In-Depth Evaluation of a Retailer's Sustainability Impacts and Policies/Initiatives

Coursework requirement

This coursework requires that you prepare a report based on an in-depth evaluation of the sustainability impacts and policies/initiatives of a major retailer, focusing on the supply chain activities that support its UK operations (for goods only, not including services).

Your report should focus on one retailer from the following list:

1. Apple
2. Asda
3. B&Q
4. Boots UK (formerly Boots the Chemists)
5. H&M
6. John Lewis Partnership
7. Marks and Spencer
8. Primark
9. Sainsbury's

Using an appropriate evaluation framework, your report should do the following:

1. Identify the key sustainability impacts and policies/initiatives related to your company's supply chain activities that support its UK operations (so these may be international, but the focus should be on the goods for the UK market)

2. critically assess your retailer's commitment to and progress towards greater sustainability of its supply chain activities

3. compare your retailer's position on supply chain sustainability to others in its retailing sub-sector (i.e. its main competitors) - this should identify in broad terms how your company is positioned relative to its competitors on the key sustainability issues for that market

Please note that it is for you to decide on an appropriate focus on different stages in the supply chain, based on the activities of your chosen company. Where your company has different divisions or trading operation, you can consider the entire company or one specific division/trading operation (e.g. for John Lewis Partnership you can write about the entire Partnership's goods retailing operation, or focus on either John Lewis & Partners or Waitrose& Partners; the Partnership's financial services operation, for example, should not be included).

The report should be based on secondary data sources (i.e. information already published in print or on the internet). Suggested sources of information include, but are not limited to, the following:

- Academic literature
- Corporate website content (e.g. sustainability reports; annual reports; press releases; case studies)
- Trade/industry journals
- Reliable media websites (e.g. BBC News; Guardian)
- Retailing (or retailing sub-sector) market research studies
- Sustainability indexes (e.g. Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes; greenbiz.com)
- Research and consultancy reports

Your report should be as objective as possible, so it is important that you are clear about the reliability of information and the degree of independence of sources that you make use of in your evaluation.