The Assessment Task
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability are increasingly seen as critical issues of corporate governance and for board of directors’ decision-making. In addition, addressing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues have become a critical part of strategic decision-making (Lokuwaduge & Heenetigala, 2017). Simultaneously, there has been an increase in concerns regarding boards of directors ensuring organisational long-term value creation (Gabrielsson, Calabro & Huse, 2016; Kakabadze, Goyal & Kakabadze, 2018; Veldman, 2019). Consequently, there has been greater pressure on organisations to enhance their reporting on CSR, Sustainability, and ESG.
Your task is to review the theoretical, regulatory, and empirical literature on CSR, Sustainability, and ESG reporting across the globe to critically assess the extent to which such reporting is enhancing long-term value creation in organisations. Your essay should be structured as follows
Introduction – in here you should provide a background to the question, an outline of the aims of the essay, and an overview of the rest of the essay (approximately 300-350 words)
Main Body – here you should put together an argument that includes the following three sections. (1) A review of the theories behind CSR, ESG, and sustainability; (2) a review of national and international regulatory requirements of ESG reporting; and (3) a review of the empirical literature on CSR, Sustainability, and ESG reporting to address the question. Critically assess the extent to which such reporting is enhancing long-term value creation in organisations. (approximately 1300-1400 words)
Conclusion – here you should provide a summary of the main points and answer the aims you set out in the introduction. In the conclusion, you should also include recommendations on what regulatory authorities and board of directors should do on CSR, Sustainability, and ESG reporting to ensure long-term value creation. (approximately 400-450 words)
Word limit
The maximum word limit for this assessment is 2000 words.
Where the submission exceeds the stipulated word limit by more than 10%, the submission will only be marked up to and including the additional 10%. Anything over this will not be included in the final grade for the assessment item. Abstracts, bibliographies, reference lists, appendices and footnotes are excluded from any word limit requirement
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this assessment, you will be able to:
• Critically appraise the framework underlying governance law and practice in a national and international context.
• Evaluate the academic underpinning, nature and importance of corporate governance and ethical behaviour and recognise governance problems to offer solutions.
• Assess the requirement for, and impact of, financial reporting on a wide range of stakeholders.
• Research and communicate complex and leading-edge issues in CSR and governance, in an appropriate format.