Active learning ideas
Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) are central to modern Canadian business leadership. This topic challenges students to move beyond profit-seeking and consider the impact of business decisions on stakeholders, including employees, the environment, and Indigenous communities. Students examine the importance of reconciliation and the role of businesses in responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.
Activity 01
Groups select a well-known Canadian company and research their CSR initiatives, specifically looking for environmental impact and Indigenous relations. They present a 'report card' to the class evaluating if the actions are genuine or just 'greenwashing.'
Why is ethical leadership crucial in modern business?
Activity 02
Present a scenario where a company must choose between a high-profit project that displaces a local community or a low-profit sustainable alternative. Students act as board members, activists, and shareholders to argue the ethical path forward.
How does CSR impact a company's brand image?
Activity 03
Students reflect on whether 'Profit, People, and Planet' can truly be equal. They pair up to rank these three priorities for a specific industry (e.g., mining vs. software) and share their justifications.
What frameworks can leaders use to make ethical decisions?
A few notes on teaching this unit
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
CSR is just a marketing tactic or 'charity.'
True CSR is integrated into the core business strategy and operations. Analyzing long-term financial data of ethical companies helps students see that CSR can actually reduce risk and improve long-term profitability.
Ethics are purely subjective and personal.
Business ethics rely on established frameworks, codes of conduct, and legal standards. Using structured debates helps students apply objective ethical tests (like the Utility or Justice tests) to business decisions.
Methods used in this brief
The Role of Management
Students explore the fundamental functions of management, including planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. They will evaluate how these functions contribute to organizational success.
8 methodologies
Leadership Styles and Traits
This topic examines various leadership styles, such as autocratic, democratic, and laissez-faire. Students will assess their own leadership traits and how different situations require different approaches.
8 methodologies