Reference no: EM133708331

Assignment: CSR Partnership between NGO and MNC

GOAL: Create a rationale, description, and a LOGO for a CSR joint partnership you conceptualize between your organizations.

The CSR organizational partnership between the MNC and NGO needs to address a real problem for at least one group of organizational stakeholders.

The general criteria for the evaluation of the project

I. Realistic: could actually be done (practically, economically, politically, and culturally)

II. Evidence that it addresses a real issue-the CSR project could address conditions for workers, human rights, domestic violence, education, social justice, civil unrest, immigration, the sex trade, animal rights, the environment, or the particular needs of a community (local, national, or international). Whatever topic you choose it needs to be one that both the NGO and MNC would be interested in addressing.

III. Clarity and documentation of how the partnership helps address the problem. You need to explain who is involved at all levels, what actually happens in the campaign/action and how the NGO can evaluate if the action is successful?

IV. Creativity: the project goes beyond particular actions your NGO or MNC is now doing.

V. Quality of writing. This includes coherent arguments, well-structured sentences, grammatical correctness, proper citation of evidence where needed (APA Style) and overall expectations for a professionally- written paper.

VI. The logo is appropriate for the CSR action and for the community in which the action is operating

Part A: Logo Create a logo to represent the partnership campaign that can be used in a variety of contexts - on posters, social media, websites, brochures, t.v., letterhead, public service campaigns, etc. Lectures and readings address what makes an effective logo and provides lots of examples.

You are expected to hand in ONE page of PowerPoint SLIDE with the two organizational logos and your project logo. Criteria for the logo include:

A. Representation of the project

B. Consistency with images and reputations of both organizations.

C. Clarity, simplicity, and visual appeal. Are there clear, clean lines/ Too busy/ too much going on

D. Language and color appropriateness, especially appropriate for where the project is happening and if depicting people or body parts.

E. Versatility for various mediums (posters, social media, web sites, etc.).

Engagement potential with target audiences.

Part B: A rationale and description of the CSR partnership between your two organizations. This includes a detailed explanation of the collaboration that your two organizations are creating. The partnership should represent the organizations' attempt to address together a significant community/CSR issue. Written report 1250=2500 words (between approximately 5-10 pages)

To be included in the report

I. INTRO: Provide the project's name and general goals of the project. This partnership needs to be reasonably scoped, realistically planned, and have achievable goals.

II. RATIONALE:

1. Describe the issue the organizations will be working on together (e.g. literacy, gender inequality, poverty, environmental issue, agricultural issue, transportation issue, economic opportunity, human rights, global skill deficits, health problems, terrorism, migration, childhood trauma, etc.).

2. Explain the need for such a CSR initiative and why this an appropriate project for your organizations e.g. why this is a problem/issue that your company and NGO partner might or should address together.

3. How does it complement the missions, resources, expertise of each organization?

4. How is it different than other partnerships these organizations have had?

III. OPERATIONALIZATION: Describe the specifics

1. How the project will work, what will be done
2. Who are the stakeholders who will benefit from the project
3. What each organization gives and gains in the partnership
4. Where it will take place
5. What are the expected outcomes
6. How it will be evaluated

So let's imagine Walmart is my company and my NGO is Lend a Hand Foundation (please DO NOT JUST ADAPT THIS PPROJECT --COME UP WITH YOUR OWN type of CSR project). I would start by first GIVING A GENERAL EXPLANATION that this project will provide language and job training to the local community in Chicago. The CSR project would be called Providing a Helping Hand, Walmart and Refugees International would provide advanced job and language training in their stores (in both Spanish and English) for members of the local community and have day care on site for the parents who take part.

I would then write about THE RATIONALE: how this project is appropriate and explain that Walmart has been criticized for being irresponsible towards local communities by putting small businesses out of business and creating a serious financial hardship in the community. I will also explain what it is that my NGO does and how even though they have never done this type of project before it is consistent with their mission of empowerment. For evidence of why this is an appropriate project for my MNC I would refer to a news article that said " the big-box retailer promised to bring jobs to the cash-strapped community. But according to a landmark study by Loyola University, the company's rhetoric didn't match reality: Within two years of Walmart's opening its doors, 82 local stores went out of business. Many local businesses and communities oppose the introduction of Walmart stores into their communities.

I would then explain that this concern continues to this day and the critique has continued to follow Walmart whenever it tries to expand. Indeed there is now a term called The Walmart Effect. According to Charles Fishman (2006) the Walmart Effect refers to "the economic impact felt by local businesses when a large company like Walmart (WMT) opens a location in the area. The Walmart Effect usually manifests itself by forcing smaller retail firms out of business and reducing wages for competitors' employees" This effect has continually been demonstrated in studies in 2012 and in 2015 there was more evidence presented that Wal-Mart's growing trade deficit with China has displaced more than 400,000 U.S. jobs.

Fishman, C. (2006) The WALMART Effect: How the World's Most Powerful Company Really Works--and How It's Transforming the American Economy. New York: Penguin Books. NOTE WE USE APA STYLE

I would then discuss that as a result of this issue Walmart wants to be a good community neighbor that supports its local communities by providing a helping hand. They would hope to build a better relationship with the community by providing the opportunity for people to get more job skills that would prepare them for higher paying jobs both at Walmart and in other companies. I would also discuss what the NGO would gain from working on this project and how it fits with their mission. I would discuss things like the need for my organization to network with people in the community who typically are not involved in the NGO's activities, but Chicago has so many refugees and this would be a good point of contact, also explain how this project would enable them to get funds for supporting volunteers and provide access to other community organizations.

I would then discuss the OPERATIONALIZATION and describe the specifics. I would detail, how the program will work, who would staff it, the logistics, the curriculum. I would discuss specifically what each organization will provide. I would describe what the pragmatic goals are and explain how after a year they will evaluate how many people in the community have taken part in the program, how many were employed in Kmart and elsewhere in jobs that exceeded the minimum wage.