Assignment 1: Discussion—Sustainability and Corporate Practices

This assignment gives you an opportunity to practice your newly developed skills in assessing the sustainability of a company. In a statement of its business policies, British Petroleum (BP) asserted that “A good business should be both competitively successful and a force for good.”

However, moving from a general statement to implementation of positive corporate practices that advance sustainability is challenging and progress is often incremental.

Using the module readings, the Argosy University online library resources, and the Internet, research Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at BP. Provide your evaluation of how successful BP has been at achieving its goals of CSR.

Cover the following in your analysis:

• What is the relationship between business operations and CSR at BP?
• Does the organization consider CSR as obligatory or do they seek opportunities for CSR? In other words, is the organization reactive or proactive?
• What are some elements of corporate culture and policies that impact CSR? Examine the policies of BP such as the stated environmental policy, cultural diversity policy, equal employment opportunity (EEO), and so on.

By Saturday, June 17, 2017, post your response to the appropriate Discussion Area. Through Wednesday, June 21, 2017, review and comment on at least two peers’ responses.

Write your initial response in 300–500 words. Your response should be thorough and address all components of the discussion question in detail, include citations of all sources, where needed, according to the APA Style, and demonstrate accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation



Do the following when responding to your peers:

• Read your peers’ answers.
• Provide substantive comments by
  • contributing new, relevant information from course readings, Web sites, or other sources;
  • building on the remarks or questions of others; or
  • sharing practical examples of key concepts from your professional or personal experiences
• Respond to feedback on your posting and provide feedback to other students on their ideas.
• Make sure your writing
  • is clear, concise, and organized;
  • demonstrates ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources; and
  • displays accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Grading Criteria