Overview
Task: Complete the GreenSneak Case Study Report and Presentation
I want you to prepare a complete academic solution based on the GreenSneak Case Study, using GreenSneak as the main and only case study for the analysis.
Do not use Sahara Energy as the case for the answers.
The GreenSneak case should be used as the foundation for the report, analysis, recommendations, and PowerPoint presentation.
The objective is to produce a well-structured academic submission that applies the concepts of Business Ethics, Corporate Governance, Stakeholder Analysis, Ethical Decision-Making, Greenwashing, CSR, Sustainability, Transparency, Accountability, and Business Law to the GreenSneak case.
1. Understand the GreenSneak Case Study First
Read and analyse the GreenSneak Case Study carefully before preparing the answer.
GreenSneak is presented as a sustainable and ethical footwear company that promotes:
- Sustainability
- Living wages
- Zero-waste practices
- Recycled materials
- Ethical business practices
However, an internal audit discovered that 40% of the shoe components are sourced from an external supplier, StitchRight.
The supplier has serious ethical and environmental concerns, including:
- Low wages
- Undocumented migrant workers
- Environmental pollution
- Poor alignment with GreenSneak’s ethical commitments
The management therefore faces a major dilemma between:
Short-term profitability and cost control
and
Ethical responsibility, transparency, sustainability, and stakeholder trust.
Use the information contained in the GreenSneak file as the factual basis of the analysis. Do not invent additional facts about the company.
2. Main Objective
Prepare two connected deliverables:
1. Academic Word Report
A complete, well-structured report analysing the GreenSneak case.
2. PowerPoint Presentation
A professional presentation based directly on the report.
The presentation must not introduce different arguments or conclusions. It should be a concise visual version of the report.
3. Ethical Issues
Analyse the major ethical issues facing GreenSneak.
The analysis should cover the following:
Transparency
Should GreenSneak disclose the problems associated with StitchRight to its customers and stakeholders?
Analyse the consequences of both:
- Full disclosure
- Non-disclosure
Honesty
GreenSneak markets itself as an ethical and sustainable company.
Discuss whether continuing to make these claims while knowing about serious problems within its supply chain could conflict with its responsibility to be honest with customers.
Accountability
Analyse whether GreenSneak can avoid responsibility by arguing that StitchRight is an independent external supplier.
Discuss the concept of supply-chain responsibility.
Fairness
Consider whether it is fair for customers to pay a premium price for an ethical and sustainable product when part of the supply chain does not meet those standards.
Supplier Responsibility
Analyse GreenSneak’s responsibility toward:
- StitchRight workers
- The supplier
- Customers
- Local communities
- The environment
Environmental Responsibility
Discuss GreenSneak’s responsibility regarding pollution caused by its supply chain.
Do not simply describe the problems. Explain why these issues create ethical responsibilities for GreenSneak.
4. Stakeholder Analysis
Perform a detailed Stakeholder Analysis.
Identify the stakeholders affected by the GreenSneak situation.
Primary Stakeholders
Consider:
- Customers
- GreenSneak employees
- Investors
- GreenSneak management
- StitchRight
- StitchRight workers
Secondary Stakeholders
Consider:
- Local communities
- Environment
- Regulators
- Sustainability organisations
- Wider public
For each important stakeholder, explain:
- Their interests
- How they are affected
- What they expect from GreenSneak
- Potential conflicts between their interests
For example:
Customers
They expect GreenSneak’s products to genuinely meet the ethical and sustainability standards advertised by the company.
Investors
They may be concerned about profitability, costs, reputation, and long-term business value.
This creates a potential conflict between:
Short-term financial performance
and
Long-term ethical reputation and stakeholder trust.
The analysis should demonstrate that ethical decision-making requires GreenSneak to consider the interests of multiple stakeholders rather than focusing only on profit.
5. Ethical Decision-Making Frameworks
Apply the three ethical frameworks from the GreenSneak case study.
A. Utilitarianism
Analyse the situation using the principle of achieving the greatest overall benefit.
Compare the potential consequences of:
Option 1
Continue working with StitchRight for the proposed period without fully disclosing the problems.
Option 2
Disclose the issue and immediately begin correcting the supplier problems.
For each option, consider the effects on:
- Customers
- Employees
- Investors
- StitchRight workers
- Local communities
- Environment
- GreenSneak’s reputation
- Long-term profitability
Then determine which option produces the greater overall benefit.
6. Deontological Ethics
Analyse the situation from a duty-based ethical perspective.
Consider GreenSneak’s duties toward:
- Customers
- Employees
- Workers in its supply chain
- Investors
- Society
- The environment
Discuss principles such as:
- Honesty
- Transparency
- Duty
- Respect
- Fairness
- Responsibility
The key question should be:
Does GreenSneak have an ethical duty to disclose and address the problem even if doing so creates additional costs or damages short-term profitability?
