sustainability performance. The triple bottom line has become the foundation for measurement & public reporting of CSR or sustainability performance by multinational corporations. That in turn is significant cuz it allows fair & consistent comparisons & evaluations of corporate sustainability performance.
During what stage of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategic process does HR create a scorecard of HR responsibilities, objectives, priorities, and metrics? A) Plan implementation B) Assessment C) Infrastructure creation D) Measurement, reporting, & evaluation
A) Plan implementation Setting priorities & objectives is part of plan implementation. The SHRM Foundation recommends creating a scorecard of HR responsibilities, objectives, priorities, & metrics, together with a clear statement of the business value of meeting each objective.
What is the relationship between an organization's code of conduct & its specific policies & procedures? A) The code of conduct can be used as the basis for detailed policies & procedures specific to the organization's regulatory requirements & risks. B) There should be a direct link from every policy & procedure a company has to information included in its code of conduct. C) If the code of conduct conflicts with a law in an area where the company is doing business, the code must still be followed. D) Individual business units should set their own policies & procedures as long as they are consistent with the corporate code of conduct.
A) The code of conduct can be used as the basis for detailed policies & procedures specific to the organization's regulatory requirements & risks. Policies & procedures should be consistent with applicable laws & regulations & the code of conduct.
On what is a code of conduct based? A) Values B) Compliance C) Guidelines D) Instructions
A) Values A code of conduct should be a values-based ethical decision-making tool rather than a list of rules & regulations.
How can HR best help an organization create value in corporate social responsibility? A) By ensuring that business operations are generating results B) By gathering input from external stakeholders C) By conducting a compliance audit on HR-related material D) By benchmarking against other local organizations
B) By gathering input from external stakeholders By talking with external stakeholders, the org. can see how the org.'s communities & customers view current CSR performance & help in determining where the org. should focus its efforts.
An organization is looking to become an employer of choice & achieve increased success in its current markets. To accomplish this, there has been a greater desire to incorporate a CSR strategy. How best should HR support this change? A) By managing philanthropic initiatives B) By creating a code of conduct C) By redefining stakeholders D) By achieving sustainability
C) By redefining stakeholders HRM must engage both internal & external stakeholders to identify ways in which the org. can contribute to the social & environmental vitality of those most affected by the company's actions.
As part of its strategic corporate social responsibility (CSR) assessment, the CSR initiative team has reviewed all organization systems & procedures, interviewed all upper management personnel, & surveyed all employees as to current attitudes, concerns, & goals. Which item will complete the assessment phase? A) Developing a sustainability scorecard B) Creating the strategic infrastructure C) Consulting with external stakeholders D) Outlining the strategic implentation plan
C) Consulting with external stakeholders The assessment phase of the CSR strategic process involves reviewing all org. systems & procedures; interviewing all upper management personnel; surveying all employees as to current attitudes, concerns, & goals; & consulting with external stakeholders.
How does a corporate social responsibility (CSR) program impact employee retention? A) Improves employee compensation & benefits & morale B) Keeps employees engaged in diversity initiatives C) Increases brand image as an ethical & sustainable organization D) Allows employees to work on projects they are passionate about
C) Increases brand image as an ethical & sustainable organization Employees want to be associated with an organization that is viewed by the public as ethical & sustainable.
An organization wants to simultaneously cut costs & benefit society. Which action would best achieve this goal? A) Removing all landscaping from its facilities in an effort to reduce water consumption B) Purchasing 100% renewable energy at an increased cost over energy produced from traditional sources C) Investing in better supply chain management tools to drive efficiency in the way the organization transports goods D) Investing in an independent waste management program that sorts recyclable & compostable materials from waste generated
C) Investing in better supply chain management tools to drive efficiency in the way the organization transports goods The best action the org. could take to both cut costs & benefit society would be to invest in better supply chain management tools in a bid to more efficiently transport goods. This would both generate cost savings & reduce emissions associated with inefficient transportation of goods.
A small marketing company with a single location is looking to enhance organizational success while creating shared value. Where should it focus efforts in order to be most successful in that pursuit? A) Examining whether the marketing products it produces are beneficial to society at large B) Creating marketing materials supporting employees' philanthropic passions C) Investing in the local cluster to strengthen local businesses & infrastructure D) Creating advertising only for companies with a strong social responsibility code
C) Investing in the local cluster to strengthen local businesses & infrastructure The best way for an org., especially a small 1, to enhance success while creating shared value is to invest in the local cluster. By improving local infrastructure & associated org's, shared value can be created, benefitting both the company & the community.
Which is the best 1st step a retailer should take to make sure that its products have been ethically produced? A) Make sure that suppliers comply with local labor laws. B) Publish a code of ethics that includes the behavior of suppliers. C) Know the provenance of every component of every product. D) Develop community-based programs to improve living conditions for all.
