BUSL204 Business Ethics And Risk Management

Extensions and Penalties

Late topic submissions and written assignments will be accepted up to 72 hours after the submission deadline. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24-hour period or part thereof that the submission is late (for example, 25 hours late in submission – 20% penalty). This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for Special Consideration is made and approved.

Environmental responsibilities and risk management

In September 2019, the co-CEO of $15bN software company Atlassian – Mike CannonBrookes – attended the ‘global climate strike’ and urged all Atlassian employees to do the same. Shortly after, Atlassian issued this statement pledging the company to ‘fight climate change’ by becoming 100% carbon neutral by 2050. Critically analyse ethical justifications for, and risks of, Atlassian’s stated agenda to become carbon neutral. Your answer should begin by outlining the main ethical arguments for preserving the natural environment by reducing carbon impacts, including considering relevant objections. Then assess which, if any, of these arguments justifies Atlassian’s pledge to become carbon neutral, or whether Atlassian is going beyond the appropriate role of a corporation by engaging in political debate. Finally, use the COSO framework to conduct an enterprise risk management assessment of Atlassian’s proposed transition to a carbon neutral future. Conclude by critically analysing whether it is the right decision for Atlassian to make this pledge in light of both relevant ethical and enterprise risk management considerations.

Employee safety and risk management

Facebook employees hired to moderate news and discussion on the site have recently reported being ‘ground down’, ‘numbed’ and ‘traumatised’ by the extreme material their job requires them to review. Critically evaluate the ethical and risk management issues involved in how Facebook employs and manages these workers. Your essay should begin by outlining the main ethical arguments for and against employers having an obligation to keep workers safe at work. Then apply this theory to identify what ethical obligations, if any, Facebook has to worker safety in this case. Finally, use the COSO framework to conduct an enterprise risk management assessment of Facebook’s management of workers’ safety, including considering strategies Facebook might take to appropriately manage relevant risks. Your answer should conclude by evaluating the adequacy of Facebook’s approach from both an ethical and risk management perspective, and considering alternatives that might improve Facebook’s response.