CSR & Sustainability Strategy Evaluation: Case Study Analysis

Select a company from the list of companies provided on the module eLP. Evaluate the strategic development of your selected organisation through the corporate social responsibility and sustainability lens using a range of suitable frameworks introduced and discussed throughout the course of the module. This will include theories, models and frameworks from the field of strategic management, business ethics and responsible organisational contexts.

Your assignment must follow the following structure:

An introduction.

This section introduces the content of the assignment and the company. It briefly outlines the organisation’s strategic position within their industry. We recommend that you do not use more than 100 words for this section. [5%]

A three-horizons analysis

Using a three-horizons framework discuss the company’s existing, emerging and prospective activities shaping the future of the organisation and its potential development. Drawing upon the value chain and resource-based view discuss the company’s sources of competitive advantage. Which of the company’s competencies and/or dynamic capabilities do contribute the most to its responsible and sustainable development and future? Use a range of scholarly sources, debates and frameworks to conduct a critical analysis. (aprox 800 words) [40%]

Stakeholder Assessment

Evaluate how responsible the strategic direction of the organisation has been from the point of view of its key stakeholders. Discuss how the organisation tackled various corporate social irresponsibility (CSIR) acts it committed over the past 10 years and which stakeholder groups were affected the most by the company’s misconduct/s. Discuss whether the organisation has done enough to rectify the damages caused to its key stakeholders and whether and how the company invested into building and strengthening these relationships for future success. For this part of the analysis, you are welcome to use suitable CSR and CSI frameworks introduced and discussed throughout the course of the module (approx. 800 words) [40%]

Drawing upon the overall analysis, propose a suitable strategic direction for the company to make it more responsible, sustainable and ethical both short-term and long-term. The recommendations proposed for the company’s strategic development should be assessed against SAF (Suitability, Acceptability, and Feasibility) criteria and grounded in practical considerations (aprox 300 words) [15%]

For Part 2 of the assignment, which is a Group Presentation, you are required to prepare a group presentation.

In a group of (3-5 people) you are required to prepare a 10-minute recorded presentation. As management consultants you have been hired by a company that has been struggling to integrate CSR into its business functions and operations. You will be required to conduct research into your selected organisation and prepare a plan of how the organisation can develop and integrate or improve its CSR in one of its business functions. Recommendations provided would help the organisation to become a more socially responsible and sustainable business.

Please note: Your group must select an organisation by yourselves for the assignment. You are not allowed to use any of the companies provided for the Part A of the assignment.

Your team will produce a 10-minute recorded presentation (i.e. a powerpoint with a recorded voiceover submitted as a recorded video file) and should include:

1. An introduction to the team and each member’s specific responsibilities for this task.
2. An introduction to the company outlining its key business specialisation, industry and strategic developments.
3. An overview of the organisation’s approach to CSR with specific examples related to a specific business function. Students are required to provide evidence that their chosen company is struggling to integrate CSR and identify main problems contributing to this challenge.
4. A plan with recommendations outlining the steps the organisation can/should take to become more socially responsible, ethical and sustainable.
5. A reference list that includes all the sources used in conducting your research and presentation.

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Introduction

The organisation selected for the purpose of analysis is DBS Bank Singapore. It is one of the most innovative financial institutions that operates across 18 markets and the bank has positioned itself as a purpose driven organisation guided by its banking the Asian way philosophy. The bank has achieved a solid position in areas such as digital transformation, customer centric services and sustainability initiatives. In order to maintain its competitive position in the industry, the bank continues to make investment in sustainable development and innovative initiatives so that it can continue to deliver long term value to its stakeholders.

Three Horizons analysis

Horizon 1 – existing activities
The existing activities of the bank indicates traditional retail and corporate banking, SME financing and digital banking services, strong digital infrastructure and brand equity, responsible financial policies etc.
Horizon 2 – emerging activities
The activities of the bank classified as emerging activities include expansion of green financing portfolios, investments in Ai for better customer experience, partnerships with fintech startups via DBS innovation groups .
Horizon 3 – future/ prospective activities
It includes commitment of the bank to net zero its financed emissions by 2050, exploring digital assets, blockchain enabled finance and advanced sustainability reporting tools, and also scaling inclusive finance across Asian markets.

Value Chain and resource based view

The core resources of the bank include its strong digital capabilities, risk management and responsible lending practices, sustainability expertise and financial stability. Its capabilities include strong corporate governance and digital transformation. The key dynamic capabilities that contribute towards sustainable development includes the integration of sustainability measures across products and operations, innovation capability leading to adoption of new technology and stakeholder engagement capability.

Stakeholder Assessment

The key stakeholders of the company include its employees, customers, investors, regulators and the environment. The CSR responsible strategies undertaken by the bank includes prioritising responsible lending and community investment through programmes like DBS Foundation, employee wellbeing initiatives for long term resilience, and transparent reporting through sustainability reports.

Corporate social irresponsibility issues

Some of the irresponsible issues identified in the past 10 years include banking outages affecting digital banking customers, issues with service quality in terms of delays in delivering service, and major digital service disruptions. All these issues have a direct impact on stakeholders including customers, investors, and employees.

Initiatives undertaken to rectify damages

Some of the initiatives considered by the bank include introduction of backup systems, strengthening system monitoring, and public apologies and transparency in reporting.

Relationship building for future success

It is important for the bank to enhance its investment in digital resilience, strengthen cyber security frameworks and continue to invest in community focussed programs. 

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