Problem
You will explore the relevant sustainability literature and become familiar with the specific context and sustainability priorities for your sector. You will also identify the maturity level of Canadian businesses in terms of sustainability and make recommendations for improvement.
The Scenario
You are working for a Canadian company from a sector of your choice (agriculture, manufacturing, services, telecommunications etc.) based in Ontario. Jackie, who is 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 21st 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 something very difficult.
Jackie remembered that you had some training in CSR and assigned you to research the matter further. She asked you to form a short research report on what sustainability is and how it relates to your company, so that she can decide whether to further pursue the matter.
The Content
After some thought you decide that your research report should answer the following questions so that Jackie can make an informed decision:
A. What is sustainability and CSR?
B. What three sustainability challenges are most relevant to businesses in your sector in Canada and/or Ontario? Why are they relevant?
C. What are Canadian businesses in your sector doing to manage those challenges? Provide a description of THREE companies demonstrating best practices.
D. Based on the above, describe THREE sustainability actions you would recommend your company undertake considering your research.