Read the overview below and complete the activities that follow.

The combination of socially responsible efforts a company chooses to pursue defines its corporate social responsibility strategy. The specific components emphasized in a CSR strategy will vary from company to company and are typically linked to a companys core values. In this exercise, you will be asked to evaluate the CSR strategy of Warby Parker.

The term corporate social responsibility concerns a companys duty to operate in an honorable manner, provide good working conditions for employees, encourage workforce diversity, be a good steward of the environment, and support philanthropic endeavors in local communities where it operates and in society at large. The combination of socially responsible endeavors a company elects to pursue defines its corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy. The triple bottom line refers to company performance in three realms: (1) economic, (2) social, and (3) environmental. Increasingly, companies are reporting their performance with respect to all three performance dimensions.

Sustainability is a term that is used in various ways, but most often it concerns a firms relationship to the environment and its use of natural resources. Sustainable business practices are those capable of meeting the needs of the present without compromising the worlds ability to meet future needs. A companys environmental sustainability strategy consists of its deliberate actions to protect the environment, provide for the longevity of natural resources, maintain ecological support systems for future generations, and guard against ultimate endangerment of the planet. The moral case for social responsibility boils down to a simple concept: Its the right thing to do. There are also solid reasons CSR and environmental sustainability strategies may be good businessthey can be conducive to greater buyer patronage, reduce the risk of reputation-damaging incidents, provide opportunities for revenue enhancement, and lower costs. Well-crafted CSR and environmental sustainability strategies are in the best long-term interest of shareholders for the reasons above and because they can avoid or preempt costly legal or regulatory actions.

Since its founding in 2010, Warby Parker has succeeded in selling over one million pairs of high-fashion glasses at a discounted price of $95roughly 80 percent below the average $500 price tag on a comparable pair of eyeglasses from another producer. With more than 70 stores in the United States, the company has built a brand recognized universally as one of the strongest in the world; it consistently posts a net promoter score (a measure of how likely someone would be to recommend the product) of close to 90higher than companies like Zappos and Apple.

Under its Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program, more than five million pairs of glasses have been distributed to needy people in more than 50 countries. Warby Parker also supports partners like VisionSpring, enabling them to provide basic eye exams and teach community members how to manufacture and sell glasses at very low prices, thereby providing vocational training and improving the standard of living in these communities. The average impact on a recipient of a pair of donated glasses was a 20 percent increase in personal income and a 35 percent increase in productivity.

Efforts to be a responsible company expand beyond Warby Parkers international partnerships. The company voluntarily evaluates itself against benchmarks in the fields of environment, workers, customers, community, and governance, demonstrating a nearly unparalleled dedication to outcomes outside of profit. The company is widely seen as an employer of choice and regularly attracts top talent for all roles across the organization. It holds to an extremely high environmental standard, running an entirely carbon neutral operation.

While socially impactful actions matter at Warby Parker, the company is mindful of the critical role of its suppliers as well. Both founders spent countless hours coordinating partnerships with dedicated suppliers to ensure quality, invested deeply in building a lean manufacturing operation to minimize cost, and sought to build an organization that would keep buyers happy. The net effect is a very economically healthy companythey post around $3,000 in sales per square foot, second only to Apple storeswith financial stability to pursue responsibilities outside of customer satisfaction.

The strong fundamentals put in place by the firms founders blend responsibility into its DNA and attach each piece of commercial success to positive outcomes in the world. The company was recently recognized as number one on Fast Companys Most Innovative Companies list and continues to build loyal followersboth of its products and its CSR effortsas it expands.

How has Warby Parkers CSR strategy contributed to its success in the marketplace?

• Their engagement in broader philanthropic initiatives has created a positive image and reputation among consumers.

• The company voluntarily evaluates itself against benchmarks in the fields of environment, workers, customers, community, and governance.

• They have eliminated any adverse impact on the environment stemming from their business activities.

• The company is widely seen as an employer of choice.

• All of these are correct.

Warby Parkers partnership with international nonprofit organizations like Vision Spring is an example of which triple bottom line performance metric?

• Economic

• People

• Environment

• Profit

Through coordinating partnerships with dedicated suppliers, Warby Parker have ensured quality, built a lean manufacturing operation, and built an organization that keeps buyers happy. This is an example of which triple bottom line performance metric?

• Planet/people

• Planet/environment

• Profit/economic

• Profit/environment

• People/social

Warby Parker uses the triple bottom line (TBL) reporting system to

• minimize transparency and facilitate benchmarking CSR efforts across firms and industries.

• minimize the use of standard reporting frameworks and metrics.

• attract profit-oriented investors.

• hold themselves accountable for their CSR strategies and making stakeholders aware of their positive impact on society.

• conceal their initiatives and accomplishments in the areas of diversity, environment, community, and ethics to increase profitability.

• Planet