“Writing the World” of Corporate Communication |
(“Brooklyn Bridge” by Dino Sossi/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Introductory Thoughts
by Dr. Dino Sossi
Multinational corporations rule the world.
They dictate supply chains.
Impact politics.
Some even generate greater revenues than some sovereign European countries like Spain and the Netherlands (Babic, Heemskerk, & Fichtner, 2018).
These remarkable developments lead to important educational questions for today’s classrooms:
- How do we foster critical examination of these powerful organizations that increasingly impact our world?
- How do we help students use their critical thinking skills to shape corporations for the good?
- And how do we use communication tools to advocate for the issues that are important to our students and their diverse home communities?
The course Corporate Communication is part of the Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media at the City University of New York’s (CUNY) School of Professional Studies. The course “Introduces writing techniques for effective corporate communications. Outlines the history, function, and traditional practices of public relations. Analyzes case studies in corporate communications and public relations. Requires that students create a variety of individual and group writing assignments.” In short, Corporate Communication helps students develop fundamentally important skills that will help them become effective communicators within a variety of business organizations across sectors.
Working with CUNY and the Mellon Foundation’s Transformative Learning in the Humanities (TLH) has inspired me to reconceptualize Corporate Communication. Their powerful partnership has helped me collaborate even more with my students and shift the course’s focus toward what Freire and Macedo would call “writing the world” (2015). As they write, “Reading the word and learning how to write the word so one can later read it are preceded by learning how to write the world, that is having the experience of changing the world and touching the world” (Freire & Macedo, 2005, p. 12).
In the following chapter, please find one particularly relevant example of writing the world – advocacy letters written to the government. Here, students attempt to foster positive change on gun control, the Russia-Ukraine war, mental health in schools, the Mahsa Amini tragedy, and many other worthwhile ventures.
As it has in the past in so many countries, hopefully student advocacy can still make a difference across the world.
References:
Babic, M., Heemskerk, E., & Fichtner, J. (2018, July 10). Who is more powerful – states or corporations? The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/who-is-more-powerful-states-or-corporations-99616
Freire, P., & Macedo, D. (2005). Literacy: Reading the word and the world. Routledge.
I. Advocacy Letters for Government |
(“Election Night 2016, New York City” by Dino Sossi/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
In this exercise, students were invited to write a letter to any level of government and advocate on behalf of their preferred social movement or organization.
The responses below are as well written as these powerful movements deserve.
Reducing Gun Violence
by Branka Romih
Branka’s Introductory Notes: “The main reason why I chose my topic to be gun control was due to an increase in violent events and numerous victims of gun violence across the nation. The most upsetting reason to me is that most of the victims are innocent bystanders, schoolchildren, workers, or shoppers who were just at the wrong place at the wrong time.”
11/2/2022
Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr.
2107 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
RE: Support to Reduce Gun Violence & Make Our Schools Safer
Dear Congressman Pallone,
My name is Branka Romih, and I am writing to you on behalf of our organization the New Jersey Coalition Against Gun Violence. We want to thank you for your dedication and commitment to making New Jersey a safer place. As we remember victims of many mass shootings that took place over the last couple of years in Las Vegas, Aurora, and Newtown, we cannot continue to stay silent and do nothing in the face of this growing epidemic of violence across our society. This is especially true when atrocities involve young and innocent children as in the recent shooting in Uvalde, Texas where a gunman killed 19 students and 2 teachers.
From this, we ask that you continue to represent the interest of New Jersey in Congress and continue to press for gun-violence prevention legislation in the future. For example, please support the following types of measures:
- Implement strict background checks for those who apply for a permit
- Prohibit gun access for those who may be at risk of hurting others or themselves
- Ban the sale of automatic weapons and high-capacity magazines
The New Jersey Coalition Against Gun Violence encourages you to support a bill that will impose stricter gun regulation and ensure thorough screening of those who apply for a weapons permit.
Sincerely,
Branka Romih
Spokesperson and Vice Chair of the New Jersey Coalition Against Gun Violence
1 South Street
Trenton, NJ 08601
888-888-8888
spokesperson@NJAgainstGunViolence.com
Black Lives Matter Mural in New York City
by Nadine Pierre-Louis
Nadine’s Introductory Note: “There is no room for inequality and racism in America. The Black Lives Matter campaign works to end systemic racism and the mistreatment of African Americans across the world. It is important to ‘write the world’ and utilize our influence to make changes in society that are not morally right or go against equal treatment of all.”
November 5, 2022
The Honorable Governor Kathy Hochul
NYS State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224
RE: Support for Black Lives Matter Mural in New York City
Dear Governor Kathy Hochul,
On behalf of the New York division of Black Lives Matter, we thank you for your continued support in advocating for justice and equality for black people in America. Recently, the states of California, North Carolina, Texas, and Alabama, etc. have painted Black Lives Matter murals within these same states. We are asking that you support us in creating a Black Lives Matter mural in New York City to show the state’s commitment to and support of ending policy brutality and discrimination against black people.
Black Lives Matter would be delighted to answer any questions you may have or discuss this issue further. We look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for all that you do for us New Yorkers.
Sincerely,
Nadine Pierre-Louis
Director of Public Relations, New York Chapter
Email: press@blacklivesmatter.com
Tel: 888-888-8888
Processing of U.S. Spousal Visas
by Raquel M. Gonzalez-Otieno
Raquel’s Introductory Note: “I decided to write a letter to the U.S. Embassy in Kenya due to the overwhelming backlog of processing American visas. The reason being is my husband is a Kenya national and it will take up to a year to process and approve his immigration/spousal visa to the U.S.”
