Competencies
In this project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competencies:
· Recommend operations management methods and techniques to increase value for customers
· Evaluate how operations management generates value for an organization
· Explain local, national, and global sustainability in relation to functional areas of business
Scenario
You work as the chief supply-chain officer at the large international corporation, NationaliTeas. NationaliTeas manufactures and sells tea worldwide. Its motto is “Keeping people and their taste buds awake (when they want to be awake).” Its mission is “Make the world more awake through rejuvenating and refreshing beverages and sustainable practices that uplift workers, communities, and souls.” Its vision is “to be the most respected tea manufacturer across at least three continents for our tea and our actions, which will be driven by a commitment ethical sourcing, minimal waste, and empowerment of our employees.”
You would like to establish an operational goal of having your corporation apply for a B Corp Certification within the next two years. You believe this would add value to the organization and help it to prioritize a stronger focus on sustainable operational practices. You have conducted a preassesment based on the recommendations for applying for B Corp Certification, and you’ve evaluated the corporation’s cu
ent strengths and areas for improvement.
Now you need to develop a proposal for the board of directors that explains why prioritizing the triple bottom line (TBL) through working toward B Corp Certification has organizational value. You must also propose three high-impact initiatives to help strengthen the corporation’s commitment to people, planet, and profit based on your evaluations.
Directions
1. Part One: Justification of Benefits: Justify the value of working toward more intentionally incorporating the TBL framework into organizational decision making, specifically how ethical business practices regarding people, planet, and profit can benefit society, the environment, and the company’s profit. Specifically, address the following:
A. Key Components: Explain the three key components of the TBL framework and how each component benefits businesses and society.
B. Organizational Value: Provide a justification regarding the value and benefits of using the TBL framework to inform corporate decision making, and explain connections between the organizational mission and the organizational vision.
C. B Corporation Benefits: Briefly describe the organizational benefits of attaining B Corp Certification.
2. Part Two: Operational Recommendations: Read through the Preassessment Evaluation Summary (located in the Supporting Materials section) for each aspect of the TBL (people, profit, and planet). You will need to provide a detailed description of the initiatives that will create the needed improvement. You should note the organizational and societal value of the initiative along with the operational management techniques recommended to plan and complete each initiative. For each of your three initiatives, address the following:
A. Organizational Impacts: Describe the organizational benefits of each initiative, specifically noting the expected positive impact of completing each. Examples of positive impacts include better alignment to the organization’s mission, vision, and culture statements; increased amounts of funds or resources saved; and improvements to the organization’s
and.
B. Societal Impacts: Describe the societal benefits of each initiative, specifically noting the expected positive impact of completing each. Examples of positive impacts include increased community building and positive environmental impact.
C. Customer Impacts: Describe the consumer benefits of each selected initiative, specifically noting the expected positive impact of completing each. Examples of positive impacts include increased alignment to target markets, improved product access and availability, and improved customer satisfaction.
D. Business Risks: Explain the business risks associated with prioritizing, planning, and resourcing each initiative and how these risks will be considered and monitored.
E. Operational Management Techniques: Recommend an operational management strategy or technique (e.g., project management, lean manufacturing, or Six Sigma) that is appropriate to implement for each selected initiative, and explain why.
F. Defining Requirements and Scope: Define the requirements for the successful implantation of each selected initiative as well as the scope of each. Describe how changes to the requirements and scope would impact timelines, budget, and risk.
G. Roles and Responsibilities: Explain the key internal and external stakeholders who would be involved in planning and implementing each selected initiative, as well as why each identified stakeholder is needed to successfully implement the initiatives.
What to Submit
To complete this project, you must submit the following:
Submit your project using one of the two formats listed below. Please note that your submission should include both Part One and Part Two of your project. For either format, sources should be cited according to APA style.
· Written Report: Submit a 1,500- to 1,700-word Word document. Use APA style.
· Slideshow Presentation: Submit a 10- to 12-slide presentation with speakers notes. Your slideshow should be submitted as a PowerPoint or PDF document. Example tools that could be used to create your slideshow include:
· PowerPoint
· Canva
· Prezi
Supporting Materials
The following resource support your work on the project:
Reading: Project Preassessment Evaluation Summary PDF
This document presents the results of NationaliTeas’ preassessment for attaining B Corp Certification
QSO 321 Project Preassessment Evaluation Summary
QSO 321 Project Preassessment Evaluation Summary
Based on an evaluation of the organization’s cu
ent state and recent initiatives, the areas listed below
have been identified as being in need of improvement based on the triple-bottom-line framework and B
Corp Certification requirements.
Governance
A more formal structure or stakeholder group is needed to review social and environmental
performance regularly and accurately.
Workers
Employee pay is low, both for hourly and salaried employees.
Attrition rates are high, resulting in a significant loss of company resources.
Employees lack the autonomy to shut down unsafe practices and processes.
Required trainings are frequent, but professional development for growth is very limited in both
opportunities and funding.
