CSR and Sustainability: Concepts, Models, ESG Overview and Ethical Responsibilities to Stakeholders Questions

Question 1

Define CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility).

Accepted Answer

**CSR** is the responsibility of a company to operate ethically and contribute to social welfare while doing business (concept).

Question 2

Sustainability means meeting present needs without compromising future generations. (True/False)

Accepted Answer

True. **Sustainability** balances present needs with the ability of future generations to meet their needs (concept).

Question 3

Write the full form of ESG.

Accepted Answer

**ESG** stands for **Environmental, Social and Governance** (concept).

Question 4

Triple Bottom Line (TBL) includes People, Planet and Profit. (True/False)

Accepted Answer

True. TBL measures performance across **People**, **Planet**, and **Profit** (concept).

Question 5

Write any one benefit of CSR.

Accepted Answer

CSR improves **trust** and brand reputation, supporting long-term stakeholder relationships (any one benefit) (concept).

Question 6

Greenwashing means false sustainability claims. (True/False)

Accepted Answer

True. **Greenwashing** refers to misleading claims about environmental/sustainability performance (concept).

Question 7

Differentiate CSR, sustainability and ESG (any three points) using a table.

Accepted Answer

Differences (concept):

| Term | Focus | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| **CSR** | social responsibility | ethical contribution to society |
| **Sustainability** | long-term balance | people/planet/profit over time |
| **ESG** | measurement framework | E/S/G factors to evaluate performance |

Any three differences are sufficient.

Question 8

Explain Triple Bottom Line (TBL) model with a table (People–Planet–Profit).

Accepted Answer

TBL evaluates performance on three dimensions (concept):

| Dimension | What it covers | Example |
|---|---|---|
| **People** | social impact | employee welfare, community |
| **Planet** | environment impact | waste reduction, energy efficiency |
| **Profit** | economic performance | long-term profitability |

Write the three dimensions with examples.

Question 9

Explain Carroll’s CSR Pyramid (any three layers) in exam points.

Accepted Answer

Carroll’s CSR Pyramid layers (concept):

- **Economic**: be profitable
- **Legal**: obey laws and regulations
- **Ethical**: do what is right beyond law
- **Philanthropic**: voluntary contributions to society (overview)

Explain any three layers with 1-line meaning.

Question 10

Explain ESG components (E, S, G) with one example each using a table.

Accepted Answer

ESG components (concept):

| Component | Covers | Example |
|---|---|---|
| **E** | emissions, energy, waste | renewable energy use |
| **S** | employee welfare, safety, community | workplace safety programs |
| **G** | board oversight, ethics, disclosures | anti-corruption policy |

Write E, S, G with examples.

Question 11

Write any three benefits of ESG/CSR for businesses (exam points).

Accepted Answer

Any three benefits (concept/overview):

- improved **trust** and brand reputation
- better investor confidence (ESG-focused investing)
- reduced regulatory/legal risk and better compliance
- long-term cost savings via efficiency (energy/waste) (overview)

Write any three points.

Question 12

Explain greenwashing and write any three ways to prevent it (use a table).

Accepted Answer

**Greenwashing** means making misleading claims about environmental performance (concept).

Prevention (any three):

| Measure | How it helps (concept) |
|---|---|
| verified/assured reporting | improves credibility |
| clear KPIs and data | reduces vague claims |
| transparent disclosures | allows scrutiny |
| board oversight | accountability in ESG communication |

Write any three measures.

Question 13

Explain CSR and sustainability: meaning and benefits (exam-style) with a table.

Accepted Answer

### Meaning
- **CSR**: ethical responsibility + contribution to social welfare (concept)
- **Sustainability**: long-term balance of resources and stakeholder interests (concept)

### Benefits (any four)
- improves **trust** and brand reputation
- improves employee engagement and retention
- reduces regulatory/legal risk (overview)
- long-term cost savings (energy and waste efficiency)
- better investor confidence (ESG focus) (overview)

### Quick table

| Area | Benefit (concept) |
|---|---|
| People | welfare, community trust |
| Planet | reduced pollution and waste |
| Profit | long-term resilience |

Conclusion: Responsible practices support sustainable growth (concept).

Question 14

Explain stakeholder responsibilities in CSR (any five stakeholder duties) using a table.

Accepted Answer

Ethical responsibilities toward stakeholders (concept):

| Stakeholder | Responsibility (examples) |
|---|---|
| **Employees** | safe work, fair pay, non-discrimination |
| **Customers** | quality, safety, truthful info |
| **Suppliers** | fair contracts, timely payment |
| **Government** | compliance, taxes |
| **Society/Environment** | pollution control, resource conservation |
| **Shareholders** | transparency, good governance |

Write any five with correct points.

Question 15

Discuss challenges in implementing CSR/ESG and suggest measures to avoid greenwashing (exam-style) with a table.

Accepted Answer

### Challenges (any four)
- difficulty in measuring impact and outcomes (concept)
- short-term cost vs long-term benefit trade-offs (concept)
- lack of awareness/skills and weak integration into strategy (overview)
- risk of **greenwashing** and misleading claims (concept)

### Measures to avoid greenwashing (table)

| Measure | How it helps (concept) |
|---|---|
| clear targets & KPIs | objective tracking and accountability |
| verified reporting | improves credibility (audit/assurance) |
| transparency in disclosures | reduces misleading claims |
| integrate ESG into governance | board oversight and responsibility |

Conclusion: Honest measurement and transparent reporting reduce greenwashing and improve trust (concept).

Term	Focus	Meaning
CSR	social responsibility	ethical contribution to society
Sustainability	long-term balance	people/planet/profit over time
ESG	measurement framework	E/S/G factors to evaluate performance

CSR and Sustainability: Concepts, Models, ESG Overview and Ethical Responsibilities to Stakeholders

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