7. Virtue Ethics
Analyse what a genuinely ethical company would do.
Consider the following virtues:
- Integrity
- Honesty
- Responsibility
- Courage
- Fairness
- Accountability
- Sustainability
Discuss what decision would best demonstrate these characteristics.
The focus should be on the type of organisation GreenSneak wants to be, rather than simply asking which decision is financially beneficial.
8. Greenwashing Analysis
This is a very important part of the report.
Analyse whether GreenSneak’s continued sustainability and ethical marketing could create a risk of greenwashing.
Do not simply state:
“GreenSneak is greenwashing.”
Explain why the situation could constitute greenwashing or create a significant greenwashing risk.
Consider the company’s claims regarding:
- Sustainability
- Living wages
- Zero-waste
- Recycled materials
- Ethical production
Then compare these claims with the findings regarding StitchRight.
Discuss the potential consequences for:
- Customer trust
- Brand reputation
- Investors
- Regulatory exposure
- Long-term business performance
9. Corporate Governance and Business Responsibility
Although GreenSneak is an ethics case, expand the analysis to include Corporate Governance and Business Law concepts where they are relevant.
Discuss how effective corporate governance could help GreenSneak prevent similar problems.
Consider:
Board Oversight
The Board should have appropriate oversight of ethical and sustainability risks.
Supplier Due Diligence
The company should conduct proper checks before and during supplier relationships.
Internal Auditing
Regular independent audits should identify:
- Labour issues
- Environmental risks
- Compliance problems
- Ethical violations
Internal Controls
GreenSneak should establish procedures for monitoring suppliers and ensuring compliance with its standards.
Supplier Contracts
Supplier agreements should clearly include requirements relating to:
- Labour standards
- Environmental standards
- Ethical conduct
- Auditing rights
- Corrective actions
- Non-compliance
- Termination provisions
Accountability
There should be clear responsibility for monitoring and addressing supplier misconduct.
10. Corporate Social Responsibility
Analyse GreenSneak’s CSR responsibilities.
The analysis should cover:
Employees
Fair treatment and ethical working conditions.
Supply-Chain Workers
Protection of workers affected by supplier practices.
Environment
Reducing and addressing environmental damage.
Local Communities
Considering the effects of manufacturing activities on surrounding communities.
Customers
Providing accurate and honest information about the products they purchase.
Investors
Protecting long-term organisational value through responsible business practices.
Explain how CSR can contribute to:
- Reputation
- Stakeholder trust
- Sustainability
- Risk management
- Long-term profitability
11. Comprehensive Action Plan
Develop a practical and detailed Action Plan for GreenSneak.
Do not provide generic recommendations such as:
“GreenSneak should improve transparency.”
Instead, explain exactly what the company should do, who should be responsible, and how success should be measured.
Phase 1: Immediate Investigation
GreenSneak should:
- Investigate StitchRight’s practices.
- Verify all audit findings.
- Assess labour conditions.
- Assess environmental impacts.
- Identify compliance gaps.
- Review the supplier relationship.
Phase 2: Transparency
GreenSneak should establish an appropriate disclosure strategy.
Consider:
- What information should be disclosed?
- Who should receive the information?
- How should it be communicated?
- How can the company avoid misleading sustainability claims?
Phase 3: Supplier Corrective Action
Develop a formal improvement programme for StitchRight where appropriate.
This should include:
- Clear standards
- Measurable targets
- Deadlines
- Independent monitoring
- Regular audits
- Corrective actions
- Consequences for non-compliance
Phase 4: Ethical and Compliance Policies
Recommend appropriate policies such as:
- Code of Ethics
- Supplier Code of Conduct
- Anti-Corruption Policy
- Conflict-of-Interest Policy
- Whistleblowing Mechanism
- Environmental Policy
- Sustainability Policy
Phase 5: Corporate Governance
Strengthen:
- Board oversight
- Internal audit
- Compliance monitoring
- Risk management
- Supplier due diligence
- Management accountability
Phase 6: Environmental and CSR Programme
Develop measures to:
- Reduce pollution
- Monitor environmental performance
- Protect local communities
- Improve working conditions
- Support sustainable production
- Address environmental damage
Phase 7: Stakeholder Engagement
Create a structured engagement programme involving:
- Customers
- Employees
- Investors
- Suppliers
- Workers
- Local communities
- Regulators
- Relevant sustainability organisations
Phase 8: Monitoring and KPIs
Include measurable indicators such as:
- Supplier audit results
- Number of compliance violations
- Number of environmental incidents
- Employee ethics-training completion
- Supplier corrective-action completion
- Customer complaints
- Stakeholder satisfaction
- Sustainability performance
- Number of unresolved ethical issues
12. Recommended Report Structure
Prepare the Word report using the following structure:
Cover Page
Use the required academic information.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
Introduce:
- GreenSneak
- The company’s sustainability positioning
- The StitchRight issue
- The ethical dilemma
- Purpose of the report
2. Ethical Issues
Detailed analysis of the ethical problems.
