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Cases

Ohjelma
Bike Lease Finland

Bike Lease Finland

Leasing and maintenance of employee bicycles, digital services.

Ohjelma
Excelence Solutions

Excelence Solutions

Consulting and data analytics, expert services and consulting.

Ohjelma
Finnish Timber Oy

Finnish Timber Oy

Ecological log buildings and construction site processes, project business.

Ohjelma
Green Scape

Green Scape

Customized green wall services for B2B clients, service business.

Ohjelma
Marine Craft

Marine Craft

Customized motorboats, project delivery, manufacturing industry.

Ohjelma
Scandinavian Design

Scandinavian Design

Leasing and maintenance of company bicycles, digital services.

Task

Ethical Guidelines for Marketing



In this task, the student will create a 5–7 point ethical guideline for marketing for a case company. They will consider the company's marketing environment, identify typical ethical risks, and formulate concrete principles that guide transparent and honest communication. Additionally, the student will examine the application of the guidelines in practical situations and assess how ethical marketing supports sustainable consumption and the company's reputation. The task helps integrate responsible thinking into marketing planning and management.

Learning objectives

After completing the task, the student:
1. Can identify ethical risks related to the case company's marketing.
2. Can create a concrete and clear ethical guideline for marketing.
3. Understands how transparency, honesty, protection of target groups, and sustainable consumption can be considered in marketing communication.
4. Can evaluate how ethical guidelines affect the company's reputation and business in the long term.

Step by step

  1. Ethical guidelines for marketing

    Objective:
    The objective of this assignment is for the student to create an ethical marketing guideline for the case company, considering transparency, honesty, protection of different customer groups, and sustainable consumption.

    Material:

    • The selected case company’s description from the learning material.

    • The assignment is based on the case description and reasonable assumptions about the company’s industry, customer base and marketing practices, not on reviewing real websites or campaigns.

    Assignment process (instructions for the student):

    1. Briefly describe the case company’s marketing environment
      Write 5–8 sentences about the type of customers the company sells to, the channels it likely uses (e.g. social media, website, store, B2B outreach), and the goals of its marketing.
      Highlight 2–3 ethical risks that may relate to this specific company’s marketing (e.g. reaching vulnerable groups, environmental claims, aggressive price communication).

    2. Define the principles of ethical marketing
      Write 5–7 general principles you want to guide the case company’s marketing.
      Emphasise:

      • transparency (e.g. prices, terms, responsibility information)

      • honesty and truthfulness (no exaggeration or hiding essential information)

      • protection of customer groups (children, youth, financially vulnerable).

    3. Create a concrete 5–7 point ethical guideline
      Turn your principles into a clear, actionable guideline, where each point begins with a strong commitment (e.g. “We do not use…”, “We always disclose…”, “We ensure that…”).
      Ensure the guideline covers:

      • transparency: how prices, terms and responsibility information are presented

      • honesty: how to avoid misleading claims and greenwashing

      • protection of customer groups: how to ensure marketing does not exploit vulnerable customers

      • sustainable consumption: how to encourage moderate and environmentally responsible choices.

    4. Describe examples of situations where the guideline is needed
      Select at least three situations that could be typical for the case company (e.g. discount campaign, sustainability campaign, social media competition).
      For each, write:

      • what ethical risk exists in the situation

      • how your guideline directs behaviour in practice.

    5. Evaluate the guideline’s impact on the company’s reputation and sales
      Write ½ page reflecting on:

      • how ethical policies can strengthen trust and long-term customer relationships

      • situations where ethical standards may feel restrictive in terms of short-term sales

      • why ethical marketing can still be a competitive advantage in the long run.

    6. Summarise the guideline for management
      Write a final 5–7 sentence summary presenting the guideline as a “pitch” to the company’s management:

      • why the ethical guideline is needed

      • what the most important points are

      • how it benefits reputation, risk management and customer relationships.

    Submission and evaluation:
    Submit a text of approximately 1–2 pages that includes:

    • a brief description of the case company’s marketing environment and ethical risks

    • a clear 5–7 point ethical marketing guideline

    • examples of situations where the guideline is applied

    • reflection on the guideline’s impact on reputation, sales and sustainable consumption

    • a concise summary for management.

    Evaluation focuses on how well you:

    • identify ethical risks relevant to the case company

    • create a clear and practical guideline

    • address transparency, honesty, protection of customer groups and sustainable consumption

    • write in a structured and well-reasoned manner based on the case.

    Recommended working time: about 45–60 minutes, individually or in pairs.

Tasks by audience and theme

University of applied sciences

Polytechnics and higher education studies.

68 tasks