November 2, 2022
The Honorable Margaret Whitman
Ambassador of the United States
American Embassy
United Nations Avenue Nairobi
P. O. Box 606 Village Market
00621 Nairobi, Kenya
RE: Processing of U.S. Spousal Visas:
Dear Madam Ambassador
On behalf of the Coalition of Americans Married to Kenyans, we thank you for your efforts of the immigration process for Kenyan citizens to be united with their families in the United States. We are a non-for-profit organization consisting of volunteers to support U.S. citizens and their Kenyan families who are seeking to reunite in America.
We write to urge you to fully understand the economic hardship placed on both sides of the family on different sides of the world. Due to the global impact of the Covid pandemic, we all understand the financial and economic burdens of the citizens of Kenya – as well as those of us here in the U.S. Therefore, we ask you for a resolution to the outstanding processing and one-year waiting period for U.S. visas.
The Coalition of Americans Married to Kenyans would be delighted to discuss this issue further. We look forward to working with you. Thank you for your service for the citizens of Kenya who are trying to become U.S. citizens.
Asante Sana,
Thank You Very Much,
Raquel M. Gonzalez-Otieno
Communications Specialist
Coalition of Americans Married to Kenyans
gonzalez@marriedtokenyans.com
Condemning the Murder of Mahsa Amini
by Laurie Mollo
Laurie’s Introductory Note: “The Iranian protests generated by the death of Mahsa Amini who was killed for allegedly not wearing her hijab properly. The reason I chose this topic is because it is a current event pertaining to women’s rights and is a human rights violation issue.”
November 4, 2023
Congressman Michael McCaul
2001 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
RE: Support for H. Res 1397 - Condemning the Government of Iran's torture and murder of Mahsa Amini and its crackdown on protesters seeking basic human rights, and supporting the protesters in their demands for freedom.
Dear Congressman McCaul:
On behalf of the Center for Human Rights in Iran, I am writing to urge the United States government to recognize atrocities and human rights violations being inflicted on the citizens of Iran. Mahsa Amini was brutally killed by morality police for allegedly not having her hair fully covered by her hijab in compliance with the government’s rules. Her death has created an uprising resulting in the torture and death of hundreds of citizens advocating for women’s rights and freedom, as well as innocent bystanders. Unlawful arrests are continuing and Islamic Republic authorities are now seeking to impose death sentences on protestors.
We urge you to fully support H. Res 1397 which in summary concludes that the resolution:
- Condemns the Iranian regime's torture and murder of Mahsa Amini.
- Condemns the Iranian regime's laws that discriminate against women.
- Condemns the Iranian regime's use of violence against those peacefully protesting the government and seeking freedom.
- Recognizes the right to self-determination for the Iranian people struggling to establish a democratic, secular, and nonnuclear Iran.
We at the Center for Human Rights in Iran uphold the United Nations definition of human rights; “Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status. Human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and many more. Everyone is entitled to these rights, without discrimination.” Please support us as we continue to advocate for human rights in Iran.
Our organization will answer any questions you may have or discuss this issue further. We look forward to working with you on supporting H. Res 1397. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Laurie Mollo
Center for Human Rights in Iran
Communications Representative
+1 888-888-8888
communications@iranhumanrights.org
School Zoning for Speed Restrictions
by Shonelle Williams
Shonelle’s Introductory Note: “I chose to explore the School Zone as my subject because since moving to Florida, I have realized a drastic difference in how we can provide a safer place for our children by doing something as simple as changing the speed of traffic. I do not think enough emphasis is put on small things like reducing speed that can potentially save lives.”
11/2/2022
New York City Department of Education
The School Zoning Agency is petitioning for new speed restrictions around all New York City public and private schools. We want the new speed limit to be 15 miles an hour between pick-up and drop-off times. This restriction would only be in place for drop-offs between 7:30 and 8:30 am and pick-ups between 3:30 and 4:30 pm.
The current speed zone around public and private schools is 25 miles an hour. However, in other places outside New York City, the speed zone is set at 15 miles an hour. We understand from research that it is slow and you could walk faster than if you drove. However, let us consider the following statistic “An estimated 152,000 school-age children are injured during normal school travel hours each year. Roughly 80% of those injuries occur in passenger vehicles” (NHTSA). These accidents often involve motorists failing to recognize the child on the road. Most of these accidents occur as children get on or off school buses or cross school intersections. When drivers are speeding, driving recklessly, or driving distracted, severe and sometimes fatal school zone accidents can occur.
When I moved from New York to Florida, I began to recognize the enforced school zones around all schools. This came with flashing yellow lights once posted times were in place – 7:30 to 8:30 am. The amber lights flash close to unknown school zones. This initiative was followed up by police cars parked at different outlets to enforce the speed restrictions. However, within a couple of weeks, the police cars were no longer needed; everyone followed the posted speed zone. The traffic flowed at a consistent pace. This is not the case in New York City. In New York City, the posted speed zone around schools or 25 miles an hour. It is a fact that a car traveling 15 miles an hour as opposed to a vehicle traveling 25 miles an hour involved in a traffic accident would result in less serious injury. It would also result in the driver giving themselves enough time to press the brakes to avoid hitting a pedestrian or another vehicle.
We would be delighted to meet with you or answer any questions you may have or discuss this issue further.
Respectfully,
Shonelle Williams
Director of Administration for School Zoning Agency
1274 Union Street
Brooklyn, NY 11225
Break the Cycle of Violence Act
by Carlos Leon
Dr. Sossi’s Introductory Note: “Carlos writes an advocacy letter to Senator Charles Schumer to support Senator Cory Booker’s Break the Cycle of Violence Act. This piece of legislation supports minority youth by improving employment and life opportunities. Given the upheavals wrought by COVID-19, young people need support to break into the job market and live safer, more meaningful, lives.”
