This is an individual assignment.

Through this research assignment, you will explore the relevant sustainability literature and become familiar with the specific context and sustainability priorities. You will also identify the maturity level of businesses in terms of sustainability and be better prepared for the reality of the market.

The Scenario You are working for a fictional company from a sector of your choice (such as agriculture, manufacturing, services, telecommunications etc.) based in a country of your choice (you are encouraged to select a country you are NOT familiar with, e.g. Canada if you are an international student).

Jackie (she/her), the owner and CEO of the company, was recently invited to a conference and heard a very inspiring talk on sustainability and how it was becoming the new normal for businesses in the 21^st century. She would like her company to do more about it, but she is not entirely convinced that there is a business case, and she is also afraid that this could be very difficult.

Jackie remembered that you had some training on sustainability and assigned you to research the matter further. She asked you to prepare a short research report, video presentation, or infographic on sustainability and how it relates to the company, so she can decide whether to pursue the matter further.

The Content After some thought, you decide that your research should answer the following questions so that Jackie can make an informed decision:

1. What is sustainability and CSR? This provides Jackie with the necessary context to follow the rest of your report.
2. What are the top three sustainability challenges in your sector/industry? Why? Identify three major challenges and explain why they are relevant.
3. What are the businesses in your sector doing to manage those challenges? For each challenge identified in Q2, describe best practices by individual companies.
4. What should Jackie do? Based on the above, describe three sustainability actions you would recommend to Jackie for the company to undertake.

Clarifications

• Company: You should choose a specific fictional company from the sector of your choice (e.g. ACME Automobile Manufacturing in the automotive sector) and describe it in your report/infographic/video.
• Audience: Remember that your audience is Jackie from the scenario. Not the professor. You should explicitly address it to her as if you are working in the company of your choice.
• Question 3: When mentioning best practice examples, you should focus on what the specific companies do (or say they do). Best practices may include specific actions, initiatives, projects, programs, policies and strategies, or even innovative products, services, and solutions.
• Use of acronyms: Remember that Jackie has NO Idea about acronyms we have discussed in class, such as CSR, SDGs, etc. Therefore, you have to explain them the first time you use them (including in the Executive Summary). For example, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Next Steps and Assignment Structure

• Conduct a research report to understand how to answer the questions for Jackie.