Grade 10 Business Studies Business and its Environment – Social Responsibility of Business (6 Lessons) Notes
Business Studies — Topic: Business and its Environment
Subtopic: Social Responsibility of Business (6 Lessons)
Target age: 15 years (Kenyan context) · Number of lessons: 6 (one lesson per class)
Specific Learning Outcomes
- Justify the need for social responsibility of a business in society.
- Examine social responsibility activities of a business in the community.
- Analyse the challenges faced by businesses when carrying out social responsibilities.
- Design and implement a social responsibility activity in the school.
- Appreciate the need for business social responsibility in society and the environment.
Overview & Kenyan Relevance
This six‑lesson unit explores why businesses must act responsibly, shows real Kenyan examples (e.g., Safaricom M‑Pesa Foundation, Equity Bank Foundation, KenGen community projects, Coca‑Cola water programmes), and leads learners to plan and run a small school social responsibility (SR) activity. Activities are learner‑centred and age‑appropriate for 15‑year‑olds.
Lesson-by-Lesson Plan (6 Lessons)
Lesson 1 — What is Social Responsibility? Why it matters
Aims: Introduce the concept of social responsibility (SR); justify its need in society (LO a, e).
- Starter: Quick class brainstorm — "What should businesses do besides making profit?" (5 min)
- Main: Mini‑lecture with local examples (Safaricom, Equity, local shop sponsoring school events). Show short printed news clippings or teacher slides (15 min).
- Activity: Group think‑pair‑share — list five reasons businesses must be socially responsible (15 min).
- Plenary/Assessment: Exit ticket — one sentence: "Why is SR important for our community?" (5 min).
Resources: local news stories, short case notes, chalkboard/whiteboard.
Lesson 2 — Types and Areas of SR
Aims: Identify SR activities: towards employees, customers, community, environment, suppliers (LO b).
- Starter: Match cards — "Employee welfare", "Environmental protection", "Community support", "Ethical sourcing".
- Main: Case study — Safaricom’s M‑Pesa Foundation or KCB/EABL community programme. Groups read and answer guided questions (20 min).
- Activity: Create a poster (A4) showing 4 SR areas using drawings or emojis (15 min).
- Plenary: Gallery walk — groups explain posters to class (10 min).
Resources: printed case study, poster paper, colours.
Lesson 3 — SR Activities in the Community
Aims: Examine real SR activities and their benefits (LO b, e).
- Starter: Short video clip or teacher narration of a local CSR project (e.g., school sponsorship, borehole, health camp) (5–7 min).
- Main: Field research task — in small groups list 3 local businesses and the SR activities they do; if safe, interview one business owner or use phone research (20 min plus homework option).
- Activity: Each group prepares 3‑minute report: activity, beneficiaries, benefits, and a photo or drawing (15 min).
- Assessment: Class records findings in one page—keeps school SR evidence bank (homework if not completed in class).
Notes: For field visits, obtain parental permission and follow school safety rules.
Lesson 4 — Challenges when doing SR
Aims: Analyse practical challenges businesses face with SR (LO c).
- Starter: Think pair share — "What could stop a business from helping the community?"
- Main: Teacher list common challenges: cost, profit pressure, lack of expertise, government policy, community mistrust, greenwashing. Groups discuss and rank top 3 challenges for Kenyan SMEs vs large firms (20 min).
- Activity: Short debate — "Should businesses be required by law to do CSR?" (10–12 min).
- Assessment: Short written answer — explain two challenges and suggest one solution each (homework or classwork).
Lesson 5 — Design a School SR Activity (Project Planning)
Aims: Plan a realistic SR activity to implement at school (LO d, e).
- Starter: Show sample SR projects (tree planting, waste recycling bin programme, tuition support, health awareness day).
- Main: Project template provided — groups pick one project and fill in: title, objectives, beneficiaries, activities, timeline, budget, resources, stakeholders, risks, success indicators (35–40 min).
- Activity: Teacher circulates, helps groups refine plans. Groups prepare a 3‑minute pitch to present next lesson.
Sample project idea (short): "School Recycling & Composting" — collect plastic & food waste, compost for school garden, reduce litter, involve parents and county environment officers.
Lesson 6 — Implement, Monitor & Evaluate (M&E)
Aims: Present plans, start small implementation, and set M&E indicators (LO d, e).
- Starter: Quick recap of project plans (5 min).
- Main: Group presentations (3 min each). Class votes on 1–2 projects to implement this term (30–35 min).
- Activity: Prepare implementation checklist and simple M&E form: who, when, what to measure, indicators (e.g., number of trees planted, kg of waste collected, number of beneficiaries).
- Follow-up: Set roles (student project leaders), schedule first activity day, and decide report format (poster, short video, report). Teacher supervises implementation and assessment over coming weeks.
Assessment: Group project rubric, individual reflection journal, and class presentation marks.
Suggested Learning Experiences (activities & methods)
- Role plays: business owners, community members, and regulators negotiating an SR project.
- Community mapping: identify local firms and note any SR activities visible (signs, projects, donations).
- Guest speaker: invite a representative from a local business or NGO (e.g., county environment office) to describe SR work.
- Field trip: visit a nearby business with visible CSR activity (with permissions).
- Class survey: design and carry out a short questionnaire asking community members which SR projects they value most.
- Project-based learning: design and run a small school SR project; maintain a simple logbook for monitoring.
- Use Kenyan case studies: Safaricom (education, digital inclusion), Equity Bank (financial literacy), KenGen (community power projects), Coca‑Cola (water & recycling), to ground discussion.
Assessment & Resources
Formative: class discussions, poster work, exit tickets, group presentations. Summative: project plan + implementation report and a 200–300 word reflection on what students learned about SR.
Resources: local news clippings, printed case studies, poster paper, markers, access to phone/internet for research (supervised), simple M&E templates (see below).
Simple Project Plan Template (copy for groups)
- Project title:
- Objective(s): (What do we want to achieve?)
- Beneficiaries: (Who benefits?)
- Activities & timeline: (What will we do and when?)
- Resources & budget: (Materials, money — approximate)
- Stakeholders & partners: (Teachers, parents, local business, county officers)
- Risks & mitigation: (Weather, permission, funds)
- Success indicators: (What shows we succeeded?)
- Who will lead and roles:
Simple M&E checklist
- Date of activity:
- Activity done (yes/no):
- Number of students/teachers/parents involved:
- Immediate results (e.g., trees planted, kg of waste collected):
- Beneficiary feedback (short quote or yes/no):
- Next steps / improvements:
Reflection & Rubric (teacher guidance)
Ask learners to write a short reflection (200–300 words) on: "How did our project help the school/community and what did I learn about the responsibilities of business?"
Simple group project rubric (20 pts):
- Plan quality & realism — 5 pts
- Implementation (task completed) — 6 pts
- Teamwork & leadership — 4 pts
- Reflection & learning — 3 pts
- Presentation — 2 pts
Simple Visuals & Icons (for posters)
Use these simple emoji or shapes on posters and plans:
🌳 — Environment & tree planting · ❤️ — Health & welfare · 🎒 — Education support · ♻️ — Recycling · 🤝 — Partnership
Safety & Permissions
For any field visit, interviews, or community work obtain written parental permission, follow school child protection policies, and inform the county or local leaders if working outside school grounds.