Corporate Activism

This study guide will help you write an argumentative essay on the topic of corporate activism, which was part of the written exam in English HHX A on the 17th of May 2023. We will guide you through the source material that your essay must be based on, and we will offer suggestions for arguments and viewpoints that you may want to explore.

If you need help with Assignments 1-3 from the HHX A exam on the 17th of May 2023, you can find our guide here.

Uddrag

Her kan du se læse et uddrag fra opgavehjælpen.

You can also discuss corporate activism from a consumer’s perspective and talk about consumers’ ability to tell if a company is being genuine in tackling social and political issues or if it is only practicing “woke washing”.

Using the sources to discuss this point

The text “Consumers are wise to ‘woke washing’ – but truly ‘transformative branding’ can still make a difference” is a good example to use for this point. The text shows the need for consumers to stay skeptical of companies that practice corporate activism and to continue to hold those companies accountable for any actions that might go against their professed values.

The text also introduces the concept of “woke washing”, which implies that some companies try to promote social issues without actually taking any action, or shifting all responsibility to the customer. For example, fast fashion brands that promote International Women’s Day even though they profit from the exploitation of female workers (ll. 15-16).

The text also discusses “transformative branding”, which involves brands collaborating with outside sources, such as investors, consumers, and even competitors in order to ensure and encourage sustainable practices.