BUSI12334 Personal and Academic Development Level 4 Assignment 1 Fashion Sustainability Report

Summative Assessment Brief

Academic Year 2025/2026

Key Details

Assessment task

Below there are two case studies outlining two fictitious clothing companies (Case Study A: EcoWear and Case Study B: AquaThreads). Your task is to pick one of these companies and assess their approaches to Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and Responsible, sustainable, and ethical (RSE) practice.

These companies are fictional. Any real companies with similar names are entirely unrelated and not the subject of your consideration.

You will also complete an Artificial Intelligence (AI) assisted analysis of your chosen company, and a consideration of an economics related point in the discussion section.

You should also complete a comparison against other companies within the context of the issues facing today’s world clothing industry.

You are asked to write a fully referenced Report of 2000 words maximum:

• A report format must be used that incorporates a title page, an executive summary, a contents page and a list of references.
• The main body of the report must use sub-headers to denote the introduction, discussion, recommendations, and conclusion.
• You must also include evidence of your findings from the clothing industry, providing screenshots of good practice of clothing sustainability

(Please see the table below for full guidance on what to cover in each section, including suggested word counts).

The PAD module’s lectures and seminars will cover the required theory and provide you with opportunities to discuss the topic with your peers and tutors in more depth. They will also prepare you to develop the necessary practical skills to write an effective report, including Harvard referencing. It is expected you will use Generative AI tools to aid with research, but not for writing.

If you have any questions, please bring them along to the weekly seminars.

 

Case Study A: EcoWear

Introduction

EcoWear is a fashion brand that emerged on the scene in 2015, making its mark from the bustling streets of London. The brand set out with a vision to redefine fashion sustainability, offering a collection that caters to young adults who are not just style-conscious but also environmentally aware. With its eye-catching designs and a commitment to ethical practices, EcoWear quickly captured the hearts of a demographic aged between 18-30, establishing itself as a beacon of eco-conscious fashion.

Sustainability Practices

EcoWear’s journey to sustainability is underpinned by three core practices:

Material Sourcing: EcoWear prides itself on using organic and recycled materials, ensuring every piece in their collection is environmentally friendly. From organic cotton to recycled polyester, each material is carefully selected to minimize environmental impact without compromising on quality or style.

Supply Chain Transparency: Transparency is at the heart of EcoWear’s operations. The brand is open about its manufacturing processes and supply chain, offering consumers a clear view of how their clothing is made. This transparency ensures accountability and fosters trust among consumers, differentiating EcoWear in a market where many claims of sustainability are often unsubstantiated.

Minimal Carbon Footprint: EcoWear strives to maintain a minimal carbon footprint through efficient logistics and waste reduction practices. The brand has implemented a zero-waste policy in its production, and it opts for carbon-neutral shipping options whenever possible, ensuring that its environmental impact is kept to a minimum.

Challenges

Despite its strong ethos and market presence, EcoWear faces several challenges:

Verification of Sustainability Claims: As the brand grows, ensuring that every claim regarding sustainability is verifiable becomes increasingly challenging. There is a constant need for audits and certifications to substantiate claims, which can be resource intensive.

Consumer Education: While there is a growing awareness about sustainable fashion, many consumers are still learning about what true sustainability entails. EcoWear invests significantly in consumer education, aiming to enlighten its audience about the importance of sustainable practices in fashion and how individuals can make a difference with their purchasing choices.

Balancing Cost and Sustainability: Maintaining affordable prices while adhering to sustainable practices is a delicate balance. Eco-friendly materials and ethical manufacturing processes often come at a higher cost, posing a challenge in keeping the final product prices competitive without compromising on the brand’s sustainability values.

Case Study B: AquaThreads

Introduction

AquaThreads, established in 2019 and headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, positions itself as an innovative player in the sustainable swimwear market. The brand is renowned for its commitment to eco-friendly practices, utilizing recycled plastics from ocean waste to create stylish and durable swimwear. With a mission to combat ocean pollution, AquaThreads has quickly captured the attention of environmentally conscious consumers worldwide.

