McDonald’s, a global fast-food giant, has been increasingly prioritizing corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainable business practices in response to growing consumer demand and societal expectations. The company has made significant strides in various areas including environmental sustainability, community engagement, and ethical sourcing. McDonald’s practices sustainability by actively working to reduce its environmental footprint. One of its notable initiatives is the commitment to sustainable packaging. The company aims to source 100% of its packaging from renewable, recycled, or certified sources by 2025. Additionally, McDonald’s has been implementing energy-efficient practices in its restaurants and investing in renewable energy sources. These efforts are aimed at reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
McDonald’s has been increasingly focused on ensuring ethical sourcing throughout its supply chain. The company has set standards for animal welfare, sustainable agriculture, and responsible sourcing of ingredients. For instance, McDonald’s has made commitments to source only cage-free eggs in its restaurants in several countries, reflecting its commitment to animal welfare. McDonald’s engages with communities through various philanthropic initiatives and volunteer programs. The Ronald McDonald House Charities, established by McDonald’s, provides support to families with sick children by offering housing and other resources near hospitals. Furthermore, McDonald’s engages in local community events and sponsorships, supporting education, health, and wellness programs.
While McDonald’s has made commendable progress in its CSR efforts, there are areas where further improvement is possible. First, McDonald’s could set more ambitious targets for reducing its carbon footprint and waste generation. This may involve investing in more sustainable packaging alternatives, further energy efficiency measures, and exploring innovative solutions for waste reduction and recycling. Second, the company could increase transparency in its supply chain by providing more detailed information about the sourcing of its ingredients and the working conditions of workers throughout its supply chain. This could involve regular audits, supplier partnerships, and public reporting on key sustainability metrics. Third, McDonald’s could continue to expand its menu offerings to include more nutritious and sustainable food options. This could involve increasing the availability of plant-based options, reducing sodium and sugar content in its products, and promoting healthier eating habits through marketing and educational campaigns. Furthermore, McDonald’s could invest in programs to empower its employees, including training and development opportunities, fair wages, and benefits. Additionally, the company could prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives to create a more inclusive and supportive work environment for all employees. In conclusion, McDonald’s has made significant progress in its CSR and sustainability efforts, but there is room for improvement. By continuing to prioritize environmental sustainability, ethical sourcing, community engagement, and employee empowerment, McDonald’s can further enhance its reputation as a socially responsible and sustainable business.
CSR McDonalds

A brand I find myself using/wearing constantly is Carhartt. I personally really enjoy wearing Carhartt products both at work and for leisure. Upon researching Carhartt’s business and ethical practices I first came across their corporate responsibility page on the official Carhartt website. This page generally sums up Carhartt’s general practices as a large corporation, specifically certifications, internal accountability, training, community and international affairs, safety regulations and information regarding counterfeit product. Carhartt takes a large accountability when it comes to product safety, since they offer products that are labeled as flame-resistant and high visibility. In this section they specify the material and code requirements these products meet for certain job sites and work environments. They also give a general statement regarding certain chemicals and fabrics used to produce their product that reads “Carhartt works hard to ensure that our garments are designed and manufactured responsibly, and that any chemicals in our finished goods comply with all applicable laws and regulations.”

In a different section of this page Carhartt also addresses their social responsibility in the global market. They describe an established “Code of Conduct” that is set into place as minimum standards for all Carhartt suppliers internationally. This code of conduct was created around general international labor and human rights standards. They also address their global market with this statement “Building on our roots as an American company, Carhartt products are today manufactured and sold globally. Production is centered in company-owned factories in the U.S. and Mexico, and in a network of supplier and licensee factories around the world.” In another section Carhartt describes a “Quality assurance personnel visit” where certain individuals who are well trained in workplace safety, conditions and regulations are to “visit and work in supplier facilities on an ongoing basis.”

While these direct principles make for a solid ethical structure for the company I do believe that further action can be taken to prove their highly claimed ethical standards. Carhartt does not mention any responsibility involved with environmental protection besides their use of eco-friendly cotton. Carhartt also offers products that contain leather and wool but fails to address a policy that ensures the animals used to harvest these materials are treated with care and respect. While I am sure Carhartt does practice environmental protection and avoids poorly treating animals I would recommend a presented policy or addressing these issues on the companies corporate responsibility page.

