MPP710 - Environmental Sustainability for Business Trimester 1 2024
MPP710 - Environmental Sustainability for Business Trimester 1 2024
Assessment Task 2 Business Report- Evaluating a sustainability report.
DUE DATE:Due May 17, 2024 by8:00pm (Melbourne time)
PERCENTAGE OF FINAL GRADE:50%
WORD COUNT:3000 words
Description
Purpose
Companies report environmental information for a range of reasons. In many cases there are legal requirements for reporting on their activities. In other instances, they want to communicate with their stakeholders and in yet others they use this information to assist in promoting and marketing the organisations. There are a wide range of formats and structures for reporting information, as well as deciding on what information to highlight.
This assignment asks you to evaluate a firms environmental reporting to assess if you believe it communicated information about environmental issues that are particularly relevant to that firm. You will need to also draw on other information online (industry, government, academic, firm etc) too assist you in evaluating these reports. You can select from one of six alternative firms listed at the end of the assignment description.
Context/Scenario
For this task you will be address these questions listed under the specific requirements. The goal is not to get into complex scientific assessments of the reports but to identify the environmental issues that are of most relevance to the firm selected and its activities (this is often referred to as what is most material).
You will need to draw on external materials to assist in addressing the question. You can include diagrams, figures and tables that you source for the annual report or elsewhere, but make sure these are cited (they do not count in the word count).
Specific Requirements
The assignment is divided into 5 Sections:
1) Introduction to the report (100 words). You do NOT need to have an executive summary.
2) Does the company address all important sustainability issues within the report. (750 words)
Identify the important environmental issues that relate to the selected firm. These should identify how the firms activities impact on the natural environment. In reviewing this material make sure you assess the significance of the impact of the issue. For example, an IT firm may say it is going to a paperless communication system or they are planning to switch to electric vehicles. While these may have environmental benefits, the firm may have other activities, such as disposal of Ewaste, that have a greater environmental impact. Thus discuss the impacts identified and comment on how substantial these are to the firms overall environmental impact. Make sure you comment on how easy it is to understand the material presented.
2) Choose three of the issues identified in question and discuss whether the firm list clear targets for these activities, explaining how these were derived (by the firm, industry standards or with stakeholders). (800 words)
3) Does the company explain how it will achieve the targets for the three selected issues. Does the explanation sound plausible? You may need to do additional research to determine if this are achievable or not. (500 words)
4) Is their existing performance for the three targeted activities good and are the firms environmental target for these activities responsible. You will need to do other research to talk about whether their existing performance meets global or industry standards. Will the targeted performance goals have a substantial environmental impact? Are there other suggestions that you believe would be better in regard to the three issues your selected? If so explain these. (600 words)
5) Conclusion: Do you believe that the report reflects a true commitment to the environment or that it is focused more on promoting the firms activities (i.e., green washing). Discuss why you believe this to be the case drawing on the report, other materials, and your previous answers. (300 words)
6) list of refences- This does not count in the word count. Make sure you list all websites and materials sources and cite appropriately in the document.
SELECT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES FOR YOUR ASSIGNMENT
Arnotts Food manufacture https://assets.ctfassets.net/qifm0zg3y057/3V4DhvmdixyxyyJq7U2IYg/e2498b517c9be790c5857d5d40989d0a/ARN0004_-_TAG_Sustainability_Statement_-_FINAL.pdf
Cotton on group Fashion https://cottonongroup.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/THE-GOOD-REPORT-2022-1.pdf
Invocar Australian Funeral Homes (2022) https://www.invocare.com.au/content/dam/invocare/invocare-corp/pdfs/investor-relations/sustainability-report/2022%20InvoCare%20Sustainability%20Report.pdf
Evolution Gold Mining Australia/Canada https://evolutionmining.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Evolution-Mining-Sustainability-Report-2023.pdf
Bendigo/Adelaide Banking Australian Banking https://www.bendigoadelaide.com.au/globalassets/documents/bendigoadelaide/investorcentre/results-and-reporting/sustainability-reports/sustainability-report-2023.pdf
Metcash (IGA) Food Retailing https://mars-metcdn-com.global.ssl.fastly.net/content/uploads/sites/101/2023/08/31145748/20838_Metcash_SR23_FINAL-compressed.pdf
Learning Outcomes
This task allows you to demonstrate your achievement towards the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) which have been aligned to the Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs). Deakin GLOs describe the knowledge and capabilities graduates acquire and can demonstrate on completion of their course. This assessment task is an important tool in determining your achievement of the ULOs. If you do not demonstrate achievement of the ULOs you will not be successful in this unit. You are advised to familiarise yourself with these ULOs and GLOs as they will inform you on what you are expected to demonstrate for successful completion of this unit.