November 4, 2022
The Honorable Charles E. Schumer
322 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-6542
RE: Support for S. 2275 – Break the Cycle of Violence Act sponsored by Sen. Cory A. Booker (D-NJ)
Dear Senator Schumer:
On behalf of St. Nicks Alliance, we thank you for your continued support of New York youth’s pursuit of a safer, thriving community. St. Nick’s Alliance is an organization of service-oriented staff and community members committed to supporting and promoting activities that aid the youth of underserved communities and their families.
We write to urge you to fully support S. 2275 – Break the Cycle of Violence Act, as it has served a critical role in opening the doors to employment opportunities for minority youth in New York and providing them with a safer community in which to thrive. This bill provides a safer environment for the underserved youth of minority communities. It does so by providing: community outreach programs, hospital-based intervention programs, crisis management, and access to job and entrepreneurship training, apprenticeship, and technological and digital literacy programs. Studies have shown that communities with “well-targeted, low-cost employment policies can make a substantial difference” in the lives of youth citizens.
As a group of community organizers in New York, St. Nick’s Alliance calls on you to continue to make our communities safer and help them thrive instead of just survive. This past year has had a disproportionate impact on youth unemployment, with 2.9 million more unemployed youth in mid-2020 compared to pre-2020 levels. Simultaneously, the 2020 recession accelerated an already increasingly digital and automated workforce, and youth must attain the digital, technological, and other technical skills necessary to succeed. It is vital that these types of programs receive your continued and robust support to benefit our youth in this evolving higher education landscape. The pandemic’s impact on both the safety and financial stability of our youth and their families makes the S. 2275 – Break the Cycle of Violence Act more important than ever in ensuring our youth have the resources needed to flourish in spite of these events.
Our organization would be delighted to answer any questions or discuss this issue further. We look forward to working with you on S. 2275 – Break the Cycle of Violence Act.
Thank you for all that you do for the youth of our New York’s communities.
Sincerely,
Carlos Leon
Director of Community Advocacy
St. Nick’s Alliance
2 Kingsland Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
Tel: 888-888-8888
_____________________________________________________________________________
George Floyd Justice in Policing Act
by Jennifer Claxton
Dr. Sossi’s Introductory Note: “Jennifer writes a persuasive advocacy letter to Senator Charles Schumer on an array of issues that are involved in the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. By doing so, she is helping improve racial justice across the land.”
November 5, 2022
The Honorable Charles Schumer
322 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
RE: Support for George Floyd Justice in Policing Act
Dear Senator Schumer:
On behalf of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and Black Lives Matter, we thank you for your continued support of funding educational programs in a wide range of communities as well as your support in helping to fight police brutality. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement is an organization of professionals whose mission is to improve the health and healthcare of communities worldwide.
We write to urge you to fully fund and support the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. This bill would help in a large range of policies that promote accountability for law enforcement misconduct, an overhaul of certain policing practices and helps to establish the best training policies. This act would also ban no knock warrants, chokeholds, and mandate trainings on racial bias.
Racial profiling and brutality have caused irreparable damage to communities of color. This bill will also ensure the groundwork be done to join public safety and communities together.
This act will establish more social services to communities who are in need. The exposure to violence and experiencing racism can be detrimental to health. It is important that there be a reinvestment in our communities to make sure human beings are treated with dignity and care.
The Act is a move towards reducing the harm police brutality brings on communities of color. We hope that with your support we can bring this bill to fruition.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Claxton
Director of Communications
Black Lives Matter
5400 Three Notched Rd, Crozet, Virginia, 22932, United States
jclaxton@blm.com
_____________________________________________________________________________
School Mental Health Awareness Services
by Manuel Gonzalez
Dr. Sossi’s Introductory Note: “Manuel writes to the Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona in an effort to provide comprehensive mental health coverage across U.S. schools to deal with an acute mental health crisis. Educational programs are often underfunded and giving wider access to mental health professionals will help students, their teachers, and their guardians alike.”
11-01-2022
The Honorable Miguel Cardona
Department of Education Building
400 Maryland Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20202
RE: Mental Health Awareness Services at Schools for Children and Youth
Dear Secretary of Education Cardona,
On behalf of the Youth Mental Health Project, we want your help to make comprehensive school-based mental health services for students accessible in every American community. You might be aware of the significance of addressing mental health at an early age.
Fifty percent of people with a diagnosable mental health disorder will receive a diagnosis by age 14, 75% by age 24, and the majority will begin experiencing symptoms years before that, according to the 2009 Institute of Medicine report on mental health prevention and promotion.
Given these facts, programs that strengthen connections between education and health systems should receive priority. We have a better chance of mitigating or preventing mental illness if we act earlier. As such, my organization recommends that the following highly effective mental health initiatives be adopted by the U.S. Department of Education:
- A minimum of one mental health professional assigned to each U.S. public school
- A minimum of one youth mental health appointment for U.S. youth per year
- A yearly federal nationwide grant for youth mental health that is indexed to inflation
Mental health issues can be prevented and treated when children, adolescents, and their families have access to the appropriate services and support.
Your initiative can significantly impact many American kids and youth who can foster psychological wellness issues. We would be delighted to meet with you to discuss ways to increase access to treatment and education.
Sincerely,
Manuel Gonzalez
Director of Communications
The Youth Mental Health Project
Manuel.gonzalez123@ymhproject.com
_____________________________________________________________________________
Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
by Danielle Hance
Dr. Sossi’s Introductory Note: “Danielle writes to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand on behalf of the Brady Campaign to stop gun violence. She aims to improve the situation through a multipronged approach involving regulations and laws to deal with this complex issue.”
October 31, 2022
The Honorable Kirsten Gillibrand
780 Third Avenue
Suite 2601
New York, New York 10017
RE: Support for The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
Dear Senator Gillibrand:
On behalf of the Brady Campaign, we ask for your support in preventing gun violence as we are concerned about how much this serious problem has become in New York State. The Brady Campaign is made up of administrators committed to stopping access to guns, removing them from black markets, providing public education to stop violence, protesting peacefully, and providing resources to those who may be in trouble and need assistance for safe places for them and their families.