One of the biggest and most well-known brands of sporting clothing and equipment is Nike. I always love to shop at Nike to buy either Nike soccer shoes, Nike hoodies, Nike dunks and etc. The Nike business has a long history of ethical corporation and it’s social responsibility. Nike’s social responsibility are focus on three areas: People, Planet, and Community. Nike is serious to creating a more diverse and equal workplace and making sure that all of its workers are treated properly. The Business also promotes the health and happiness of its workers. Nike has also promote a lot of famous people such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lebron James. They created campaign.

Nike is also dedicated to saving the environment and reducing its impact. The corporation has established objectives to cut back on waste productions and green house gas emissions. Nike was also making investments in sustainable materials and renewable energy.

Nike pays attention to supporting the communities where it does business. The business encourages its staff to donate their time and talents and to support a number of social and environmental issues.

Overall, Nike aims to promote a more equal and diverse work environment, supporting ethical labor standards throughout its supply chain, and reducing its environmental effect. Nike can maintain its role as a leader in this field by promoting a change in public policy, being more open with customers, and continuing a fund environmental products.

As soon as I saw the topic for this assignment, the first company that came to mind was SHEIN.A popular Chinese based company from clothes to household items it has everything I need for much less.

SHEIN is an online company remarkably successful towards generation z and with its sudden up rising fame comes the controversy claims. The biggest concerns people had about their company was their prediction to fashion and closely similar their products are to name brand products, manufacturing and how they are sustaining their company. For this assignment I will focus on the actions they have taken to uphold manufacturing ethically while also responsibly producing products.

SHEIN is known for staying ahead of the fashion industry predicting what could be trending faster than name brand industries do. Therefore, how do they stay so ahead to make the clothes well SHEIN spoke person said unlike everyone’s claims of using ai they use “audience-engagement technology on its site and mobile app to identify trends and determine demand,” the article states. With this though they receive many claims from other industries that they are copying their designs. To combat these accusations, they released a statement denying the claims. However, just words are extremely hard to show as proof they are not doing anything wrong. To better improve their reputation overall due to multiple accusations they should provide documentation and original drawings from their designers.

A huge scandal they have been involved in resulting in lawsuits was the actual process of how they manufacture their products. Complimentary to the term fast fashion they do use sweat shops to make fashion obviously faster and efficiently to keep up with their huge demand. The problem was the problem was the treatment of staff regarding their working hours and there working conditions. Back in 2020-2021 they were Tik Tok videos unclear if true or not had creators open clothes from Shein and inside the label it typed help or help me inside. This was the workers in their China work studio crying out for help from their extraneous job. The one concern people had was their long hours and working conditions that were unsuitable to work in for such long hours. Such an extensive list of accusations and much more was put against the rising star of the online fashion world made the law get involved and now a long investigation is being started. Despite this customer intrigued by suspicious cheap prices remained loyal to SHEIN and continued purchasing their products.

Having review all the information so far, that is SHEIN wants to move forward and become an influence against their competitor They should move carefully about their next move with their public appearances. By doing so they should be fully transparent with their company’s policy. Also be fully cooperative with the investigation so that the public can see them in a good eye. It is necessary to do so because even if people still buy from them despite the allegations, they must earn the trust of the previous customers they have left, and the new customers scared away by the allegations. Lastly, they should provide proof to the public with how they treat their employees. And if such allegations are true, they must treat employees better and consider not being so closely related to other designers’ work because copyright is the biggest issue in any art industry.

Sources: Shining a Light on Shein’s Unethical Labor Practices (studybreaks.com)

Julian Watson

The company i wanted to use was nike due to my love for shoes and there brand. Nike is recognized for its athletic footwear and apparel. As a big international organization, they have worked hard lately to include sustainability and CSR into their business model

Move to Zero, one of their primary programs, attempts to lessen Nike’s environmental impact and change how their products are developed, sourced, produced, and shipped. Specifically, the firm wants to power all owned and managed facilities with renewable energy by the year 2025, redirect all trash from landfills away from the footwear manufacturing process, and cut carbon emissions company-wide by 65% by the year 2030. They are aiming to employ circular design ideas and more environmentally friendly materials, such recycled polyester.

