39 SDG 13 – Climate Action – Team 39

Team Reflection

Over the course of the past four months, a group of individuals across multiple time zones and differing education institutions, came together to work on a project which examined various elements of Corporate Responsibility. Each of the members brought with them a unique perspective on what CSR’s and sustainability meant to themselves and the implications for future employment in the corporate world. The group has summarized the Pros and Cons from this exercise, followed with a set of perspectives that each individual member. In order to allow each member their own voice, we have chosen to highlight their section in a format that does not become obscured through a group response. Overall, the general consensus was favorable towards the assignment, but not without challenges. Our hope is that the feedback will be used constructively such that future students can benefit from this tremendous experience.

What was learned:

Pros

Cultural Exchange – the opportunity to trade ideas with students in a different country was fascinating. To understand not only the cultural impact of CSR but the legal challenges was a welcomed eye-opening experience.
Innovative – none of the members of the group, had participated in anything like this. The team viewed this as an innovative way to develop learnings outside of the classical classroom setting
Diversity of Opinion – with different countries and cultures brings differing opinions. The opportunity to hear a different opinion was amazing. The opinions were differing from the individuals but also it what appeared to be the way the course was taught in the different countries.
Networking – having the opportunity to meet with other business students, allowed the group the ability to build a global network

Cons

Time Zone – the most challenging part of this assignment was simply finding time for all group members to meet. The inability to find a time or account for daylight savings meant team members inadvertently missed meetings.
Time Management – global members in different programs with differing schedules required time management above and beyond what would be required if all group members were in the same country.
Cultural Differences – as mentioned above regarding the cultural exchange, this also presented a con in trying to interpret cultural differences via individual members answers. How other members participate in groups or exchange ideas appeared to be different based on what country you were in, or what educational institution you attended.

Individual Reflections

James Jackson 

My time spent working on the COIL projects, including the subsequent meetings that took place, added to my appreciation of the importance of business for social good. Clearly CSRs and sustainability are not a Canada or even a Guelph phenomenon. They exist across the world, and all members seem to understand the need for guardrails in our corporate behaviours. It is not lost on me that the importance of ensuring that we incorporate what we have learned in this project to make the world a better place for the future generation of the workforce is lost on me. A couple of insightful discussions allowed me to better understand how cultural differences regarding the involvement of communities will drive a different level of compliance to CSRs. With government regulation so varied across the world, a member’s suggested response to any given question would be driven by his or her community experience. If the government in their country was one which imposed more regulations, the team member would comment to the discussion as if to assume that was consistent across the globe. In addition, labour laws or supply chain constraints in local countries would taint a team members perspective as they assumed this was the norm everywhere else. In contrast, the COIL experience was definitely a challenge in regard to finding a meeting time. The variances in time zones and school schedules meant there were only a select few hours a day that the group could meet. Something as simple as daylight savings and which time zones followed and which didn’t resulted in some team members on a call and others attending an hour later. Our chosen focus of Green Peace for the poster was an easy decision for all members of the group. Regardless of scheduling challenges, we came together, appreciated the other’s opinions and learned how to evolve.

Winny Odhiambo 

Participating in the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) project was a transformative journey that transcended borders and disciplines. Over six weeks, I collaborated with students from diverse backgrounds across the globe to explore the multifaceted impacts of business on society. Despite logistical challenges and cultural differences, our collective efforts yielded valuable insights into topics such as economic prosperity, environmental sustainability, and social equity.

Working alongside international peers not only broadened my perspective but also strengthened my communication and collaboration skills. The COIL project reaffirmed my passion for addressing societal issues through interdisciplinary approaches, inspiring me to continue exploring the intersections of economics, statistics, and social sciences. Moving forward, I am committed to leveraging the lessons learned from the COIL experience to effect positive change in the world, armed with a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics shaping our global society.

Sana Ghouri 

The COIL project has been an enlightening experience. Working alongside people from Kenya and Indonesia has been eye-opening, and I have gained a deeper appreciation for the intersection of business and social good. I was able to learn more about the cultures of places beyond North America, and I don’t think I would’ve gotten an opportunity like this without the COIL porject. The project content also broadened my perspective and fostered open-mindedness towards various concepts. I thought it was very interesting that we were able to take a closer look at the Sustainable Development Goals proposed by the United Nations through our weekly assignments and through viewing other groups’ posters.

Although sometimes it was a challenge to find times to meet due to the large time differences, it was that much more satisfying when we were able to problem-solve. I feel my collaborative skills have improved after this project due to navigating diverse perspectives and finding effective communication strategies amidst cultural differences.