3. Stakeholder Analysis
Detailed stakeholder identification and analysis.
4. Ethical Decision-Making
4.1 Utilitarianism
4.2 Deontological Ethics
4.3 Virtue Ethics
5. Greenwashing Risk
Detailed analysis of the company’s sustainability claims versus its supply-chain reality.
6. Corporate Governance and Business Responsibility
Explain how governance and business controls could prevent the problems.
7. Corporate Social Responsibility
Analyse GreenSneak’s responsibilities toward stakeholders, workers, communities, and the environment.
8. Comprehensive Action Plan
Provide the practical recommendations and implementation plan.
9. Conclusion
Summarise the main findings and recommended approach.
References
Use the required referencing style.
Appendices
Include useful supporting material where appropriate, such as:
- Stakeholder matrix
- Action-plan table
- Risk matrix
- KPI table
13. PowerPoint Presentation
Prepare a professional PowerPoint presentation based entirely on the report.
The recommended structure is:
Slide 1
GreenSneak: Sustainable Shoes, Hidden Supply-Chain Challenges
Student Name
Student ID
Module
Date
Slide 2
GreenSneak Background
- Company positioning
- Sustainability commitments
- StitchRight relationship
- Key discovery
Slide 3
The Ethical Dilemma
Profitability vs Ethics
Show the main conflict visually.
Slide 4
Key Ethical Issues
- Transparency
- Honesty
- Accountability
- Fairness
- Supplier responsibility
- Environmental responsibility
Slide 5
Stakeholder Analysis
Show the key stakeholders and their interests.
Slide 6
Utilitarian Analysis
Present the major consequences of the available options.
Slide 7
Deontological Analysis
Focus on:
- Duty
- Honesty
- Transparency
- Ethical principles
Slide 8
Virtue Ethics
Focus on:
- Integrity
- Responsibility
- Courage
- Fairness
- Accountability
Slide 9
Greenwashing Risk
Compare:
GreenSneak’s Claims
with
Supply-Chain Reality
Slide 10
Corporate Governance & CSR
Show how governance and CSR can prevent similar problems.
Slide 11
Comprehensive Action Plan
Present the action plan as a timeline or phased process.
Slide 12
Expected Outcomes
- Improved transparency
- Stronger ethical performance
- Better supplier standards
- Reduced environmental risk
- Improved stakeholder trust
- Stronger reputation
- Sustainable long-term performance
Slide 13
Conclusion
Present the main recommendation clearly.
Slide 14
References
Use the appropriate academic referencing format.
14. Research and Referencing Requirements
Use the GreenSneak file as the primary case-study source, but where the assignment requires academic research, support the theoretical analysis with real and reliable academic sources.
Use appropriate sources such as:
- Academic textbooks
- Peer-reviewed journal articles
- Reputable academic publications
- Relevant official organisations
- Relevant business and corporate governance sources
Do not invent references.
Every reference must be genuine and traceable.
Use consistent APA 7th Edition referencing where required.
15. Quality Requirements
Before finalising the work, perform a complete quality check.
Check:
Content
- Is every section directly related to GreenSneak?
- Are the arguments logically developed?
- Are the ethical theories correctly applied?
Case Relevance
- Is GreenSneak used consistently throughout?
- Are examples taken from the actual case?
- Have unsupported facts been avoided?
Critical Analysis
The structure should generally follow:
Case Fact → Theory → Analysis → Evaluation → Recommendation
Avoid simply describing the case.
Academic Quality
- Appropriate academic sources
- Correct citations
- APA 7 formatting
- No fabricated references
- Clear academic language
Formatting
- Consistent headings
- Professional layout
- Correct word count
- Clear tables where useful
- Professional presentation design
Presentation Consistency
The PowerPoint must reflect the same:
- Arguments
- Analysis
- Recommendations
- Conclusions
as the written report.
Final Deliverables
I want the final work to contain:
📄 1. Word Report
A complete academic report based on GreenSneak.
📊 2. PowerPoint Presentation
A professional presentation based on the same analysis.
📚 3. Reference List
Real and verifiable academic references in APA 7 format.
📎 4. Supporting Appendices
Where useful, include stakeholder analysis tables, action plans, risk matrices, or KPIs.
The overall objective is to produce a well-researched, logically structured, critically analytical, and academically appropriate solution to the GreenSneak case, rather than simply summarising the case.
Most importantly: GreenSneak must remain the central case throughout the entire report and presentation. Do not replace it with Sahara Energy or use Sahara Energy as the example case.