LO1. Communicate the growing importance of social responsibility, sustainability, corporate ethics, and their widening impact on the esports industry to specialist and non-specialist audiences
LO2. Apply frameworks, theories, and key concepts, related to social responsibility and its use in other industries to the context of the esports industry to develop and sustain arguments for change at the forefront of the industry.
LO3. Critically appraise the key issues that esports organisations face in the design and implementation of socially responsible programmes.
LO4. Evaluate Differentiate between genuine Social Responsibility implementation and superficial acts of reputation management.

Formative Assessment 1 – (Group)
Students will be given a topic by the teaching team and will create a lesson plan for a 30 minute seminar on that topic.

Assessment 1 – Presentation¿(Group)¿
Students will create appropriate slides for a 30 minute seminar based on the formative assessment. The seminar will be supported by 5 – 10 slides complete with a minimum of 10 academic sources cited correctly (Harvard referencing). Each member of the group must be responsible for preparing and presenting at least one slide at a year wide conference.¿¿
LO1, LO4

Assessment 2 – Literature review (Individual)
Students will execute a literature review covering the current published academic research on the current state of Corporate Social Responsibility, with respect to esports, including issues such as: the environment, geopolitics and societal challenges. They will evaluate the research in a chosen area and discuss what we can take from published work to implement into industry, as well as suggest where research may still need development.¿
LO2, LO3

This module envelops the strategic significance of corporate social responsibility & Sustainability within the future of digital media. It aims are to equip you with ‘future proof’ skills that are relevant for an evolving societal and business ethos. an emergent industry, esports is beginning to develop governance with respect to its responsibility within the cultural, economic, social, ethical and environmental realms it exists within. You will have creative freedom to consider these themes within the context of brands, content creation, digital media, fandom culture, marketing, platforms and production. Learners will look at some of the following indicative content in collaboration with case studies to evaluate their situation within the esports industry.

- Environmental Sustainability
- Responsible Design Approach
- Net-Zero strategies
- Business Ethics
- Social Responsibilities of the industry
- Implementation of socially responsible and sustainable programmes and initiative
- Shareholder Activism
- Socially responsible investment
- Employee discrimination
- Working conditions
- Ethical issues in marketing
- Consumer protection
- Cyber security
- Contemporary Social Issues
- Partnerships with NGOs
- Reputation risk
- Equality, Diversion & Inclusion

An integral aspect of this module will also be your understanding of the wide array of media available within Esports and best ways to exploit new channels of communication, appropriateness of media and other key issues relating to brand-building and the development of brand-loyalty amongst consumers.

With high profile scandals from publishers such as Riot Games and Blizzard Entertainment, social responsibility is becoming a pressing issue for esports. This module will look at key areas such as: equality diversity and inclusion, sustainability, working conditions, consumer protection, ethical marketing and business and reputation management. As potential employees in this sector, it is vital that students of esports understand how and why social responsibility is important to the future sustainability of the sector. By the end of this module, students will be able to identify improvements, to innovate the approach to social responsibility for esports.

Students will be expected to engage in a variety of learning strategies, including but not limited to:
- Tutor led formal presentations
- Workshops and group-based tutorials
- Discussion/debate cantered learning
- Participation in group activities, including presentations and discussion panels
- Directed reading
- Self-directed/independent research

- Arnold, C. (2009) Ethical Marketing and the New Consumer: Marketing in the New Ethical Economy. John Wiley.
- Bessant, J. (2001) Design in Business; Strategic innovation through design. Financial Times/ Prentice Hall 1st Edition.
- Crane, A. and Matten, D. (2016) Business Ethics 4th edn. Oxford: Oxford University Press
- Crane, A., Matten, D. and Spence, L. J. (2013) Corporate Social Responsibility: Readings and Cases in a Global Context. 2nd edn. Routledge: London..
- Earls, M. (2009) Herd: How to Change Mass Behaviour by Harnessing Our True Nature. John Wiley.
- Gerber, A. (2009) Good: An introduction to ethics in design. AVA Academia.
- Grant, J. (2010) Co-opportunity: Join Up for a Sustainable, Resilient, Prosperous World. John Wiley.
- Johnson, M. (2012) Problem Solved; A primer in Design, Branding and Visual Communication. Phaidon Press.
- Lannon, J. (2007) A Master Class in Brand Planning: The Timeless Works of Stephen King. John Wiley.
- López-Carril, S. and Anagnostopoulos, C., 2020. Covid-19 and soccer teams on instagram: The case of corporate social responsibility. International Journal of Sport Communication, 13(3), pp.447-457.
- Morgan, A. (2009) Eating the Big Fish: How Challenger Brands Can Compete Against Brand Leaders. John Wiley.
- Morris, E. Siegel, D. (2011) Green Patriot Posters; Graphics for a sustainable community. Thames & Hudson.
- Nyström, A.G., MacCauley, B., Macey, J., Scholz, T., Bescombes, N., Cestino, J., Hiltscher, J., Orme, S., Rumble, R. and Törhönen, M., 2022. Current issues of sustainability in esports.
- Palomba, M. (2008) Ad Law: Breaking the Mould without Breaking the Rules. IPA.
- Rasche, A., Morsing, M., and Moon, J., (2017)¿Corporate Social Responsibility: Strategy, Communication, and Governance. Cambridge University Press.
- Siegal, L. (2010) Recycle; The essential guide. Black Dog Publishing.
- Thaler, W. (2010) Nudge; Health, Wealth and Happiness. Sunstien & Shuster.
- Tjønndal, A., Wågan, F.A. and Røsten, S., 2022. Social issues in esports: Current and emerging trends in research
- Walker, M. and Kent, A., (2009). Do fans care? Assessing the influence of corporate social responsibility on consumer attitudes in the sport industry.¿Journal of Sport Management,¿23(6), pp.743-769.

University Library
IT
Blackboard
Reading list
VLE learning support material to be provided for independent /self-directed learning.
Module handbooks
Open Textbook Library