We write to urge you to fully fund the Brady Campaign for the next three years as it has served a critical role in preventing further acts of gun violence and promotes public awareness and safety. We do not want to see our children or other individuals subject to such violence and lose yet another loved one. Our overall mission is to work to strengthen New York State gun laws. We need to work together to keep guns out of the hands of troubled and irresponsible individuals. Additionally, we have studied ways to try and maintain the right to own a firearm and adopt laws to protect public safety and community welfare that also respects the Second Amendment.
The Brady Campaign would like you to help implement more public safety regulations against gun violence and gun extremisms to protect our communities. We want to move away from guns being accessible by under-trained individuals and we would like you to take a stand with us in pushing more common-sense gun laws.
Our organization would be delighted to answer any questions you may have or discuss this issue further. We look forward to working with you on the Brady Campaign project. Thank you for all that you do for the good citizens of New York State.
Sincerely,
Danielle Hance
Director of The Brady Campaign
Danielle.hance@BradyCampaign.nyc.gov
888-888-8888 x 888
_____________________________________________________________________________
U.S. Lend-Lease to Ukraine
by John Martinez
Dr. Sossi’s Introductory Note: “John writes to Senator Charles Schumer to support democracy by continuing U.S. funding and military support for Ukraine in its war with Russia. When one democratic nation is threatened, they are all imperiled.”
Senator Charles Schumer
780 Third Avenue, Suite 2301
New York, NY 10017
RE: Support for U.S. Lend-Lease to Ukraine
Dear Senator Schumer:
On behalf of the Global Patriots Association, we thank you for your continued support of financial aid and arms to the state of Ukraine. The Global Patriots Association is an organization of American citizens that advocate for democratic societies around the world. We work to raise awareness and provide aid to countries looking to transition to democratic societies as well as democracies that are under the threat of war.
We write to you to urge you to continue to fund the United States aid provisions to the Ukrainian government in their struggle against the Russian government. While we here at the Global Patriots Association typically work to assist countries through aid and programs, we believe the circumstances presented in Ukraine warrant full U.S. support through its monetary and military aid.
As patriots with a love of democracy and the freedoms granted to us, we believe it is imperative that the Russian government be defeated in all aspects in Ukraine. History has shown that an appeasement policy does not work with tyrants and that they must be soundly defeated to protect freedom and democracy. We look forward to working with you to provide aid to the Ukrainian people and protect democracy from tyranny.
Sincerely,
John Martinez
Director of Communications
Global Patriots Association
888-888-8888
_____________________________________________________________________________
New York City Healthy Food School Alliance
by Erika Rodriguez
Dr. Sossi’s Introductory Note: “Erika writes Representative Grace Meng to fund healthy meals in New York City schools. This not only provides nutritional support for children, but also helps prevent childhood obesity as well as various other health issues. Public schools play a crucial role in helping youth have a balanced diet. Healthy bodies lead to healthy minds.”
November 5, 2022
The Honorable Grace Meng
118- 35 Queens Blvd, Suite 110
Forest Hills, NY, 11375
RE: Support for NYC Healthy Food School Alliance
Dear Representative Meng
On behalf of the NYC Healthy School Food Alliance, we thank you for your continued support of New York students’ pursuit of a healthy breakfast and lunch. Our organization is a parent-led advocacy group of counselors, nutritionists, and educational professionals who work together to change the food in New York City schools. Our initiative is committed to promoting activities that provide healthier food choices and supporting students and their families in changing the way New York City delivers healthy school lunches for our kids.
We write to urge you to fully support and fund this program across New York State public schools. Your support will serve a critical role in opening the doors to healthier food choices, decreasing illness, and improving student school performance. These programs support 1,050,649 students at 4,360 diverse institutions.
As nutritional, counseling, and educational professionals in New York, we ask you to continue to make public school lunches healthier. Given the range of students who benefit from our work, it is vital that this program receives robust, continued funding to support students in an evolving atmosphere. Addressing the school lunches issue is important because it will reduce obesity among children in the state. This reassures Healthy School Food is an investment with proven, long-term returns for both individual students and our state’s health statistics and economy. On average, an individual who suffers from obesity is more prone to underlying health conditions. This brings financial concerns in all areas, including work (e.g., employees could get sick more often, have higher health insurance premiums, and lower corporate productivity. Students with underlying health conditions are more likely to be absent, which deprives them of learning opportunities. NYC Healthy Food Alliance is asking for the following changes:
- Fresher, nutrition-based (appropriate protein, fats, and vitamins) prepared meals
- Improved culinary and nutritional education
- Providing gardens at every school to teach kids how to cultivate food
- Allotting longer periods of time for students to eat their meals
Our organization would be delighted to answer any questions you may have or discuss this issue further. We look forward to working with you on NYC Healthy Food Alliance funding and other healthy school meals issues as the fiscal 2022 year moves forward. Thank you for all that you do for New York students.
Sincerely,
Erika Rodriguez
Director of Communications
NYC Healthy Food Alliance
888.888.8888
communications@NYCFoodAlliance.com
_____________________________________________________________________________
Ending Gun Violence in New York City
by Shennel Wallace
Dr. Sossi’s Introductory Note: “Shennel writes Mayor Eric Adams to fund a program to continue removing illegal guns from New York City and help make the city safer. One life lost is one too many.”
11/5/2022
The Honorable Eric Adams
City Hall
New York, New York 10007
RE: Support for Ending Gun Violence in New York City
Dear Mayor Adams
On behalf of the New York public health commissioners, we thank you for your continued support for removing illegal guns off of the streets of New York City which will further help to reduce gun violence. As of 2021, with the assistance of the New York Police Department, we were able to confiscate roughly 6,000 guns. We write to urge you to fully fund a gun removal program across the city and implement stricter laws which will prohibit the selling of illegal guns, especially to minors.
