This week in our CSR course we had an interesting conversation about Apple’s supply chain and the corporation’s human rights violations. I had originally thought that the only way for the COO to make a meaningful difference in offshore factories would be to implement stricter oversight in these locations. However, Professor Gupta asked how the COO, Williams, will be motivated to prioritize CSR? The answer was that the best way for the board of directors to motivate Mr. Williams is to tie his commission to his CSR efforts. I also find it interesting to consider that although we are aware of the horrible conditions of the factories which produce our iPhones, we still are hopelessly loyal to Apple. It is way too normalized within our society to turn a blind eye to the horrible conditions to which workers in foreign companies are subjected. After reading about the child labor at the SHEIN factories, I stopped buying from this brand. I also attempt to buy as many clothes as I can from second-hand sellers so that I can avoid fast fashion. I hope that there will be a point when corporations will begin to prioritize the rights of workers over their own profits. 

During my internship this week I needed to learn to adjust to how Italian employers assign projects and give feedback. I was in charge of creating a presentation for my supervisor that detailed the differences in social media between Tempocasa and its three main Italian competitors. I was very proud of the presentation and was excited to show off my hard work. My supervisor, however, was not available to watch the presentation and instead sent in one of her colleagues. This colleague wanted us to go down a different route with the presentation despite the previous instructions we were given. Although this was frustrating at first, I learned to adapt and understand this critique was not a critique of my work but rather a suggestion for improvement. The language barrier at my company is becoming less of an issue as I learn to interpret the tone of my employer. I now have the opportunity to present for a group of supervisors and I am excited about this opportunity as my presentation is now even more detailed than before. 

This past weekend our group visited Cinque Terre. I think that this was my favorite destination so far because it had beautiful beaches yet a traditional Italian look. There were small churches that were interesting to look at and also small restaurants that offered local cuisine. My friends and I actually stayed in an Airbnb boat which was a completely unique experience for me. The boat was located on a small dock which was almost like its own community. Everyone and their families slept on the decks of their boats and it was such a cute environment for the nighttime. A big cultural difference between Milan and Cinque Terre is that the people in Cinque Terre are much more laid back in the sense that there are fewer people rushing to get somewhere on time. Additionally, fewer people spoke English which made the trip slightly challenging at times. I generally feel that as I travel more throughout Europe I am developing new ways to communicate with people and have become very adept at noticing differences in culture.