Étape 1 / 4 - Compréhension

Reading Comprehension

5 questions sur le document Unilever. Clique sur la bonne réponse.

1. Why did Paul Polman stop publishing quarterly earnings forecasts?

To keep financial information secret from competitors.

Because short-term thinking was incompatible with long-term commitments.

Because the company was losing money every quarter.

To avoid shareholder pressure on dividend payments.

2. True or False?

The Unilever Sustainable Living Plan was launched in 2010.

✓ Correct - launched in 2010, as stated in paragraph 2.

Dove's Real Beauty campaign was launched in 2010 as part of the USLP.

✗ False - the campaign was launched in 2004, before the USLP.

Critics say that producing plastic packaging while promoting green values may be a form of greenwashing.

✓ Correct - this is explicitly mentioned in paragraph 5.

3. In your own words, what is the "Sustainable Living Plan"? (1-2 sentences)

The Sustainable Living Plan is a long-term corporate strategy launched by Unilever in 2010, aiming to improve the health of over a billion people, reduce the company's environmental impact, and support workers across its supply chain.

4. According to the document, which statement about CSR is correct?

CSR is still optional for most large companies.

CSR only benefits companies through increased profitability in the short term.

CSR is now expected by consumers, investors, and regulators alike.

CSR should always be driven by genuine conviction rather than strategy.

5. What does the Dove Real Beauty campaign illustrate about the relationship between CSR and business performance?

The Dove Real Beauty campaign illustrates that addressing a social issue - unrealistic beauty standards - can be both ethically valuable and commercially effective. By building consumer loyalty and increasing market share, Dove demonstrates that CSR and business success are not mutually exclusive.

Étape 2 / 4 - Grammaire

Grammar Spotlight

Present Perfect vs Past Simple - deux temps fondamentaux en contexte professionnel.

1. Observe

Read these sentences from the Unilever document. What do you notice about the verbs?

a. "In 2010, Unilever launched its Sustainable Living Plan."

b. "The company has committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2039."

c. "The campaign has been widely credited with building deep consumer loyalty."

d. "Polman made a decision that surprised the business world."

2. The Rule

	Present Perfect have/has + pp	Past Simple verb -ed / irregular
When to use	Action linked to the present; result still relevant; with ever, never, already, yet, since, for; no specific past time	Completed action at a specific past time; with in 2010, last year, yesterday, ago
Focus	The result / impact in the present	The event itself in the past
Examples	"Unilever has reduced its emissions significantly." (still ongoing)	"Polman became CEO in 2009." (specific date)

3. Choose the correct form

Circle the correct option for each sentence:

a. The company ______ its first sustainability report in 2003.

has published

published (specific past date)

b. Since 2015, fair trade sourcing ______ across 80% of the portfolio.

has expanded ("since" → PP)

expanded

c. Activists ______ the company last year for its plastic packaging.

have criticised

criticised ("last year" → PS)

d. The brand ______ never ______ on its commitment to ethical sourcing.

has … gone back ("never" → PP)

went back

4. Complete the sentences

Use the verb in brackets in the correct tense (Present Perfect or Past Simple):

a. The CEO (announce) the new CSR strategy at last month's board meeting.

b. The company (reduce) its carbon footprint by 30% since 2015.

c. Unilever (sign) the UN Global Compact in 2000.

d. Our ethical auditors (already / visit) all tier-one suppliers this year.

Signal words are your guide: last month / in 2000 / ago → Past Simple | since / already / this year / never / yet → Present Perfect.

Étape 3 / 4 - Lexique

CSR Vocabulary

Matching et catégorisation ESG. Entraîne-toi à maîtriser le vocabulaire clé.

1. Match the definition

Select the correct term for each definition:

1. stakeholder

2. greenwashing

3. sustainability

4. transparency

5. carbon footprint

6. impact report

2. ESG Categorisation

For each CSR action, choose the correct ESG pillar:

Environment (E) Social (S) Governance (G)

Reducing carbon emissions across the supply chain

Ensuring fair wages for factory workers

Publishing an annual impact report

Switching to 100% recyclable packaging

Promoting gender equality in senior management

Implementing an anti-corruption code of conduct

Engaging local communities in supplier regions

Setting science-based net zero targets

Étape 4 / 4 - Production guidée

Write a Newsletter Extract

Contexte guidé - respecte les consignes de fond et de forme.

Scenario

You work for EcoFashion, a British clothing brand committed to sustainable fashion. Your manager has asked you to write a short extract for the company's customer newsletter (80-100 words) announcing your new CSR initiative.

Your initiative: EcoFashion has partnered with a certified fair-trade cotton cooperative in India. All collections from 2025 will use only fair-trade certified materials.

Your text must include:

A Present Perfect to announce the initiative (e.g. "We have partnered with…")
A Past Simple to give a past fact (e.g. "In 2024, we began…")
At least 2 CSR vocabulary words from the chapter
An appropriate tone for a customer newsletter (positive, engaging, professional)

Ta réponse :

0 motsObjectif : 80-100 mots

Model answer (~92 words):

We are excited to announce that EcoFashion has partnered with the Rajasthan Fair Trade Cotton Cooperative - our most significant step yet towards full supply chain transparency.

In 2024, we audited every one of our suppliers and identified the need for a deeper commitment to ethical sourcing. Starting with our Spring 2025 collection, 100% of our cotton will be fair trade certified.

This is not just a business decision - it is our accountability to our customers, our workers, and our planet.

Passer à Appliquer

Chapitre 02 - Corporate Social Responsibility

Reading Comprehension

Grammar Spotlight

1. Observe

2. The Rule

3. Choose the correct form

4. Complete the sentences

CSR Vocabulary

1. Match the definition

2. ESG Categorisation

Write a Newsletter Extract

Aide