Our Department of Public Health would like to be able to host gun drives which will offer cash incentives for turning in guns. These are aimed at enticing minors and illegal gun holders to turn in their guns for cash rewards.
We look forward to hearing from you and collaborating on this mission to make the streets of New York City a safer place.
Sincerely,
Shennel Wallace
Director of Public Health Operations
PH: 888-888-8888
operations@NYpublichealth.com
Reflection on Advocacy Letters |
by Dr. Dino Sossi
We live during an era where politics seems to inhabit all parts of life, even our popular culture. As a result, young people who are increasingly fixated on our broader cultural life seem to be more politically aware, engaged, and active than ever before.
Citizens, governments, and corporations engage in an intricate dance where each impacts one another within an increasingly integrated social ecosystem that is fostered by ubiquitous technology. Giving CUNY students the opportunity to advocate on behalf of issues important to them will hopefully empower them and improve their home communities.
An assignment like Advocacy Letters for Government allows students to identify personally important social issues and hopefully “write the world” while they are members of our university community and hopefully well beyond.
II. Corporate Social Responsibility |
(“Midtown Smoke” by Dino Sossi/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
In this exercise, students were asked to write a corporate social responsibility (CSR) position paper. The papers are aimed at a company that they would like to work for and improve. After making their choice of company, students wrote a paper that advocates on behalf of an issue that they would like to either introduce to their company or that currently exists within their company, but they would like to refine and improve.
The responses below detail the issues that are important to them, but also important to many others.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Chinook Salmon Sales
by Laurie Mollo
Laurie’s Introductory Note: “The plight of the Southern Resident Orca whales is something I have been concerned and passionate about since having lived briefly in the Pacific Northwest. Chinook salmon is their main food source and there is no reason we humans should feel compelled to continue eating salmon when we have many other food options. This issue has been going on for decades to no avail and is continually frustrating.”
Dr. Sossi’s Introductory Note: “Many ecosystems exist within a delicate balance. Encouraging companies to sustainably exploit their environments as Laurie advocates is incredibly important.”
Senior Director of Advocacy & Product Sustainability
Re: Chinook Salmon Sales: Impact on Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW)
In alignment with PCC Community Markets’ annual Purposes Report and in support of our sustainability mission, I propose we re-suspend sales of Chinook salmon until further studies can determine the impact harvesting is having on our endangered population of Southern Resident Killer whose primary food source is Chinook.
The March 2022 report, Product Sustainability Standard: Seafood - Chinook Salmon, explains our re-continuation of sales with newly imposed “sourcing standards.” However, Section 3 of the March 2022 Standards, Indicators, and Rating Guidelines for Chinook Salmon, written in conjunction with the Product Sustainability report, acknowledges these guidelines are “precautionary” and not guaranteed.
I propose we uphold our established record for ensuring quality standards and cease sales of Chinook indefinitely. I recommend raising awareness and providing financial support incentives through Point of Sale round ups while educating consumers about the plight of this endangered population of fish during customer transactions.
While the salmon industry exceeds a billion dollars in GDP annually and may support the local economy, it is not as imperative as protecting the remainder of our diminishing Chinook salmon and orca whale populations from the effects of overfishing for human consumption. We need to ensure a continued thriving ecosystem in the Pacific Northwest. As humans, we have several food sources while the whales do not. They need our voices to ensure their safety and survival.
AHS Environmental Impact
by Branka Romih
Branka’s Introductory Note: “For my Corporate Social Responsibility position paper, I have chosen a topic that addresses the use of plastic and plastic straws in our hospital system cafeteria. Initially, our company introduced a program where every month they collected plastic bags, so for every 10 plastic bags that an employee brought could be exchanged for one cloth shopping bag. I welcome these environmentally friendly initiatives and I believe that each person could contribute a little bit to preserve our environment.”
Dr. Sossi’s Introductory Note: “Making even the most simple of environmental changes like eliminating the use of plastic straws can be meaningful. Multiplying this one change across a large workforce over a long period of time as Branka advocates can cumulatively make a huge impact.”
12/1/2022
Atlantic Health System (AHS) Commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility
Atlantic Health System (AHS) as a healthcare provider is committed to the physical and mental well-being of our communities and team members.
We aim to positively contribute to the society and environment in which we work and live while making more environmentally friendly changes.
For example, in 2021, we eliminated the use of unnecessary plastic bags, plates, and cups in all our cafeterias across the system.
This year we are planning to take this program one step further. As of March 1, 2023, we will eliminate the use of plastic straws and will be replacing them with paper straws.
By doing so, we will save nearly 300,000 plastic straws annually. Discarded straws often end up in trash or oceans and could harm wildlife as it often ends up tangled in the airways of fish, birds, and other animals.
We hope that all team members will welcome this initiative as it is a low cost, easy to attain, environmentally friendly change.
Sincerely,
Branka Romih
Director of Environmental Impact
Atlantic Health System (AHS)
973-500-2000
TikTok Content
by Shonelle Williams
Shonelle’s Introductory Note: “I have seen TikTok viewed by my son. What is it about TikTok that has made it so popular and even addictive? I want to change the content of the app.”
Dr. Sossi’s Introductory Note: “TikTok is an incredibly popular and compelling app that draws in its user base deeply. Figuring out a way to keep the platform’s content compelling, but not overly addictive, is an important issue across society. This is especially true for members of younger populations who are particularly vulnerable.”
