CEMS BLOCK SEMINAR IN CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
September 2— September 6, 2013
Aalto University School of Business, Helsinki & Graduate School of Management, St. Petersburg
Subject: Corporate Responsibility in Managerial Practices.
Goals and objectives:
In addition to economic responsibility, companies are increasingly required to take also environmental and
social responsibilities, and align their business practices with the principles of sustainable development.
Corporate responsibility (CR) is a major trend, but effective managerial implications call for understanding
global and local sustainability challenges and solutions from a strategic standpoint of creating value to both
society and the firm.
The blocked seminar will introduce students to principles of corporate responsibility and the related
managerial practices. Within the blocked seminar, students will have a chance to experience the challenges
and opportunities of integrating responsibility considerations in corporate strategy and learn how to
manage the corporate social performance in favor of creating shared value. We will examine different ways
of managing and implementing CR, as well as learn about their financial, societal and environmental
outcomes. This blocked seminar also offers the students an opportunity to experience national and cultural
differences pertaining to CR approaches. The course will focus on CR questions in the food industry
although there will be examples also from other industries.
Literature for the blocked seminar (pre-readings):
1. Gjølberg, M. 2009. Measuring the immeasurable? Constructing an index of CSR practices and CSR
performance in 20 countries. Scandinavian Journal of Management. 25: 10-22.
2. Halme, M. and Laurila, J. 2009. Philanthropy, CR Integration or CR Innovation? Exploring the
financial and social outcomes of corporate responsibility. Journal of Business Ethics, Journal of
Business Ethics 84: 325-339.
3. Blagov, Y and Petrova-Savchenko, A. 2012. Corporate philanthropy in Russia: evidence from a
national awards competition, Corporate Governance, Vol. 12 Iss: 4 pp. 534 - 547
4. Orsato, R. 2007. Competitive environmental strategies: When does it pay to be green? California
Management Review 48(2): 127-143.
5. Porter M., Kramer M. Creating shared value: How to reinvent capitalism — and unleash a wave of
innovation and growth. Harvard Business Review. 2011. January. P. 62-77.
6. Zadek, S. The path to corporate responsibility. Harvard Business Review. 2004. December. P. 125132.
7. Brown, L. 2009. Plan B: Mobilizing to save civilization. Norton. Note! REQUIRED READING only Ch.
8: Feeding eight billion people well, pp. 217-238. Available at:
http://www.earthpolicy.org/images/uploads/book_files/pb4book.pdf. Students are expected to
read this book chapter, because the theme of the seminar is CR in food industry. This chapter
highlights the global sustainability challenges and potential solutions regarding food production
and consumption.
8. 2 Cases: (1) Inclusive business & (2) Palm Oil Dilemma will be made available to students separately
Grading Policy:
The final grade will be determined by:


Individual participation and activity in class discussions 50%
Team-work and presentations (BOP cases, Guest Company Exercise, Case TBD) 50%
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Grading Scale:
The grading system of the AALTO & GSOM blocked seminar will be adjusted according to the ECTS system.
Evaluation criteria:
The criteria used in the evaluation of the students are:
1. Understanding of the key concepts, creative and logical thinking
2. Depth of the analysis
3. Manifestation of knowledge provided in the pre-readings
4. Clarity and consistency of written and oral argumentation
Some practical points:
 The weather in Helsinki and St. Petersburg will be mild, between 15-22 degrees during the days.
The nights can be quite cold and there might be rain so it would be idea to bring a rain jacket
and/or umbrella.
 The dress code for the seminar is smart/casual, so perhaps it’s time to put away the sandals and
beach shorts.
 There might be some walking involved during the seminar, so pack some comfortable shoes.
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CEMS BLOCK SEMINAR IN CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
September 2 — September 6, 2013
Aalto University School of Business, Helsinki — Graduate School of Management, St.Petersburg University,
St. Petersburg
PROGRAM
“Corporate Responsibility in Managerial Practices”
Sunday, Sept 1: Helsinki
08:00-17:00: Students arrive and check in their hotel.
17:00-19:00: Welcome and evening event at Aalto University Business School Restaurant in Chydenia
Building.
