Browsing by Subject "CSR"

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    Developing a Corporate Sustainability Strategy for Philadelphia Macaroni Company
    (2021-04-30) Dunn, Lauren; Knisely, Ian; Li, Ellen; Lyu, Yezi
    Philadelphia Macaroni Company (PMC) is a business-to-business company that supplies industrial pasta products to major consumer goods companies. PMC recognizes the benefits of a robust sustainability framework but lacks an overarching corporate sustainability program at this time. The goal of this project is to create a two-year implementation plan that provides clear strategic recommendations to launch three to five Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Through a materiality assessment, recommendations are provided for four topics: environmental performance tracking tools; diversity and inclusion; sustainable raw materials; and transparency. These four topics will assist PMC in integrating sustainability into their operations while enhancing their sustainability reputation within the consumer goods supply chain.
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    Integrating Life Cycle Assessment in AT&T's Product Eco-Rating System
    (2015-04-24) Barrs, Danielle
    AT&T Inc. is an American communications holding company whose subsidiaries and affiliates are providers of AT&T services, including wireless services. In connection with its Citizenship & Sustainability (C&S) efforts, AT&T requires that wireless devices carrying its brand be rated based on a number of environmental factors. These factors are assessed and devices are given an eco-rating of 1-5 stars. Now, AT&T is looking to incorporate life cycle assessment (LCA) into this product eco-rating system. This Master’s Project serves as a reference guide to assist AT&T in the integration of LCA in their eco-ratings. It also serves as the foundation for a business strategy roadmap which leverages the incorporation of LCA in corporate sustainability initiatives. This enhances transparency, reliability and innovation – not only as it relates to the company itself, but in helping consumers and other organizations forge a more sustainable future in an ever-evolving world. This report begins with an overview of sustainability initiatives at AT&T, followed by a breakdown of the company’s product eco-rating system. Subsequent sections consist of an LCA overview and roadmap, an analysis of emerging trends in the ICT industry with regards to life cycle and impact assessment, and recommendations for further development of AT&T’s C&S efforts in this regard.
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    Sustainability Strategy of Hess Corporation in New Country Entry
    (2015-04-23) Bryant, Aaron; Christopher, Andrew; Supple IV, William
    As a global resource company, Hess Corporation is invested in oil and gas projects around the world. With the marketing and refining divisions of the corporation newly divested, the streamlined company looks to enter new countries, and in doing so, Hess seeks to make viable social and environmental investments that will serve both the countries’ needs and the company business model. We have developed a screening tool that first compiles World Bank and UN data for all available countries into categories to assess a country’s social investment needs. The tool then analyzes Hess’ previous social investment project management experience alongside the objective country needs to present a gap analysis. Finally, Hess’ main business drivers for the specific country of entry are entered, and the tool produces a series of prompts for developing a sustainable social investment strategy.
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    The Game of Giving Back: Re-thinking Corporate Capitalism and the Trend of Corporate Social Responsibility
    (2010-05-12T11:15:00Z) Gloss, Nadine
    Should corporations take on responsibilities towards society beyond the production of goods and services? Can there be a motive beyond the profit motive? The following thesis will be an overview and a critique of corporate social responsibility (CSR), a trend that has gained greater visibility in the corporate business world for the last twenty years. The idea of CSR will be presented as an agent for modern multinational corporations to connect with the greater society, against the background of its free market capitalist foundation. A focused case study of CSR in the Bayer Healthcare Corporation will take place. The fieldwork for this thesis took place in the cities of Berlin, Germany and Durham, North Carolina, examining personal accounts and perceptions of western corporate culture in the twentieth century, and its influence on people within as well as outside of the corporate setting. The concept of corporate personhood in the legal and social sense will be challenged, in favor of the view that corporations are ultimately profit-seeking machines that are incapable of responding as real humans. In view of the modern corporation's purpose and relationship with society, I will argue that CSR is not a sustainable part of the corporate agenda and should not be seen as an indication that corporations are capable of operating for ends beyond profit. The CSR discourse raises critical questions about western people's relationship with the modern corporation and the functionality of the current free market capitalist system in America.
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    Unleashing Strategy for Sustainability
    (2020-04-22) Hodges, Joseph
    The disciplines of corporate strategy and corporate sustainability share many similarities, and the tools of each can be used to enhance the objectives of the other. Both involve aligning multiple stakeholders, making difficult trade-offs, analyzing metrics, and generating long-term value creation. However, traditional corporate strategy emphasizes competitive differentiation, while sustainability calls for collaboration and coordination. This project explored ways for strategy methodologies to better incorporate sustainability principles to achieve better outcomes for a firm and the natural environment. The first phase of the project narrowed down a wide range of possible tools to three frameworks that work best for generating long-term and sustainable value creation. The second phase then looked at applications of these three methodologies within “stronger” definitions of sustainability, i.e. more focused on ecological measures and outcomes. Ultimately, strategists and sustainability practitioners have similar goals, and this project shows how both can integrate the other field into their work to generate long-term value for society and the planet.