11/29/2022
I would like to focus on the company TikTok. As many of you know, TikTok originated in China and was released to the public in September 2016. I do not subscribe to the app or have a TikTok account. I have only seen TikTok while surfing Instagram, but more recently I have seen TikTok viewed by my son. What is it about TikTok that has made it so popular and even addictive? I want to change the content of the app. In China, TikTok is called Douyin. The government runs this app. They can maximize the addictive effects and censor the content delivered to young people. In China, Douyin is geared towards the development of young people. Streaming will help them grow as responsible citizens. However, flip the coin, and the TikTok that is available here in the U.S. is different content. It shares things like pranks. So I would like to refine what is streamed from TikTok in the U.S. TikTok lists the following in their corporate social responsibility report (CSR), “Our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy.”
As the Managing Director of TikTok, I am invested in the TikTok brand and look to uphold and implement new initiatives. This involves communication with the parent company in China, Douyin. CSR goals for TikTok would be to not sensor its content, but streamline it and make it more educational and a learning resource. There are so many apps and programs on the internet that influence people and have a positive measure. I would like to see more content added to TikTok that will do just that.
I would like to have a sub-committee at TikTok not to filter, but to make sure what we are putting out on our platform is what we want to see our young people doing. In the past, TikTok has streamed pranks. As a result, impressionable kids were going to schools and performing these pranks on their teachers. That reality is different from what we need. We need tools to help grow our young people.
I do not want to go as far as China did to censor. Instead, I want to ensure our valuable users are given a digital avenue to explore creativity. The first step is to put together a committee that can analyze the site and provide a comparison to what is being streamed in other areas. The committee would list the environmental, ethical, and economic impacts on what is happening to young people who utilize TikTok. Finally, I would like to make the effects of current content versus content more socially known in different parts of the world.
Sincerely,
Shonelle Williams
Managing Director of Public Relations
1274 Union Street
Brooklyn, NY, 11225
References:
Team, G. (2022, September 8). What are the main differences between Douyin vs Tiktok? Gab China. https://gab-china.com/what-are-the-main-differences-between-douyin-vs-tiktok/
Amazon’s Climate Pledge
by Jennifer Claxton
Dr. Sossi’s Introductory Note: “As a company with an incredibly high market capitalization, Amazon not only has a large corporate footprint across the world, but also sets a tone for how other major companies conduct themselves. Through position papers like the one Jennifer writes, this can help push Amazon to make a strong effort on environmental issues, which can cascade across similarly situated multinational companies.”
December 3, 2022
Amazon’s Climate Pledge
Amazon Corporate Headquarters
410 Terry Ave N,
Seattle 98109
Amazon is a leading e-commerce business. It is also one of the most valuable companies in the world and a leader in market capitalization.
Environmental sustainability has become an increasingly important focus for Amazon in recent years. The company offers a level of convenience that allows shoppers to have items delivered within a two-day period. Although this is clearly convenient to our loyal customers, this service has also caused a magnitude of issues for the company in terms of the environment. From this, it is important that Amazon implements practices that ensure that the planet is protected.
In my role as Director for Amazon’s Climate Pledge, I want to enact practices that will continue making Amazon profitable while also contributing to environmentally sound corporate practices. A few issues that we hope to address include environmentally sustainable packaging, lowering carbon emissions, and a greater dependence on renewable energy. More specifically, the steps to a more sustainable Amazon also include:
1. Powering our facilities completely using renewable energy over the next ten years.
2. Minimizing packaging waste by using recyclable mailers.
3. Retrofitting all of our facilities and vehicles to ensure that they have the lowest carbon emissions possible.
We are confident that by following these steps, we will continue to ensure that Amazon benefits customers and stakeholders as well be an environmentally conscious organization.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Claxton
Director of Amazon’s Climate Pledge
jclaxton@amazonclimatepledge.com
555-555-5555
Amazon Sustainable Development Goals
by Manuel Gonzalez
Dr. Sossi’s Introductory Note: “As a multinational employer with a large global footprint, Manuel’s efforts to push Amazon toward achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is an admirable one.”
12-02-2022
Amazon Sustainable Development Goals
Amazon believes in and supports the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the face of the challenges posed by a global environmental situation that is becoming increasingly complex. We encourage our employees to consider incorporating sustainability into their daily work in a team effort. Amazon hopes that our new corporate social responsibility policies around sustainability can foster a fun and challenging work environment and foster teamwork within our company. We encourage our coworkers to keep learning and coming up with new ideas to lessen our environmental footprint.
In addition to internal environmental initiatives among our employees, we will offer the most cutting-edge and comprehensive semiconductor solutions, uphold a responsible business philosophy, work with partners both upstream and downstream to promote sustainable development and advance on social, environmental, and economic dimensions. Further, we are constantly working on improving the following corporate social responsibility objectives:
1) Avoiding and Managing Waste
The best way to reduce waste is to avoid creating it in the first place, through waste-prevention programs and optimized inventory management. Reuse is the next best option and is achieved by repairing, repurposing, and donating usable items—all actions for which we have developed programs to support. We also rely on recycling and composting to enable the recovery of raw materials. Finally, as a last resort, we seek to recover energy from any waste material that must be sent to landfill.
2) Carbon Footprint
Climate change is one of the world’s greatest crises. To address it, the public and private sectors need to act together. That is why Amazon co-founded The Climate Pledge, a commitment to reach a net-zero carbon emissions by 2040—10 years ahead of the Paris Agreement international treaty on climate change targets. Since we created the Pledge in 2019, more than 300 companies have joined Amazon in making this commitment.
Amazon sustainability efforts reflect a number of on-going initiatives, including:
● Adopting a 100% renewable energy program by 2025
● Ensuring 50% of all shipments reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2030
● Placing 100,000 electric delivery vehicles on the road by 2030
● Implementing Frustration-Free Packaging (FFP) Programs that promote low waste, easy-to-open packaging, and 100% recyclable packing materials
3) Providing a Range of Employee Benefits
Finally, Amazon believes that a diverse, passionate workforce is key to a successful business. We are building a strong culture and making investments to attract and retain the talented employees we need today and in the future.
