Exercises: Social responsibility and inclusion

Define in your own words what corporate social responsibility (CSR) is and give two examples of specific actions that a local bakery could carry out.

CSR actions can be internal (affecting the business itself and its workforce) or external (affecting the community or the environment). Classify these four: recycling waste from the bakery, ensuring equal pay between men and women, sponsoring a local NGO, and offering flexible hours for work-life balance.

The diagram shows the three dimensions of corporate social responsibility, known as the "triple bottom line". State which dimension is missing, marked with "?", and give two examples of business actions belonging to it.

A cosmetics company decides to replace its plastic packaging with recyclable alternatives that cost 30% more. Analyse the decision from a CSR perspective: which stakeholders benefit, what cost the company assumes, and what long-term benefits it could obtain.

Female entrepreneurship has grown significantly in Mexico, but it continues to face specific barriers. Describe three of these barriers (access to finance, work-life balance, lower representation in certain sectors) and propose a specific measure to reduce each one.

A logistics company reserves positions for people with disabilities and adapts their workstations. Explain what benefits the company can gain beyond complying with regulations, and what inclusion contributes to the working environment and to society.

A fast-fashion multinational launches a global campaign claiming that its new collection is "100% sustainable and circular". However, an independent audit reveals that only 4.5% of its fabrics are recycled, the clothing is not biodegradable, and 70% of production takes place in plants with high polluting emissions. a) Analyse this case from the perspective of greenwashing and predict the economic impact this scandal could have on the brand's intangible value, consumer loyalty, and the cost of financing in capital markets (ESG criteria). b) Design three quantitative, verifiable indicators linked to the value chain that allow stakeholders to verify whether an environmental policy is a genuine strategic commitment and not just an advertising stunt.

"The only corporate social responsibility of business is to maximize its profits for shareholders while respecting the existing legal framework." Starting from this famous statement by Milton Friedman, challenge its validity in the current economic and business context. Reasonably demonstrate how voluntary investment in CSR (beyond legal obligations) can generate a sustainable competitive advantage and improve long-term profitability, analysing two economic mechanisms: human capital productivity and retention, and the mitigation of regulatory and market risks.

Design a mini-CSR plan for a specific SME of your choice (for example, a printing company with 15 workers): set an objective for each dimension (economic, social, and environmental) and a measurable action for each objective, indicating how you would verify that it is fulfilled.