This free business studies lesson plan and activity pack enables students to consider how a company can uphold its business ethics by contributing to the local community.
Lesson length
Double lesson (90 mins)
GCSE business studies topics
- The business plan
- Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
- Marketing strategies
- The business environment
- Stakeholders
- Business ethics.
National 4 Business
- Business in Action – outcomes 1, 2 and 3
- Influences on Business – outcomes 1 and 3
National 5 in Business Management
- Management of marketing and operations – outcome 1
- Understanding Business – outcomes 1 and 2.
McDonald’s are a Youth Friendly Employer who support young people interested in business careers by offering Management Degree Apprenticeships and more.
What is the Business Ethics Challenge?
Students consider the various aspects of running a business and consider how it can contribute to the local community.
This challenge helps Business Studies students aged 14–16 think about how to identify the right commercial opportunity for a new business, and consider how a business can contribute to its local community, for mutual benefit.
Students are presented with a description of a town facing a typical mix of contemporary economic challenges. They must analyse the Business Report and Town Map and come up with a suitable idea for a new small business they believe would be a success in this location. (Teachers can also use their own location to add local relevance.)
As part of their business plan, students should identify and describe how their start-up business could be a good member of the local community and how this will in turn help the new business to grow and succeed.
Students should organise and present their ideas in a business plan extract, which they can then present verbally.
Resources include:
- Teacher resources pack
- Student activity pack
- Intro video
- Case study video
- Vox Pops video
All videos are on YouTube and can be accessed below or via the business ethics challenge page of the McDonald’s business studies teaching resources hub.
Download this resources pack (PDF) to help you deliver the Business Ethics Challenge to your students. Download
Students can download this activity pack (PDF) to take the Business Ethics Challenge. Download
Intro video
Teachers – watch this film with your students to introduce them to the Challenge!
Case study video
Watch this case study to find out what McDonald’s does in the local community, and why being a good neighbour is important to business ethics.
Vox Pops Videos
Watch to find out what customers, staff and members of the community think about business ethics.
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