Each 6SA exercise begins with a case. Those cases will generally present you with a situation that requires a decision or an opinion. The cases should be sufficiently rich and detailed to give rise to a number of viable alternatives and there is not one correct answer. In order to create a concrete situation, writing assignment should specify your role as an author and the audience you are addressing.
Assignment
Read the following case and write your first 6SA in response.
Case
Duolever[1] is a large food and consumer product company that sees itself as a leader in corporate sustainability. One important raw material for Duolever is palm oil. Palm oil is controversial, because it’s production is often associated with forest destruction and the loss of habitat for Chimpanzees. To avoid being part of that controversy, Duolever has a policy of buying palm oil only from suppliers that adhere to sustainable production practices set forth by the roundtable on sustainable palm oil (RSPO). Duolever is a founding member of the RSPO, and is one of the largest buyers of certified palm oil.
In the past few days, Duolever’s CEO has received hundreds of petition letters, criticizing Duolever for sourcing palm oil from Bilmar, one of Duolever’s most important palm oil suppliers. Bilmar controls not only 45% of the palm oil market, it is also the best performing supplier in terms of RSPO certification and adherence to sustainable standards, according to an assessment of Duolever’s in-house sustainability team. While most of Bilmar’s palm oil is produced in Indonesia and Malaysia, the petition aims at a small number of new plantations, which have been established only recently in Nigeria.
Dear CEO of Duolever,
The forests of Cross River State in Nigeria are a hotspot of biodiversity and home to the Cross River Gorilla, the most critically endangered primate in Africa. Furthermore, thousands of villagers in the region live sustainably from the harvests of their small plots. This is now at risk because of Bilmar’s current massive expansion of its plantations. Satellite images show that deforestation, which has accelerated across all of Bilmar’s Nigerian holdings, is encroaching on protected areas such as Cross River National Park. We Rainforest Society has published a detailed study with maps, satellite images and photos documenting the destruction. We call on Bilmar to halt its unsustainable palm oil production immediately. Given that Duolever has committed to sourcing only sustainable palm oil, we call on Duolever to stop sourcing palm oil from Bilmar.
The CEO has forwarded this letter to you as a member of Duolever’s sustainable business team. She is asking you whether and how to deal with the request to stop sourcing from Bilmar. Please answer her using the 6SA format, providing a well-supported recommendation for action.
Before you start writing, brainstorm a little bit what you would recommend in this situation, based on your gut feeling. Next, look at the 6SA structure and make notes for each sentence. When you have a plan how the argument is going to play out, start writing.
You can use the following table to write you first 6SA:
| #1 Introduction
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| #2 Position
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| #3 Reason
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| #4 Challenge
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| #5 Rebuttal
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| #6 Conclusion
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[1] This case is based on actual events involving Unilever, Wilmar, and the NGO Rainforest Rescue in 2013. The case was adapted and shortened for this introduction. In order to avoid misrepresenting the organizations involved, the names were changed. Please do not cite this case as evidence of real events.