Monday, Sept 2: Aalto-BIZ, Helsinki
Theme of the day: CR-Integration
09:00-10:00: Welcome coffee, introduction of the seminar and participants
10.00–11.30: Introduction to Corporate Responsibility
 Key concepts of CR
 Strategic CR
 Seminar’s goals and content assessment
 Professor Minna Halme, AALTO, Finland
 Professor Yury Blagov, GSOM, Russia
11.30–11.45: Coffee break
11.45–12.45: Eco-efficiency strategies
 Professor Renato Orsato, Professor - São Paulo School of Business (EAESP) &
INSEAD
 Professor Minna Halme, AALTO, Finland
12.45–13.45: Lunch
13.45–15.00: Eco-efficiency continued & on the spot exercise
 Professors & Students
15.00 – 15.15: Coffee break
15.15 – 17.15: Film with snacks: Inconvenient Truth or Food Inc. Students choose one of the films.
17.15 – 18.15: Discussion on the films Inconvenient Truth and Food Inc.
Students will present the key messages of and learnings from the films to the other half of
the group, followed by a whole group discussion.
 Students
 Minna Halme, Yuri Blagov & Renato Orsato
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Tuesday, Sept 3: Helsinki
Theme of the day: CR-Innovation
Case readings for the day:
Base of the pyramid business cases (Aravind Eye Hospital, Danone Poland, MyC4 and Tetra Pak Brazil).
Please note: You have been assigned to read only one of the cases!
09.00–10.15: Poverty alleviation with inclusive business models
 Inclusive business models
 BOP films & Introduction of the inclusive business exercise
 Minna Halme
10.15 – 11.15: Preparation of inclusive business exercises. Students are expected to have read the cases in
advance. (coffee available)
11.15-11.30 Coffee break
11.30 – 12.45 Teams present inclusive business exercises
12.45 – 13.45 Lunch
13.45 Departure for Guest Company
14.15-17.30 Company visit
18:00-22:00ish: Boat trip to and promenade at Suomenlinna island and dinner at Panimo (brewery)
Restaurant.
Wednesday, Sept 4: Travelling day from Helsinki to St. Petersburg
09.00: Arrive at the Aalto-BIZ Main Building entrance.
 Collect packed lunch.
 Head to Train station.
10:00-14:30: Travel to St. Petersburg by train
14:30-16:45: Bus transfer to Hotel
16.45 – 17.00: Coffee break
17:00–18:30: BALTIKA Breweries: Introduction for Case exercise
 Professor Yury Blagov, GSOM, Russia
 Representative of Baltika Breweries
19.00:
Leave as a group to the restaurant (walking)
19.30–22.30: Welcome Dinner
22.30: Transfer to the hotel
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Thursday, Sept 5: GSOM, St. Petersburg
Theme of the day: CR and Corporate Philanthropy
Case readings for the day: The Palm Oil Dilemma. (INSEAD Teaching Case, authors: Renato Orsato, Renata
Loew, Mona Mc Nicholas and Giovanna Sanches)
8.20: Leave the hotel to the GSOM premises (bus transfer)
09.00–11.00: CR & Corporate philanthropy in emerging markets
 Yuri Blagov
11.00-11.15: Break
11.15–12.15: The Palm Oil Dilemma Case
 Students
 Renato Orsato & Yury Blagov
12.15–13.45: Lunch
13.45–14.45: The Palm Oil Dilemma Case: team work
 Students
14.45-16.00: Presentations of The Palm Oil Dilemma Case solutions
 Students
16.00–16.15: Coffee break
16.15-16.30: Financial impacts of corporate responsibility
 Renato Orsato
16.30-17.30: Societal impacts of corporate responsibility
 Minna Halme
17.45:
Leave as a group to the cruise boat (walking)
18.30–21.30: Cruise along Neva river and dinner
21.30: Bus transfer to the hotel
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Friday, Sept 6: GSOM, St. Petersburg
Theme of the day: Summary & applying lessons learnt into practice
8.20: Leave the hotel to the GSOM premises (bus transfer)
09.00–10.00: Communicating corporate responsibility
 Minna Halme
10.00-10.15: Break
10.15–11.45: Collaboration with non-governmental organizations & CR
 Russian Donors’ Forum
 Yury Blagov
11.45–13.00: Lunch
13.00–17.30: Visit to BALTIKA Breweries & student team presentation (including breaks)
17.30–18:00: Final group discussion:
 What can be roles of business firms in addressing global environmental and social
questions?
 What can young business professionals do to promote CR in their organizations?
 Students, Yury Blagov, Minna Halme & Renato Orsato
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