Business Sustainability Reporting &
Analysis, 1st Edition by
Dechow, Sloan
Complete Chapter Solutions Manual
are included (Ch 1 to 14)
** Immediate Download
** Swift Response
** All Chapters included
,Table of Contents are given below
CHAPTER 1: Introduction
CHAPTER 2: Sustainability Reporting Standards
CHAPTER 3: Environmental Issues
CHAPTER 4: Reporting on Climate Impacts
CHAPTER 5: Reporting on Other Environmental Impacts
CHAPTER 6: Social Issues
CHAPTER 7: Reporting on Social Impacts
CHAPTER 8: Reporting on Governance and Economic Impacts
CHAPTER 9: Assurance Providers
CHAPTER 10: Regulators
CHAPTER 11: Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
CHAPTER 12: Rating Agencies and Index Providers
CHAPTER 13: Asset Managers
CHAPTER 14: Activist Investors and Proxy Advisories
,Discussion Questions Chapter 1
1. Summarize the definition of sustainability embedded in the Brundtland Report
Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Expanding on this definition:
The Brundtland Report defines sustainability in terms of “sustainable development.” Sustainable
development entails providing for the world’s poor while managing environmental impacts to protect
future generations.
2. What are the major challenges to sustainable development highlighted in the Brundtland
Report?
The major challenge is that if economic development in developing countries reaches the same level
as in developed countries, resources will be constrained and the environment will be severely
negatively impacted. Meeting this challenge requires technological improvements (e.g., clean energy)
and cooperation between nations to address global environmental impacts like global warming.
3. Which of the UN’s 17 sustainable development goals do you think are most important for
addressing the major sustainability challenges facing humanity today?
Opinion: so multiple answers are possible. Below is a sample student answer:
The SDGs are, in many ways, interconnected. For example, progress on the goal of “climate action”,
from the “planet” category is likely to also contribute to the “sustainable cities and communities” goal
because communities are not sustainable if they will be negatively impacted by climate change. The
goals that I believe are the most all-encompassing are therefore “responsible consumption and
production”, “climate action,” “quality education,” and “peace, justice, and strong institutions.”
These four goals encompass global education, collaboration, organization, and action to move
towards a more sustainable world.
4. In an influential book, Friedman (1962) argued that the social responsibility of business is to
increase profits. Do you think that business expenditures on socially responsible activities are
inconsistent with profit maximization? Explain your answer.
Opinion: so multiple answers are possible.
An important point to bring up is that many business stakeholders (customers, employees, investors,
local community etc.) value socially responsible activity. This means that some level of socially
responsible activity is consistent with profit maximization. For example, if a business pays workers a
living wage to avoid a partial customer boycott, this may be profit maximizing.
Also, the idea that companies should simply maximize profit so long as they don’t break any laws or
regulations overlooks the fact that laws and regulations are constantly evolving. Businesses may
make more profit by engaging in socially responsible behavior to avoid citizen pressure on
governments to impose costly laws and regulations. For example, businesses can voluntarily set GHG
emissions reduction targets to avoid/delay a carbon tax.
Discussion Questions / Solutions, Chapter 1 1-1
, 5. Read the linked “Summary of the McDonald's Deforestation-Free Beef Procurement Policy.”
Do you think that this policy is consistent with profit maximization? Explain your answer.
Below is the link:
https://web.archive.org/web/20230802014940/https:/corporate.mcdonalds.com/content/dam/sites/corp
/nfl/pdf/McDonalds_Deforestation_Free_Beef_Procurement_Policy.pdf
The key points of the policy are summarized in a table and listed below:
• No deforestation of primary forests or areas of High Conservation Value
• No development of High Carbon Stock forest areas
• No development on peatlands, regardless of depth, and the utilization of best management
practices for existing commodity production on peatlands
• Respect human rights
• Respect the right of all affected communities to give or withhold their free, prior and
informed
consent for plantation developments on land they own legally, communally or by custom
• Resolve land rights disputes through a balanced and transparent dispute resolution process,
• Verify origin of raw material production and
• Support smallholders, farmers, plantation owners and suppliers to comply with this
commitment.
