In the form of a briefing paper to the CEO of your company which is a sector leader. You pick the sector as context for the fact pattern below. Although these six (6) pages briefing paper is in the form of a research paper double spaced with either foot or end notes the tone and content should be capable of being presented as is by your CEO. The 6 page limit is intended to make sure that every word of every sentence in every paragraph along with sources adds value to your argument.
You can anticipate questions from shareholders and in advance address them if you elect to do so. Since the company is a sector leader the Business Media will have many reporters in attendance at this shareholder meeting as the drama which could unfold as noted below will certainly cover many news cycles.
There are several possible stories within the principal story as outlined in the fact pattern below and key within the principal story is the role that Sustainability is and will continue to play in the sector you elect to choose for the paper. The sector can be Personal Care Products, Fossil Fuels, Pharmaceuticals, Finance and Insurance and so on. Within this first half of the course the readings from texts, Files and my narrative have sometimes intermingled sustainability, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmenntal Social Governance (ESG) and this has been deliberate on my part. However now when you mention either or all of the three above you must carefully distinguish the context in which you are citing them and their applicability to the fact pattern below.
Evaluation:
There is no right or correct answer to the hypothetical problem below. The paper will be evaluated on careful consideration of sources covered and the strength of your presentation. I noted at the outset of the course the overall goal is to have you consider and then integrate the source material into an actual problem. You can add additional facts to the hypothetical if it strengthens your presentation, but keep in mind that the temptation to wander off point is present if you start adding these facts.
The Hypothetical:
The Annual Shareholder meeting of your company which is a sector leader will be held in two weeks. You have received notice from the General Counsel of the Corporation that Engine No 1. intends to nominate Five (5) candidates to replace existing members of the nine (9) member Board of Directors. The issue is the company's poor track record on implementing sustainability practices in the company. You are the Chief Executive Officer( CEO) and have been in the position 6 months. You were not hired to deal with this issue but to improve profitability across the board with shareholders. Nevertheless if Engine No 1 is only partially successful in obtaining 3 of the 5 positions they seek on the Board, then your entire focus will need to deal with their demands.
The CEO although not tone deaf to sustainability is really panicking. He has been told that YOU had a course in Sustainability in the Master of Science in Business Program at Rutgers . There is no time to bring in McKinsey or some other high powered consultant and so he sends for YOU. Your position as a middle level manager in the Office of Research and Development in the company is your power base within the company.
So whatever material you can dig up from your Fundamentals of Sustainability course will have to serve as the foundation for the briefing paper. As much as possible the paper should read as prepared remarks which the CEO will read and then take questions from the media. As noted above you can anticipate some of the questions up front in the remarks/paper.
Sample Solution