ESG501 GBA January 2025-Comprehensive Industry Assessment Guidelines

 Group-based Assignment Instructions(GBA)

Instructions:

1. Your group’s task is to critically assess an industry’s sustainability performance by comparing the industry’s stated sustainability strategies, targets and initiatives with independent reports by credible third parties such as the media, NGOs, research institutions and government entities.
2. You may use the SASB Standards’ Materiality  Finde   (https://sasb.ifrs.org/standards/materiality-finder/find/)
   to select an industry. The industry you pick should have a global or regional association that publishes detailed sustainability information about the industry; e.g. the International Air Transport Association (IATA) represents airlines and its website (https://www.iata.org/)  contains various publications on the industry’s sustainability goals and initiatives.
3. Your group is required to do your research to identify and review publicly available, relevant and credible third-party assessments of the industry’s sustainability efforts, achievements and gaps.
4. Answer all THREE (3) questions (total: 75 marks) concerning the industry your group has chosen. You are expected to examine the industry’s and external perspectives for each question. The industry’s perspective can be supplemented by insights and references from individual companies’ sustainability reports and corporate communications. Each question is worth 25 marks.
5. There is an overall limit of 3,000 words for your written report, excluding references and citations. State the overall word count in your answer script. Marks may be deducted if you exceed this word limit.
6. Your group is required to make a presentation (10 mins to present and 5 mins for Q&A) on your findings and analysis during the 5th in-class lesson on 20 March 2025, i.e. after you have submitted the report in Canvas. This presentation counts for 25% of the GBA grade. The presentation should not exceed 15 slides.
7. You are required to submit the slides in Canvas one day after your in-class presentation, i.e. by 21 March 2025, 2355 hrs.

Question 1

Assess the industry’s positive and negative sustainability-related impacts, and the extent to which the industry has responded to changes in the external context and stakeholders’ requirements. (25 marks)

Question 2

Evaluate the credibility, feasibility and accountability of the industry’s sustainability strategy, targets and initiatives. (25 marks)

Question 3

Propose three to five relevant, innovative and practical ideas that the industry could encourage its members and partners to adopt to balance growth, and sustainability impacts and meet stakeholders’ expectations. (25 marks)

In-class Presentation

Your group is required to present your analysis, findings and conclusions during the 5th class on 20 March 2025 – 10 min for the presentation and 5 min for the Q&A. You will have to submit the slides through Canvas the day after the presentation, i.e. 21 March 2025, 2355 hrs. The presentation will be graded based on content (10%), delivery (10%) and Q&A performance (5%). (25 marks)