The policy can be consistent with profit maximization because if consumers find out that McDonald’s
is obtaining beef from cattle farms that are ruining the Amazon and having negative impacts on
indigenous lands, they will be more likely to switch to other corporations providing similar products
that are not having these harmful environmental and social impacts. Consumers have a lot of choice
when it comes to fast food and so they do not need to eat at McDonalds. Therefore, by having these
policies, McDonalds reduces the chance of a consumer backlash and potentially costly regulation and
lawsuits.
6. Do you think that firms expending resources to conduct supplier assessments with the objective
of eliminating forced labor and unsafe working conditions in their supply chains are sacrificing
profits to engage in socially responsible behavior? Explain your answer.
Opinion: so multiple answers are possible. Below is a sample student answer:
I would say in the short term maybe they’ll lose some money that could have gone towards profit by
carrying out these investigations, but in the long run they’re probably worth it.
By doing these inspections they’re potentially avoiding any future litigation, fines, loss of customers
and investors, or loss of suppliers due to forced or unsafe working conditions in their supply chain.
As the supply chain becomes more global, technology also allows for more transparency in labor
practices around the world. Consumers and investors generally have a conscience, and so they do
care whether their products are made ethically. As a result, if negative news comes out about any of
the supplier’s practices, the firm could lose out on profits and investors. Additionally, since these
kinds of practices are often illegal, if a supplier is caught, they could have to end their business
quickly leading the firm to be down a supplier on short notice. It can be good business to conduct a
supplier assessment to make sure the supplier will be good for the long run.
Key point is that since many stakeholders value sustainably sourced products, some nonzero level of
supplier assessments is profit maximizing.
1-2 Business Sustainability Reporting & Analysis, 1st Edition
Analysis, 1st Edition by
Dechow, Sloan
Complete Chapter Solutions Manual
are included (Ch 1 to 14)
** Immediate Download
** Swift Response
** All Chapters included
,Table of Contents are given below
CHAPTER 1: Introduction
CHAPTER 2: Sustainability Reporting Standards
CHAPTER 3: Environmental Issues
CHAPTER 4: Reporting on Climate Impacts
CHAPTER 5: Reporting on Other Environmental Impacts
CHAPTER 6: Social Issues
CHAPTER 7: Reporting on Social Impacts
CHAPTER 8: Reporting on Governance and Economic Impacts
CHAPTER 9: Assurance Providers
CHAPTER 10: Regulators
CHAPTER 11: Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
CHAPTER 12: Rating Agencies and Index Providers
CHAPTER 13: Asset Managers
CHAPTER 14: Activist Investors and Proxy Advisories
,Discussion Questions Chapter 1
1. Summarize the definition of sustainability embedded in the Brundtland Report
Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Expanding on this definition:
The Brundtland Report defines sustainability in terms of “sustainable development.” Sustainable
development entails providing for the world’s poor while managing environmental impacts to protect
future generations.
2. What are the major challenges to sustainable development highlighted in the Brundtland
Report?
The major challenge is that if economic development in developing countries reaches the same level
as in developed countries, resources will be constrained and the environment will be severely
negatively impacted. Meeting this challenge requires technological improvements (e.g., clean energy)
and cooperation between nations to address global environmental impacts like global warming.
3. Which of the UN’s 17 sustainable development goals do you think are most important for
addressing the major sustainability challenges facing humanity today?
Opinion: so multiple answers are possible. Below is a sample student answer:
The SDGs are, in many ways, interconnected. For example, progress on the goal of “climate action”,
from the “planet” category is likely to also contribute to the “sustainable cities and communities” goal
because communities are not sustainable if they will be negatively impacted by climate change. The
goals that I believe are the most all-encompassing are therefore “responsible consumption and
production”, “climate action,” “quality education,” and “peace, justice, and strong institutions.”