The learning outcomes that are aligned to this assessment task are:
Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs)
ULO 1
ULO 2
ULO3 Discipline knowledge and capabilities (use concepts and theory discussed in class to evaluate the sustainability report)
Critical thinking: In identifying strengths and weaknesses students will need to systematically assess the information provided to allow them to comment on this.
Problem solving: In reviewing the material and providing areas for improvements, students are using problem solving abilities.
Global citizenship: The focus of the report is to review organisations sustainability reports focusing on their environmental sustainability, which is focal to being a good corporate citizen. 1,4,5,8
Referencing and Academic Integrity
Deakin takes academic integrity very seriously. It is important that you (and if a group task, your group) complete your own work in every assessment task Any material used in this assignment that is not your original work must be acknowledged as such and appropriately referenced. You can find information about referencing (and avoiding breaching academic integrity) and other study support resources at the following website: http://www.deakin.edu.au/students/study-supportSubmission
You must submit your assignment in the Assignment Dropbox in the unit CloudDeakin site on or before the due date. When uploading your assignment, name your document using the following syntax: <your surname_your first name_your Deakin student ID number_[unitcode].doc (or .docx). For example, Jones_Barry_123456789_ABC123.doc.
Submitting a hard copy of this assignment is not required. You must keep a backup copy of every assignment you submit until the marked assignment has been returned to you. In the unlikely event that one of your assignments is misplaced you will need to submit your backup copy.
Any work you submit may be checked by electronic or other means for the purposes of detecting collusion and/or plagiarism and for authenticating work.
When you submit an assignment through your CloudDeakin unit site, you will receive an email to your Deakin email address confirming that it has been submitted. You should check that you can see your assignment in the Submissions view of the Assignment Dropbox folder after upload and check for, and keep, the email receipt for the submission.
Marking and feedback
The marking rubric indicates the assessment criteria for this task. It is available in the CloudDeakin unit site in the Assessment folder, under Assessment Resources. Criteria act as a boundary around the task and help specify what assessors are looking for in your submission. The criteria are drawn from the ULOs and align with the GLOs. You should familiarise yourself with the assessment criteria before completing and submitting this task.
Students who submit their work by the due date will receive their marks and feedback on CloudDeakin 15 working days after the submission date.
Extensions
Extensions can only be granted for exceptional and/or unavoidable circumstances outside of your control. Requests for extensions must be made by 12 noon on the submission date using the online Extension Request form under the Assessment tab on the unit CloudDeakin site. All requests for extensions should be supported by appropriate evidence (e.g., a medical certificate in the case of ill health).
Applications for extensions after 12 noon on the submission date require University level special consideration and these applications must be must be submitted via StudentConnect in your DeakinSync site.
Late submission penalties
If you submit an assessment task after the due date without an approved extension or special consideration, 5% will be deducted from the available marks for each day after the due date up to seven days*. Work submitted more than seven days after the due date will not be marked and will receive 0% for the task. The Unit Chair may refuse to accept a late submission where it is unreasonable or impracticable to assess the task after the due date. *'Day' means calendar day for electronic submissions and working day for paper submissions.
An example of how the calculation of the late penalty based on an assignment being due on a Thursday at 8:00pm is as follows:
1 day late: submitted after Thursday 11:59pm and before Friday 11:59pm 5% penalty.
2 days late: submitted after Friday 11:59pm and before Saturday 11:59pm 10% penalty.
3 days late: submitted after Saturday 11:59pm and before Sunday 11:59pm 15% penalty.
4 days late: submitted after Sunday 11:59pm and before Monday 11:59pm 20% penalty.
5 days late: submitted after Monday 11:59pm and before Tuesday 11:59pm 25% penalty.
6 days late: submitted after Tuesday 11:59pm and before Wednesday 11:59pm 30% penalty.
7 days late: submitted after Wednesday 11:59pm and before Thursday 11:59pm 35% penalty.
The Dropbox closes the Thursday after 11:59pm AEST/AEDT time.
Support
The Division of Student Life provides a range of Study Support resources and services, available throughout the academic year, including Writing Mentor and Maths Mentor online drop ins and the SmartThinking 24 hour writing feedback service at this link. If you would prefer some more in depth and tailored support, make an appointment online with a Language and Learning Adviser.
Your rights and responsibilities as a student
As a student you have both rights and responsibilities. Please refer to the document Your rights and responsibilities as a student in the Unit Guide & Information section in the Content area in the CloudDeakin unit site.
