The goal of this training course is to create awareness and advance knowledge about issues in business ethics and supply chain social responsibility. Through readings, discussions, mini-cases and exercises, participants will learn about a broad range of social responsibility factors, such as ethics, environmental concerns and “fair trade.”

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• define the concept of corporate social responsibility;
• describe the different perspectives on ethics and social responsibility;
• explain the relationship between business ethics and corporate social responsibility;
• discuss an organizational ethics statement;
• identify the various stakeholders with interests in ethical issues;
• discuss the rationale and potential benefits of sustainable supply chains;
• identify opportunities for your organization to create a greener supply chain;
• evaluate your organization’s policy on discrimination and harassment;
• create a social responsibility policy for their organization.

Course Outline

• Introduction to Business Ethics and Social Responsibility
• Ethics: Definition and Tradition Define business ethics and describe different perspectives on ethics.  
• Critique and organizational ethics statement
• Regulatory Codes of Ethics
• Stakeholders identify various stakeholders with interests in ethical issues in the context of their organizations.
• Social Responsibility Explain the relationship between business ethics and corporate social responsibility.
• Ethical Orientation
• The Polluter’s Dilemma

Environmental Sustainability

• Sustainable Supply Chains Discuss the rationale and potential benefits of sustainable supply chains.
• Carbon Footprint Identify opportunities for your organization to create a greener supply chain.
• Calculate the carbon footprints.
• ISO 14000 Evaluate the potential of ISO 14000 for their organization and supply chain.

Discrimination and Harassment: The Law

• Defining Discrimination and Harassment Know the federal and provincial laws covering discrimination and harassment.
• Organizational Policy Comment on your organization’s policy on discrimination and harassment
• Sexual Harassment Mini-case Discuss the impact of discrimination on organizational productivity.

Social Issues

• International Labor Organization (ILO) Standards To explain the ILO standards
• ISM Principles To identify safety and security issues within your organization, and among key members of your supply chain
• Free Trade versus Fair Trade Be familiar with distinctions between free trade and fair trade, and determine your organization’s view on free versus fair trade.
• Kraft and Rainforest Alliance

Community Involvement

• Community and the Organization
• Examples of Community Involvement Identify opportunities for their organizations to become more involved in the local community.

Social Responsibility Presentations

• Propose a statement of social responsibility to a group of their peers
• Question and or Comment on such a statement delivered by someone else.

Social Responsibility Report and Workshop Wrap Up

• Begin preparation of their workshop final report.
• Discuss the key concepts covered during the session.
• Discuss how they would apply the concepts in their organization.
• Prepare a final report