Sustainability Practices

Strengths:

Recycled Materials: AquaThreads’ primary sustainability strength lies in its use of recycled plastics, specifically collected from ocean waste, to manufacture its swimwear line. This initiative not only helps clean the oceans but also reduces the demand for new virgin plastics.

Ocean Conservation Initiatives: A portion of every purchase is donated to ocean conservation projects, demonstrating the brand’s commitment to environmental activism beyond its product line.

Weaknesses:

Energy-Intensive Manufacturing: Despite its sustainable material sourcing, AquaThreads’ manufacturing process is criticized for its high energy consumption, which significantly detracts from its overall sustainability goals.

Limited Product Range: The focus solely on swimwear limits the brand’s impact on the broader fashion industry’s sustainability. Moreover, the use of recycled plastics in a narrow product line raises questions about the brand’s scalability and the long-term viability of its sustainability model.

Supply Chain Transparency: AquaThreads has faced scrutiny over its lack of transparency regarding the specifics of its recycling process and the origins of the plastics used. Critics argue that without full disclosure, the brand’s sustainability claims cannot be fully verified.

Challenges

AquaThreads’ main challenge is addressing the energy-intensive nature of its production process to align its manufacturing practices with its sustainability ethos fully. Additionally, expanding its product range while maintaining its commitment to using recycled materials poses a significant operational challenge. The brand also needs to enhance its supply chain transparency to bolster consumer trust and credibility in its sustainability claims.

The below table outlines a suggested structure, what to include and a suggested word count. Word counts by section are provided for guidance only – it is fine to deviate from this guidance as long as you can cover the required points in sufficient detail.

Guidance for completing this assessment

 

Learning Outcomes Assessed

Knowledge and understanding

1. c) Apply discipline relevant tools and concepts to business scenarios.
2. d) Demonstrate the importance of responsible, sustainable, and ethical (RSE) practice in a business context.

Skills, qualities and attributes

1. f) Demonstrate academic writing skills.
2. h) Demonstrate that they have acquired transferable employability skills and relevant professional skills linked to their future employment aspirations

How does this assessment relate to future employment?

Word count

This report is not to exceed 2000 words (Not +/- 10%).

The purpose of the word count is to support your writing development by encouraging a focus on clarity and conciseness, provide experience of writing to a specified word limit, which is common practice in professional and research environments, and support equity in grading work from different individuals.

You are required to include the word count on the NBS Coursework Front Cover (available on the NOW module learning room) for all of your coursework, as an accurate statement of the words used. If you are found to have exceeded the word count in order to gain an unfair advantage, then your tutor can adjust your grade downwards depending on the amount of additional work submitted.

If the additional work is up to 500 words, the overall grade for the piece of work will be reduced by 1 grade point (e.g. UG 2.1-Mid to 2.1-Low; PG Commendation-Mid to Commendation-Low);

If the additional work exceeds 500 words, the overall grade for the piece of work will be reduced by 3 grade points (e.g. 2.1-Mid to 2.2 Mid; PG Commendation-Mid to Pass-Mid).

These penalties will be applied even if the reduced grade is below a pass grade.

You are advised to submit work that is as close to the maximum word count as is practical to enable you to demonstrate that you have met all the learning outcomes.

AI Guidance

Make sure to clearly indicate in your report which text has been generated by the AI tool and which text is your original writing. Transparency in distinguishing AI-generated content from your own analysis is crucial for academic integrity.

Please note that both free and paid versions of AI tools are acceptable for this assignment. You will not be disadvantaged if you use a free version. The focus of the assessment is on your analysis and evaluation of the AI responses, not on the specific tool or version used. Your ability to critically assess and articulate the insights provided by the AI will be the basis for grading.

The university’s Large Language Model (LLM) of choice is Co-Pilot, as it allows you to use your NTU logins for access. Please be aware that NTU is not asking you to sign up for any external company.