Community
The organization needs to regularly screen and evaluate suppliers for social and environmental
impact, not just when an initial partnership is begun.
The majority of materials used to grow, manufacture, ship, and sell the tea are not locally
sourced.
Environment
Although some supplying farms do have some sustainable practices in place, not all facilities and
practices are designed to restore or preserve the environment.
Most energy sources, especially energy sources for domestic locations, are not renewable.
The organization has not conducted any kind of environmental assessment since 2010, and that
assessment was only conducted to identify areas of opportunity, not for certification.
Cost and time are prioritized in shipping, resulting in the inefficient use of transportation and a
high ca
on footprint.
Customers
Quality control is conducted randomly, but isn’t an ingrained part of the workflow process.
There are no product guarantees available to customers.
Customer feedback is primarily collected through online reviews of purchased products or sales
locations, rather than customer surveys.
The following areas have been identified as being strengths of the organization based on the TBL
framework and B Corp Certification requirements:
Governance
The organization’s mission, vision, code of ethics, and culture statement strongly support
sustainable, ethical practices.
The organization has identified key goals and metrics to monitor and evaluate sustainable
usiness practices.
Workers
Employees are very content with benefits.
Job-related training is thorough and frequent.
There are established employee feedback programs with high rates of engagement.
Community
The organization is very diverse in its workforce, and employees report feeling safe and
espected at work.
There are clear, measurable goals to continue growing diversity and inclusion throughout the
organization.
The organization has set key requirements for its outsourced workforce, although regular
evaluations are lacking.
The organization provides incentives and sets goals for suppliers regarding socially responsible
and environmentally friendly business practices.
Environment
The supply chain has been evaluated by a reputable third-party company.
Environmentally sustainable water conservation and treatment practices are a strength of the
organization and its suppliers, also benefiting many of the rural communities’ su
ounding farms
and manufacturing facilities.
Packaging is recyclable and minimal, despite frequent requests to change it to a shiny foil
packaging.
Customers
The mission, vision, and culture of NationaliTeas supports making high-quality, sustainable
products accessible to customers.
Governance
Preassessment Criteria Met/Not Yet Met Notes
Organization’s mission,
vision, and culture lend
themselves to creating
positive social or
environmental change
Met Mission Statement: Make the world more awake
through rejuvenating and refreshing beverages and
sustainable practices that uplift workers, communities,
and souls.
Vision Statement: To be the most respected tea
manufacturer across at least three continents for our
tea and our actions, which will be driven by a
commitment ethical sourcing, minimal waste, and
empowerment of our employees.
Core values and company culture are also all in
alignment with encouraging and supporting positive
change and sustainability.
Governance structure
encourages regular review
of social and environmental
performance and impact of
the organization
Not yet met The board of directors, executive council, and
management all meet regularly; however, social and
environmental performance are rarely discussed. There
are many internal committees; maybe creating a new
one dedicated to this cause would be helpful?
Preassessment Criteria Met/Not Yet Met Notes
Organization has clearly
identified goals and metrics
used to measure and
manage social and
environmental issues
elevant to business
operations
Met Goals related to water and energy conservation,
equitable access to products, and improving the
workplace culture are established, with processes and
plans in place to improve and track qualitative and
quantitative metrics.
Organization’s code of
ethics clearly identifies
expectations around
ehavioral expectations,
ibery, co
uption, and
political affiliations
Met The code of ethics is clear, comprehensive, and
incorporated into the company’s culture.
Workers
Preassessment Criteria Met/Not Yet Met Notes
Majority of employees are
paid according to a fixed
salary
Met 70% of employees are salaried. This excludes employees
of suppliers and manufacturing facilities, which are
separately owned and operated. Most hourly employees
work in customer-facing positions or maintenance.
Employees are offered
professional development
opportunities to learn and
grow
Not yet met Employees have required trainings that are essential for
their job roles; however, training to learn and grow new
skills or deepen existing knowledge is limited.
Employees are provided $100 for professional
development funds each year to complete external
training, but it doesn’t cover much, and the process to
acquire the funds is extensive.
Lowest-paid employees
make more than federal
minimum wage
Not yet met Hourly employees start at federal minimum wage.
Raises can be earned after 90 days of employment in
$.25 increments.
Full-time, tenured workers
are offered company match
for retirement contributions
Met A 5 % match is offered on retirement contributions after
two years of full-time employment.
All full-time workers are
offered health insurance
Met All full-time workers are offered health insurance.
Employees feel their health insurance coverage is pretty
good—often better than other places they have worked.
Health and wellness
initiatives and policies are
offered beyond health
insurance-provided
programs
Met Health and wellness programs are offered, such as gym
eimbursements; significant discounts on health
trackers; financial incentives for healthy eating, activity,
and weight-loss goal completion; and discounts on
wellness services not covered by insurance.
Preassessment Criteria Met/Not Yet Met Notes
Employees in
nonmanagement positions
have written permission to
shut down unsafe processes
Not yet met Nonmanagement positions do not have written
authority; however,