Amazon strives to be a great place to work, whether our employees are building lifelong careers with us or developing skills to help them on their professional journeys. This begins with offering competitive starting wages in locations around the world, and continues with benefits, support, and opportunities to help employees reach their full potential such as through tuition reimbursements.
We look forward to working with our employees and external partners to make all of these goals possible.
Sincerely,
Manuel Gonzalez
Director of Communications
Amazon
Manuel.Gonzalez123@amazon.com
Walmart Diversity & Inclusion Efforts
by Raquel M. Gonzalez-Otieno
Dr. Sossi’s Introductory Note: “Raquel’s letter advocates for Walmart to make all members of its increasingly diverse roster of employees feel welcome and included. This is a welcome goal for Walmart as well as any employer of any size. Providing support for continuing education will help ensure that their workforce stays up-to-date on important skills and knowledge.“
Re.: Diversity & Inclusion at Walmart
We here at Walmart value our employees as much as our customers. Our Diversity and Inclusion Team is committed to the well-being of our employees. Walmart’s goal is for every employee to feel welcomed and like they belong.
You are part of a bigger family – the Walmart family. As such, we leave no one out of the picture. We want everyone to feel at home. Walmart has invested millions of dollars into the education of our employees. As a result, Walmart is announcing a dollar-for-dollar matching program for education fees like tuition and books.
Walmart has also included a comprehensive medical plan, 401K investment plan, retirement and stock options, as well as bonus initiatives and an increase in our employees’ discounts. Head over to our Walmart Team app and see all the wonderful things we have in store for you.
Sincerely,
RadNet Medical Imaging
by Danielle Hance
Dr. Sossi’s Introductory Note: “High quality internal professional development training is essential for all organizations, but especially for health care as is demonstrated by Danielle’s paper.“
Medical imaging has become significantly important in accessing patient data for chronic diseases, illnesses, and life altering injuries, among other things. With the help of artificial intelligence programs and software, medical imaging has improved drastically.
However, radiologists and support staff are often required to perform double the work with not much additional information or staff support to go by. As a result, this increases complexity and volume of work decreases productivity in the workplace. These issues can lead to staff burnout. This lowers the quality of care administered to patients, decreases positive patient outcomes, impacts professionalism, increases healthcare cost, adds to emotional exhaustion, and reduces personal accomplishments.
RadNet Inc. is the leading national provider of freestanding, fixed-site diagnostic imaging services in the United States. Part of our corporate social responsibility statement entails “the strength of our workforce is critical to the success of our mission to provide comprehensive radiology solutions and change the future of healthcare. We are focused on attracting, retaining, and developing the talent we need to deliver on our commitment to our patients and partners” (RadNet, n.d., pp. 6-7).
In my experience as an Insurance Verification Specialist at RadNet, our productivity is increasing, but can be further improved to provide better quality of care to patients. It can also ensure that staff members are working to the best of their ability without experiencing extreme stressors in the work environment that prevents them from excelling further.
For example, we have many scheduling errors on same day appointments that can prevent further payment, patients are added at the last minute, radiologists have to readjust their scheduled patients, and staff members are doing double the work to ensure patient demographics information is entered correctly, and we have sufficient documentation in place. This has impacted RadNet’s daily workflow as information is constantly missing. Although many individuals are helping on the RadNet team, they are completing the bare minimum requirements and exiting the chart leaving someone else to follow up without proper documentation.
As one of the leading insurance verification specialists for the New York region I suggest that everyone in the department receives a refresher training on:
- demographics during the intake process,
- proper receival of insurance cards,
- referrals, and
- referring doctor’s information.
If we are not able to obtain all of those vital pieces of information, then the appointment should not be scheduled unless its special circumstances due to life or death circumstances or other dire exceptions that we have already set in place.
Refresher training and review quizzes should be conducted every 3 months, as we know rules change frequently. In addition, we should separate the eligibility phone line team from the eligibility remote and onsite teams, but remain in connection via Webex messenger to ensure all capacities are covered. These measures should decline scheduling errors, missing information, and last minute inconveniences in the office. All of these issues create further issues with patients and a lighter workload for staffing team and radiologist technicians.
Measures such as these listed above by RadNet can be adopted across other healthcare entities. Ideally this will ensure that efficiency and productivity continually improve while avoiding stressful work environments that lead to burn out and worse patient care.
Thank you for your consideration.
Insurance Verification Specialist
Walt Disney Water Conservation
by John Martinez
Dr. Sossi’s Introductory Note: “John’s writing focuses on reducing Disney’s consumption of water as well as implementing a more rigorous water recycling program across its array of global theme parks and other operations to help in the water conservation movement.”
Dear Chief Executive Iger,
The Walt Disney Company, as one of the largest and most influential entertainment companies in the world, is in a unique position to be a leader in a variety of fields to improve society at large.
In water conservation and recycling the company can become a leader in improving water resources for all. As the Director of Environmental Quality and Standards at the Walt Disney Company, I will help lead the charge to improve the company’s use of water in its parks and offices around the world. The company’s goal for this is to reduce water intake for its parks and locations by 30% over the next five years and to clean and reuse 50% of the water from the parks for use in other projects.
To achieve this goal, our initiative will take place over a five-year timeline to improve the company’s use of water supplies across its global locations. While the company already has a water treatment facility that exclusively serves its parks in Florida, we plan to expand this facility to treat and reuse the water from these parks for other projects from our partners, such as for use in farmland and other needs in the community. The initiative plans to hire more staff to facilitate the improvement and expansion of these services. We plan to hire 100 new personnel to assist in the treatment of the water and expansion of the plant. In addition, the initiative will hire experts to examine the numerous facilities in the company to make recommendations on how Disney can improve water efficiency, allowing us to act upon these recommendations and become a leader in water conservation and recycling.