Style, structure and presentation

1. Report style: reports are written in the third person (do not use I/me), use subject specific terms and are formal in tone. You must avoid contractions (such as can’t/don’t) and colloquialisms (such as ‘a drop in the ocean’ and ‘cut to the chase’). Use active voice rather than passive: for example “This paragraph demonstrates good style in report writing” rather than “In this paragraph there is a demonstration of the good use of style in the wording of a report.”
2. Present your work in a way which would be suitable for an organisation. Your report should be clear, easy to understand, no typos/grammar/spelling mistakes, and, present information in the most appropriate way.
3. Check the layout and formatting of your document. Your work must be formatted as follows:

• Font – Verdana
• Point – 10
• Spacing – 1.5
• Page numbers to be included.
• Use the automatic table for contents available in Word.
• Number each of your pages and include your student number in the footer of the page.
• The Reference List is single-spaced. Left aligned text is also easier to read.

4. Proof-read your Report carefully before you submit (spelling / grammar/ referencing).
5. Check your report is NAMED correctly and has the signed declaration at the start, as per the instructions above.
6. Diagrams and figures can be included in the text if applicable or as appendices.

If English is not your first language, we strongly recommend that you spend time proofreading your work and book an appointment with the Academic English team or NTU Library. This will help to ensure that you do not lose marks through unclear or poorly expressed language, and will present a more polished, professional look to your work.

Academic Integrity and Referencing

To demonstrate academic integrity, you are expected to use Harvard Referencing style to correctly acknowledge the sources that you have included or quoted from within your work. See the NTU Harvard Referencing Guide for full guidance. It is important that you do not copy sentences or paragraphs from any source, including previous student assessments that may have been shared with you, and paste these into your work as if they were your own words.

All assignments will be processed through Turnitin similarity testing software and all cases of suspected plagiarism and/or suspected commissioning will be investigated thoroughly in accordance with NTU’s Academic Integrity policy. You are advised to submit your work to the draft Turnitin Dropbox folder to check the Turnitin similarity report for your work prior to submission. Further guidance is available on the Plagiarism and Academic Integrity at NTU NOW learning room.

You must declare on the NBS Coursework Front Cover (available from your module NOW Learning Room) if you have used Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) to support the development of your assessment. Further guidance on accepted uses of GenAI are available on your module NOW learning room.

It is expected that you will use Generative AI tools to aid you in this assessment. These should be used where appropriate, and you should not be directly copying & pasting into your report. Generative AI practice will be taught in

Assessment support 

There are opportunities for students to engage with seminars and lectures specifically focused on this assessment – See the module timetable under ‘Module information’ for more details.

Submitting your work

Deadlines are important and must be strictly adhered to. You must submit assignments on or before the due date indicated by the module leader(s). Submitting your work after the due date/time will be considered a late-submission and the late submission penalties will be applied in line with the NTU Quality Handbook Common Assessment Regulations (unless you have been granted an extension via a Notification of Exceptional Circumstance application).

All coursework is to be submitted electronically in NOW using the Dropbox facility within each of your module learning rooms. There is NO requirement to submit a paper copy. Please submit written work in PDF Format.

For each assignment you will be provided with a separate folder within your learning room Dropbox which will normally be open for electronic submission of your coursework until 11pm on the day of submission. When you make a submission to a Dropbox folder you will receive notification within NOW of your submission and also an email. Please ensure you keep these emails. Technical problems are rare but should you be prevented from submitting and miss the deadline due to such circumstances, then you should submit your coursework as soon as you are able and email a description of the problem to your tutor (if possible include a screenshot of the issue).

To help you manage your submissions within NOW, you can enable a Dropbox instant notification to alert you to when the Dropbox folder end date is 48 hours away (in NOW select ‘Preferences’ and tick the relevant check box for the Dropbox).

Grading matrix

Your work will be graded utilising the grading matrix below. This provides a standard benchmark which all assessments are graded against. Your final grade will depend on the extent to which you have meet the grading criteria.

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