Problem
Ford's materiality matrix (Ford 2018a, 11) prioritizes 19 issues into five categories- financial, environmental, human, social, and governance. Drawing a diagonal line from the intersection of the x- and y-axes (lower left corner) to the upper right corner of the matrix facilitates the interpretation of Ford's materiality matrix.
I. List Ford's materiality matrix's three most important environmental issues, shown in order of priority. Which issue shows the greatest difference in importance when comparing Ford to stakeholders? List, in order of priority, the three most important environmental issues from your perspective; compare your list with Ford's three most important environmental issues. Do all of the environmental issues on the materiality matrix seem important to you?
II. Merge Ford's three human and five social issues into one category (eight issues). Identify Ford's three most important human and social issues. List separately, in order of priority, the three most important social issues to stakeholders. How do you interpret seeing ''human capital management'' and ''employee wellness, health, and safety'' omitted from Ford's three most important human and social issues?
III. Ethical business practices and government regulation and policy are two governance issues. Compare Ford's importance-positioning of these issues on the matrix with stakeholders. How might these be interpreted? Recommend one additional governance issue that you think shareholders would consider as highly important but that Ford has not identified as a separate issue in its materiality matrix. Briefly explain.