Assignment Paper

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
The assignments are marked according to the following key assessment criteria:
1. Comprehension of Agenda 2030 and specific challenges/SDGs addressed
2. Research and analysis
3. Critical evaluation
4. Academic writing

Therefore, to successfully pass this assessment, students need to have:
1. Comprehension (Showing knowledge & understanding about the subject matter)
● …understood the purpose of the Agenda 2030 as well as the role and impact of the UN SDGs
● …contextualized the importance of the SDGs for their respective companies
● …demonstrates awareness of the breadth and depth of the UN SDGs including the importance of interlinkages and connections between goals and targets
2. Research and analysis (Presenting logical arguments supported by evidence)
● …identified the company’s unique challenges and opportunities with reference to the latest available company disclosures, reports or statements
● …outlined a clear and credible plan of action to be pursued by the executive team with priorities, goals, targets, deadlines, and implementation steps
● …drawn on facts, stats, figures and data (either secondary or self-computed)
● …synthesized, compared and critically reviewed existing information
● …applied concepts and theories from this and other modules
● …developed original thought, ideas and creative thinking rather than obvious suggestions
● …weighed up industry collaboration, market and legislative conditions required
● …produced a convincing document with clear and plausible recommendations
3. Critical evaluation (Questioning relevant arguments by identifying their strengths and weaknesses)
● …used an appropriate framing to introduce the bigger picture or narrative. This should be in form of a critical assessment of existing sustainability practices and strategy – why is what the company is currently doing insufficient or failing?
● …justified their choices made including potential costs and benefits – why would their approach more likely succeed?
● …considered possible alternative scenarios/options such as room for scaling, pivoting or differentiation – how and why might their recommendations need to reflect changing circumstances over time?
● …considered political/economic/organizational feasibility of implementation as well as potential risks and barriers – what are the inherent assumptions and potential threats to the implementation and how could they be mitigated?
4. Academic writing (Presenting a clear and structured assignment; use of relevant literature; academic honesty, referencing and citation)
● …produced a clearly structured letter, addressed to the right audience using an engaging writing style
● …explicitly limited the focus or scope of their document – by geography, business unit, product and/or other focus
● …included sufficient academic and non-academic sources – balance and quality of sources
● …ensured sources are appropriately referenced and cited

Write a letter of advice to the board of directors of a company of your choice which recommends a strategic
plan of action on why and how the company should respond to and engage with the UN Sustainable
Development Goals.
The letter should provide a clear and critical assessment of the company’s current approach towards
sustainability, and propose a credible roadmap for strategic action until 2030.
This includes identifying the opportunities and barriers of pursuing this strategy, assessing the key decisions
to be taken, as well as considering industry collaborations, partnerships and market and legislative conditions
required to make this a realistic proposition.
Please submit your letter containing a maximum of 2,000 words. This is a strict limit not a guideline