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MMBA8068 – Strategic Responsibility and Sustainability: Changing Business for Good

2025 – Term 1, In person-scheduled-weekday, City

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Debbie Haski-Leventhal
debbie.haski-leventhal@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MBA or GradCertMgtPostMBA or MSusDev or MSocEntre or GradCertSocEntre or GradDipMgt
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

Dive into the realm of strategic corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability, where purpose-driven business creates a net positive impact. The unit comprehensively explores CSR and sustainability as a holistic, long-term approach to business responsibilities with innovative frameworks and cutting-edge tools. Explore how responsibility and sustainability transcend philanthropy and environmental initiatives, becoming embedded in every aspect of the business aligned with the company’s brand and values. Apply stakeholder integration, ethical behaviour, and the utilisation of firm resources to address societal and environmental challenges. Through in-depth discussions and analysis, examine current approaches to business ethics, sustainability, climate action, and responsible leadership. Utilising inspirational case studies, gain insights into creating, measuring, and sharing impact, effective communication and marketing strategies, and organisational change towards sustainable and responsible business practices. Equip yourself with the knowledge and skills to lead and drive meaningful change, fostering a culture of responsibility and sustainability within organisations.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Integrate Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and its six components into business operations
  • ULO2: Use a stakeholder integration approach in order benefit the organisation and society at large.
  • ULO3: Integrate ethical, social and environmental factors into business decision-making.
  • ULO4: Demonstrate how strategic CSR can deliver social, financial, and environmental value, individually and as part of a group

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Group Presentation 30% No Week 10
CSR Analysis Report 50% No Week 10
Discussions, debate, analysis, and small group tasks 20% No In class and on iLearn, weeky

Group Presentation

Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 34 hours
Due: Week 10
Weighting: 30%

 

The group presentation will be based on an analysis of a company’s strategic CSR, as defined and applied in this unit. Each group needs to find a company that has a CSR and/or sustainability program. This can be a company one of the group members works/has worked in or a well-known company. The group is required to collect data using publicly available information and/or via interviews and surveys. In the last day of this unit, each group will present for 30 minutes, with each member presenting for at least five (5) minutes on one of the four parts: 1. The company, its history, vision, and mission 2. Its current CSR and analysis of strategic CSR (all six aspects). 3. Its work towards the SDGs 4. Recommendations for improvement. The group will need to submit a draft of the slides 48 hours prior to the presentation, so that feedback can be provided, and the slides can be amended accordingly. Each group will also need to provide an executive summary of the company’s analysis with a title page with all group members’ names and students’ IDs and references according to APA7.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Integrate Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and its six components into business operations
  • Use a stakeholder integration approach in order benefit the organisation and society at large.
  • Integrate ethical, social and environmental factors into business decision-making.
  • Demonstrate how strategic CSR can deliver social, financial, and environmental value, individually and as part of a group

CSR Analysis Report

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 28 hours
Due: Week 10
Weighting: 50%

 

Based on the group work for the Group Presentation, each member will be required to submit a full individual report. The report will need to include a review of the relevant literature (either separately or embedded in the analysis), an analysis of the business and its CSR (including all six aspects). It will also include one new topic (e.g., SDGs, CSR reporting, CSR marketing, stakeholder integration or organisational change) and offer suggestions for improvement. It may also incorporate the feedback given to the group after the presentation. The reports are to be written individually and will be checked for plagiarism. You will need to include all sources and academic articles used in a reference list according to APA7.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Integrate Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and its six components into business operations
  • Use a stakeholder integration approach in order benefit the organisation and society at large.
  • Integrate ethical, social and environmental factors into business decision-making.
  • Demonstrate how strategic CSR can deliver social, financial, and environmental value, individually and as part of a group

Discussions, debate, analysis, and small group tasks

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 8 hours
Due: In class and on iLearn, weeky
Weighting: 20%

 

This task requires students to contribute to in class activities that are based on content and concepts.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Integrate Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and its six components into business operations
  • Integrate ethical, social and environmental factors into business decision-making.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Face to face and online (hybrid) on Saturday mornings in the CBD campus 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2025.05 of the Handbook