These four goals encompass global education, collaboration, organization, and action to move
towards a more sustainable world.
4. In an influential book, Friedman (1962) argued that the social responsibility of business is to
increase profits. Do you think that business expenditures on socially responsible activities are
inconsistent with profit maximization? Explain your answer.
Opinion: so multiple answers are possible.
An important point to bring up is that many business stakeholders (customers, employees, investors,
local community etc.) value socially responsible activity. This means that some level of socially
responsible activity is consistent with profit maximization. For example, if a business pays workers a
living wage to avoid a partial customer boycott, this may be profit maximizing.
Also, the idea that companies should simply maximize profit so long as they don’t break any laws or
regulations overlooks the fact that laws and regulations are constantly evolving. Businesses may
make more profit by engaging in socially responsible behavior to avoid citizen pressure on
governments to impose costly laws and regulations. For example, businesses can voluntarily set GHG
emissions reduction targets to avoid/delay a carbon tax.
Discussion Questions / Solutions, Chapter 1 1-1
, 5. Read the linked “Summary of the McDonald's Deforestation-Free Beef Procurement Policy.”
Do you think that this policy is consistent with profit maximization? Explain your answer.
Below is the link:
https://web.archive.org/web/20230802014940/https:/corporate.mcdonalds.com/content/dam/sites/corp
/nfl/pdf/McDonalds_Deforestation_Free_Beef_Procurement_Policy.pdf
The key points of the policy are summarized in a table and listed below:
• No deforestation of primary forests or areas of High Conservation Value
• No development of High Carbon Stock forest areas
• No development on peatlands, regardless of depth, and the utilization of best management
practices for existing commodity production on peatlands
• Respect human rights
• Respect the right of all affected communities to give or withhold their free, prior and
informed
consent for plantation developments on land they own legally, communally or by custom
• Resolve land rights disputes through a balanced and transparent dispute resolution process,
• Verify origin of raw material production and
• Support smallholders, farmers, plantation owners and suppliers to comply with this
commitment.
The policy can be consistent with profit maximization because if consumers find out that McDonald’s
is obtaining beef from cattle farms that are ruining the Amazon and having negative impacts on
indigenous lands, they will be more likely to switch to other corporations providing similar products
that are not having these harmful environmental and social impacts. Consumers have a lot of choice
when it comes to fast food and so they do not need to eat at McDonalds. Therefore, by having these
policies, McDonalds reduces the chance of a consumer backlash and potentially costly regulation and
lawsuits.
6. Do you think that firms expending resources to conduct supplier assessments with the objective
of eliminating forced labor and unsafe working conditions in their supply chains are sacrificing
profits to engage in socially responsible behavior? Explain your answer.
Opinion: so multiple answers are possible. Below is a sample student answer:
I would say in the short term maybe they’ll lose some money that could have gone towards profit by
carrying out these investigations, but in the long run they’re probably worth it.
By doing these inspections they’re potentially avoiding any future litigation, fines, loss of customers
and investors, or loss of suppliers due to forced or unsafe working conditions in their supply chain.
As the supply chain becomes more global, technology also allows for more transparency in labor
practices around the world. Consumers and investors generally have a conscience, and so they do
care whether their products are made ethically. As a result, if negative news comes out about any of
the supplier’s practices, the firm could lose out on profits and investors. Additionally, since these
kinds of practices are often illegal, if a supplier is caught, they could have to end their business
quickly leading the firm to be down a supplier on short notice. It can be good business to conduct a
supplier assessment to make sure the supplier will be good for the long run.
Key point is that since many stakeholders value sustainably sourced products, some nonzero level of
supplier assessments is profit maximizing.
1-2 Business Sustainability Reporting & Analysis, 1st Edition