C) Know the provenance (place of origin) of every component of every product. The 1st step is to know exactly where every "ingredient" in the products it sells comes from, not just what happens at final assembly but in procurement & manufacture of raw ingredients or components. The firm can then assess whether conditions at every stage in the supply chain are truly ethical.
Why should a firm require its supply chain to mirror its code of conduct? A) Cultural imperialism is a deciding factor in business. B) Public image is critical to the suppliers & vendors. C) Producing better products supports the growth of business. D) It is a contractual requirement for an organization's vendors.
C) Producing better products supports the growth of business. When all in the supply chain have the same code of ethics, the result is better products & services.
How can HR develop sustainability sweet spots? A) By identifying & eliminating business practices that contribute to the organization's carbon footprint B) By looking for ways to tie HR initiatives to the organization's overall vision, mission, & values C) By shifting the burden of sustainability reporting & compliance to other organizational functions D) By evaluating the economic, social, & environmental effects of HR practices & policies
D) By evaluating the economic, social, & environmental effects of HR practices & policies To be sustainable, the practices of an org. have to be analyzed in terms of their social, environmental, & economic effects. By evaluating HR practices & policies through such a lens, HR can develop sustainability sweet spots.
A multinational company is assessing its corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals & expectations for the coming year. How can HR best help with this initiative? A) By setting the objectives B) By setting priorities C) By gaining executive commitment D) By gathering information from stakeholder focus groups
D) By gathering information from stakeholder focus groups In the assessment stage of the CSR strategic process, stakeholders are consulted to help the org. see how its efforts are viewed.
What best demonstrates cultural relativism? A) There is no dominant culture in a multinational enterprise. B) There are universal norms. C) Cultures of a region must be reflected in the code of ethics for global enterprises. D) Ethics is determined by local culture, laws, & practices.
D) Ethics is determined by local culture, laws, & practices. Cultural relativism holds that ethical systems do exist but that norms are influenced by local culture, laws, & practices.
Which key area must be included in a multinational company's social audit? A) Interpersonal relations B) Philanthropic alliances C) Company values D) Human rights
D) Human rights Social audit areas of examination include ethics, staffing, environment, human rights, community, society, & compliance.
An organization has introduced its 1st sustainable product line, which uses less energy than competitive products and is produced with 70% recycled materials. With this product introduction, what phase of the sustainability maturity curve is the organization entering? A) Values-based B) Compliance C) Transformation D) Integration
D) Integration The org. is entering the integration phase, in which sustainable practices are integrated into the org.'s business practices. Org's in this phase have redesigned their products or services (to include sustainability benefits) or their processes & procedures (to make the business itself more sustainable).
An organization has committed to sustainable business practices, focusing on reducing energy use, waste, & pollution. What community action would be a logical extension of this value? A) Creating aesthetically pleasing landscapes on the organization's property B) Joining a local business chamber for a year C) Networking with local government officials D) Lobbying for better bus service to the organization's facility
D) Lobbying for better bus service to the organization's facility The most logical extension of the organization's focus is to seek ways to increase use of public transportation by employees & visitors, perhaps by increasing service.
An HR VP is adding goals to the corporate social responsibility strategy. Which leadership activity best supports this endeavor? A) Recycling plastic goods B) Collecting donations from employees C) Volunteering two hours a week D) Serving on a board of directors
D) Serving on a board of directors By serving on a board of directors, they are looked upon as being a leader in the local community. Volunteering, donating, & recycling are activities all people can be part of.
Which is a key task in the implementation stage in CSR strategy? A) Establish a guiding sustainability department. B) Measure & evaluate initial results. C) Define the extent & nature of HR's leadership role. D) Set priorities & objectives.
D) Set priorities & objectives. The key tasks at this stage are to set strategy & priorities & objectives (including how intermediate tactical steps will lead to long-term objectives) & to implement the action plan.
Corporate Positions on Sustainability Maturity Curve. Compliance: Doing what they have to. Integration: Have practice in place to be more responsible. Transformation: Is now strategic about it. ******* FOR REVIEW *********
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Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategic process or steps. 1. Executive Commitment - make business case. 2. Assessment- reviewing systems & procedures, gathering input from internal & external stakeholders. 3. Infrastructure Creation - who will head CSR, need a new department?, how data collected?, consulting firm? 4. Plan Implementation - set strategy, priorities & objectives, scorecard created, action plan created. 5. Measurement, Reporting & Evaluation 6. Reassessment & Revision ******* FOR REVIEW *******
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Triple Bottom Line - Economic, social, & environmental impact metrics used to determine an organization's success. ******** For Review *********
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