Nike has initiatives in their manufacturing supply chain.focusing on ethical labor practices and appropriate sourcing. By 2025, they want to have sourced all of their cotton responsibly. Their Manufacturing Index aids in monitoring labor practices in contract manufacturing facilities. There is still potential for improvement as issues with poor salaries and forced labor in some foreign industries persist.

I advise Nike to keep being more open about the effects of their manufacturing and supply chains in order to become an even more moral and environmentally conscious business. They might achieve carbon neutrality by increasing their use of sustainable materials, making investments in renewable energy, and establishing science-based emissions objectives. On labor issues, collaborating with 3rd party auditors could improve monitoring and correction. And last, they might achieve their circular economy and waste reduction objectives by putting more of an emphasis on circular business models, re-commerce, and product take-back programs.

Feeling homesick in 2004, Siggi Hilmarsson craved one of his childhood comfort foods, skyr (a thick, creamy, protein-rich yogurt from Iceland) and began experimenting with a recipe from his mother in his NYC apartment. Out of his experimentation, siggi’s, an Icelandic skyr brand, was born in 2005. I’ve always noticed siggi’s on the shelf when grocery shopping but, as an avid Noosa consumer, I’d not been inspired to actually try their skyr until I noticed that their products are made with significantly less sugar because I was preparing a small tub of it for the baby I care for. The label on siggi’s nonfat yogurts are made of paper and are removable. On the inside there are a couple of pictures and short copy describing their company’s story. This inspired me to dig deeper into the company’s history and sustainability practices (the labels on these containers make it easier to recycle them).
When looking into any company’s sustainability practices I am interested not only in their environmental practices but their commitment to treating the people who are involved in the creation of their products humanely and ethically. In the “supply chain disclosures” Siggi’s defines their commitment as:
We believe that we have a responsibility to conduct our business in an ethical and sustainable way and expect the same from our suppliers, thus we strive to build long-term business relationships that demonstrate a commitment to fair treatment of workers and environmental responsibility. This includes working to combat the practices of forced labor, slavery, and human trafficking.
This is a more bold and direct stance than I have seen most companies take in regard to the way that the humans involved in their supply chain are listed. Because their “supply chain disclosures” page starts off so strongly, I was surprised to read only a couple of paragraphs down that, although Siggi’s has a hotline so that anyone working at/with companies that are a part of their supply chain can report a violation of the standards siggi’s has set, siggi’s does not currently have an auditing process in place for companies that they work with.
Beyond expressing a commitment to sustainability and ethical practices within their supply chain, siggi’s has a grant program called “Siggi’s Starters” which “empowers nutrition professionals seeking to develop innovative programs to improve health in their local communities” by providing the winner with a $20k grant and mentorship to develop and execute their concept. After taking a look at which stores and neighborhoods it is most common to find Siggi’s in, the price point of their products, and scrolling through their Instagram page, I am curious about what the racial and socio-economic demographics of their average consumers are. The Siggi’s Starters program is a phenomenal opportunity, but I am curious to whom this opportunity is being advertised and if it is reaching nutrition professionals, creators, and community leaders who are marginalized and are less likely to gain access to essential funding & mentorship.
Furthermore, Siggi’s was founded in New York City. So, after thinking about what I’ve mentioned above, my initial suggestions for Siggi’s to honor the commitments they have made are as follows:
Instagram + Blog: Partner with more creators, nutritionists, bloggers, etc…, who are from a wider array of racial, ethnic, gender, socio-economic, and religious backgrounds to display a genuine commitment to reflecting the cultures and people of the city they were founded in. By doing this, I believe Siggi’s could reach more people who have brilliant ideas for health initiatives to apply for their Siggi’s starters grant.
Develop an auditing process: As Siggi’s continues to grow, I would like to see them develop an auditing process for the businesses that make up their supply chain so that they can ensure they are actually honoring the commitment they have made, as opposed to relying on the hope of people reporting injustices via their hotline. I think the hotline is an incredible start, but I believe that the onus of ensuring ethical procedures are being followed should not fall upon workers.
Overall, I am genuinely excited to see the ways in which Siggi’s continues to grow, to learn about their current commitments to sustainability and ethics, and to see if/how the ways they honor these commitments continue to evolve.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has been actively involved in corporate social responsibility and sustainable business practices. Here’s a brief overview of their current initiatives:

1. Green/Sustainability Initiatives: MTA has committed to reducing emissions from its operations by at least 85% by 2040, from a 2015 baseline. Their strategy includes updating facilities to reduce fossil fuel use and energy consumption, transitioning fleets to reduce fossil fuels used for buses, trains, and non-revenue vehicles, and optimizing energy use through energy management, regenerative energy, and storage.

