MARK2012 · Marketing Fundamentals
Marketing, Society, Sustainability and Your Assessment Toolkit
This closing chapter ties the course together — marketing ethics, sustainability, the triple bottom line and the UN Sustainable Development Goals as a lens on business decisions — and then converts every framework into marks. It is the direct foundation of the group Business Report (30%), which maps a real business case to specific numbered SDGs, and it shows how to structure the Learning Reflection, the Leadership Presentation and the report and TikTok video. Ground the SDG focus in the standalone “SDGs in MARK2012” resource.
What this chapter covers
- 01Marketing ethics and avoiding deceptive practices and greenwashing
- 02Corporate Social Responsibility and the triple bottom line: people, planet, profit
- 03Sustainable marketing and the UN SDGs — SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption & Production) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities) as the course anchors
- 04Secondary SDGs referenced (3, 5, 7, 9, 13) and the circular economy
- 05Mapping a business initiative to specific numbered SDGs and the value logic behind it
- 06Structuring the Learning Reflection, the Leadership Presentation and the group Business Report
- 07The 1,500-word business-report skeleton: executive summary → intro → analysis → recommendations → references
Applied: mapping a business case to the UN SDGs (the A3 skill)
- +1(a) Map to specific numbered SDGs: refillable packaging advances SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption & Production) primarily, and supports SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities & Communities) by reducing urban waste — name the numbers, not just “sustainability”.
- +1(b) Value logic for the business: lower packaging cost over time, a differentiated eco-position that attracts values-driven segments, and reduced regulatory/reputational risk.
- +1(b cont.) Value logic for people and planet: less plastic waste and lower lifecycle emissions — showing the initiative serves both business priorities and society.
- +1(c) Core-strategy recommendation: embed refillability in the value proposition and the marketing mix (product design, in-store return systems, loyalty rewards), not as a bolt-on campaign, and measure the SDG impact.
- +1Communication: support every claim with Harvard-referenced evidence and structure the report exec summary → intro → analysis → recommendation → references. Avoid greenwashing by keeping claims specific and verifiable.
Key terms
- Marketing ethics
- The standards governing marketing conduct, including honest communication and avoiding deceptive or manipulative practices.
- Triple bottom line
- Judging performance on people, planet and profit — social and environmental outcomes alongside financial ones.
- Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
- A firm's responsibility to act in the interests of society and the environment, beyond profit and legal minimums.
- UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- The 17 United Nations goals; MARK2012 foregrounds SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption & Production) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities & Communities).
- Greenwashing
- Making misleading or unsubstantiated environmental claims — the failure mode a credible sustainability strategy must avoid.
- Sustainable marketing
- Meeting present customer needs while safeguarding the ability of future generations to meet theirs, often via circular-economy thinking.
Marketing, Society, Sustainability and Your Assessment Toolkit FAQ
What does the group Business Report actually require?
A 1,500-word (±10%) professional report that applies marketing frameworks to an assigned sustainability case and maps it to specific numbered UN SDGs, with a recommendation, a report showcase presentation and a short TikTok-styled SDG video. It is group work worth 30%, with a group contract and a case brief set around Week 4 and the report due about Week 9 — confirm the exact dates on Moodle.
Why must I name specific numbered SDGs?
Because the rubric rewards precise SDG alignment, not generic “we care about sustainability” statements. Naming SDG 12 or SDG 11 and showing exactly how the initiative advances that goal — and putting it at the core of strategy — is what moves an answer into the top band. Vague or bolted-on sustainability scores poorly.
How do I turn every framework into marks across A1, A2 and A3?
Reflection (A1) rewards making meaning from a personal experience through a named framework; the Leadership Presentation (A2) rewards a complete, differentiated STP applied to a case; the Business Report (A3) rewards framework analysis mapped to specific SDGs in core strategy. All three reward Harvard referencing, clear structure and original thinking over description.
Can Sia help me with the UN SDGs and structuring the Business Report in MARK2012?
Yes, as a study aid. Sia can explain the UN SDGs and structuring the Business Report step by step, walk through a worked application to a real brand, and check whether your reasoning uses the framework correctly for your reflection, presentation or report. It teaches the method and checks your thinking; it does not complete graded assessment for you, and the UNSW academic-integrity policy applies — confirm assessment rules on Moodle.
Assessment move
Use this chapter as your assessment toolkit: know the triple bottom line and the course's anchor SDGs (12 and 11), and practise mapping any business initiative to specific numbered goals with a two-sided value logic (business plus people/planet). For the 1,500-word Business Report, follow the skeleton — executive summary, introduction, framework analysis, SDG-linked recommendation, references — put the SDG at the core rather than bolting it on, and keep every claim specific and Harvard-referenced to avoid greenwashing. Set your group contract early and confirm the case brief, due dates and showcase logistics on Moodle.
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