The Walt Disney Company seeks to be a world leader in combating climate change through this water conservation initiative among the company’s many planned projects, helping to lead the charge for other companies to follow suit. The world is rapidly changing and companies like ours must adapt to meet its demands. We look forward to sharing more on this initiative in the future as it progresses.
Sincerely,
John Martinez
Director of Environmental Quality and Standards
The Walt Disney Company
888-888-8888
Black Lives Matter Social Impact Report
by Nadine Pierre-Louis
Dr. Sossi’s Introductory Note: “Black Lives Matter originated online. It is an excellent example of leveraging the power of online media for offline impact. Nadine’s paper advocates for younger black people to advocate for change that lowers barriers that perpetuate racist practices within Fortune 500 companies and beyond.”
Black Lives Matter Social Impact Report
There is no room for inequality and racism in America. The Black Lives Matter campaign works to end systemic racism and the mistreatment of African Americans across the world. It is important to “write the world” and utilize our influence to make changes in society that are not morally right or go against equal treatment of all.
The Black Lives Matter movement has a heavy influence on Fortune 500 companies as well as social media. After the 2020 killing of George Floyd, many companies felt the pressure to publicly announce their support of the movement while condemning racism. We would like to expand and improve our social media influence to encourage the younger black generation to get involved and demand change regarding racism and other issues that are negatively impacted due to racism. We are working to create events and social meetings to attract the youth and develop a new community within the organization, working towards the same goal.
Email: press@blacklivesmatter.com
_____________________________________________________________________________
Toyota Reducing Exhaust Emissions
by Erika Rodriguez
Dr. Sossi’s Introductory Note: “Erika advocates on behalf of Toyota producing electric vehicles to reduce its global carbon footprint. Further, it is a strategic move that can also contribute to its corporate bottom line. In short, Toyota could garner good will among the public through this environmental initiative as well as satisfy employees, investors, partners, and other stakeholders.”
December 2, 2022
Electric Vehicle Production to Reduce Toyota’s Exhaust Emissions
As Manager of the Environmental Impact Department for Toyota Motor Corporation, I would like to emphasize my concern regarding our role regarding air quality. My potential solution focuses on the importance of reducing exhaust emissions.
I have reached out to the CEO of the Environmental Impact Department to evaluate my proposal. It fits in with our company’s overall environmental vision.
Toyota considers it important to address air quality where urban environments result in greater air pollution caused by our global emissions across our corporate operations. This is an important issue to me because I strongly care about the environment. I share a strong concern about the environmental damage caused by global emissions by Toyota.
Electric vehicles sustain a meaningful promise in reducing global emissions, resulting in a minimized environmental impact. Over the long term, our environment is our most important place, therefore great care must be provided, including by multinational corporations like Toyota. Transportation accounts for nearly 30% of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., including Toyota (Bradshaw, 2022).
An approachable goal to overcoming this issue is to reduce vehicle exhaust emissions in the most affected areas and consequently begin to clear up urban air. This will include an increased production of electric vehicles. This will improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas impacts across different nations where we operate. The concrete steps that I suggest following to meet my proposed corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals are:
1. Initiate a reduced exhaust emission vehicle supply of ¼ from the previous inventory. Replace this ¼ with electric vehicles.
2. Record environmental data for 1 year to analyze the impact of this initiative.
3. Continue to decrease the supply of exhaust vehicles every year by ¼.
· Year 2= Supply of 2/4.
· Year 3= Supply of ¾.
· Year 4= Supply of 4/4. The remaining ¼ reductions must be replaced by electric vehicles to fill vehicle supply by demand.
4. Collaborate with air quality research organizations in each country to help collect and analyze more reliable data.
Air quality improvement will be achieved through the effective implementation of the CRS goal steps, and continuous data collection and analysis.
Sincerely,
Erika Rodriguez
Manager of Environmental Impact
Toyota Motor Corporation
Erika.Rodriguez@toyota.com
References:
Bradshaw, N. (2022, September 20). Are electric vehicles really better for the environment? Entergy Newsroom. https://www.entergynewsroom.com/article/are-electric-vehicles-really-better-for-environment/
Reflection on CSR Position Papers |
by Dr. Dino Sossi
Companies across industries have become increasingly responsive to the whirlwind of social issues that swirl all around them. By writing eloquent internal position papers, CUNY students can learn to leverage the power of the organizations they will work for to “write the world” around them.
Final Thoughts on “Writing the World” |
(“March for Our Lives” by Dino Sossi/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
“It is important to ‘write the world’ to teach and help others. To have a positive influence in society is what we all should strive to do. The ability to change and touch the world is a profound movement and feeling that will have ever-lasting effects.”
– Raquel Gonzalez
“‘Writing the world’ is important because it brings awareness to social, legal, and environmental issues involving humanity and our effects on the planet. It is imperative we take action to inform and educate in order to bring change.”
– Laurie Mollo
“It is important to ‘write the world’ and utilize our influence to make changes in society to improve situations that are not morally right or go against equal treatment of all.”
– Nadine Pierre-Louis
“When you can identify an area where change would positively impact society, you should get involved. Too many people are comfortable sitting by and not standing up for critical issues.”
– Shonelle Williams
“It is important to ‘write the world’ so we may explore various topics and open our horizons to what is happening around us and in our world. This could empower people to strive for positive societal changes that would allow everyone to feel safe regardless of their skin tone, sexual orientation, culture, or religion.”
– Branka Romih
“I believe that we often tend to define education much too narrowly. If we can help students expand their conception of what is possible in the classroom, ideally it will allow them to expand their influence in the world in ways that initially seem unimaginable. If we do not allow students to ‘write the world’ of the classroom, how do we expect them to write the real world?”
– Dino Sossi