2. Carbon Emissions Reporting: MTA voluntarily identifies, and tracks instances of greenhouse emissions and the measures taken toward their avoidance. This helps them work effectively towards reducing their own carbon footprint while contributing to the public’s understanding of the role mass transit plays in reducing carbon emissions.

3. Governance, Risk, and Compliance: MTA has a comprehensive corporate governance code of ethics that guides their operations.

Based on these initiatives, here are some recommendations for MTA to create a more ethical, socially responsible, and sustainable business:

1. Expand Renewable Energy Initiatives: While MTA has made significant strides in reducing emissions, they could further expand their renewable energy initiatives. This could include investing in solar or wind energy for their facilities or exploring partnerships with renewable energy providers.

2. Enhance Community Engagement: MTA could increase its community service and volunteerism efforts. This could involve organizing community clean-up events, offering discounted or free services to underserved communities, or partnering with local schools and organizations for educational programs about public transportation and sustainability.

3. Promote Sustainable Supply Chains: MTA could work with its suppliers to ensure they also adhere to sustainable practices. This could involve creating a supplier code of conduct that outlines expectations around environmental responsibility.

4. Increase Transparency: To build trust with the public, MTA could increase transparency around its sustainability efforts. This could involve publishing regular sustainability reports that detail their progress towards their goals.

By implementing these recommendations, MTA can further enhance its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainable business practices.

The company that came to mind for this assignment for me was Samsung. Samsung’s multi-pronged corporate social responsibility  strategy appears to be a comprehensive approach that integrates various initiatives aimed at social development, environmental sustainability, and technological innovation. The emphasis on empowering people through education and skill development aligns with the goal of fostering a more sustainable and technologically advanced society. Furthermore, the focus on sustainability, both in terms of the company’s operations and the products it offers, reflects a commitment to minimizing ecological impact and promoting a greener future.

The integration of technology in Samsung’s CSR initiatives underscores the company’s understanding of the pivotal role technology plays in addressing global challenges. By leveraging its strengths in technological innovation, Samsung aims to contribute to a better world through initiatives like carbon capture and clean air technologies. This aligns well with the company’s mission and vision statements, emphasizing the use of innovative technologies for the betterment of society.

In addition to these technology-driven efforts, Samsung’s involvement in charitable initiatives and employee giving programs demonstrates a holistic approach to corporate citizenship, addressing diverse stakeholder interests. By incorporating programs that focus on human development, sustainability, and community engagement, Samsung showcases a commitment to creating a positive impact beyond its business operations.

Overall, Samsung’s CSR strategy seems to be a reflection of the company’s broader commitment to social and environmental responsibility, while leveraging its technological expertise to drive positive change. By focusing on education, sustainability, and community engagement, Samsung aligns its CSR efforts with its corporate mission and vision, fostering a culture of innovation and responsible business practices.

While Samsung’s CSR efforts with its corporate mission and vision, after doing more research on the ethical practices of the company there definitely can be strategies to create a more sustainable business.

Establishing an honest and transparent dialogue with consumers is crucial in building trust and loyalty. Openly addressing concerns and actively seeking feedback can foster a sense of accountability and demonstrate a genuine commitment to ethical practices. Implementing independent oversight to monitor product safety and labor conditions can provide an objective assessment of the company’s operations, ensuring that ethical standards are consistently upheld and potentially identifying areas for improvement.

The introduction of a dedicated product safety department and the enforcement of stricter safety checks within the supply chain can significantly enhance product quality and safety standards. By ensuring that suppliers adhere to stringent safety protocols through contractual agreements, Samsung can establish a comprehensive framework for responsible sourcing and manufacturing practices. By integrating these proposed processes into their business operations, Samsung can effectively demonstrate its dedication to ethical practices and responsible corporate citizenship, fostering a sustainable and positive impact within the industry and among its stakeholders.

https://samsungbiologics.com/esg/social/ethics