MGT5005: Strategic Governance and Ethics in Canva’s International Vendor Relations

Assessment 2-Managing International Business

This assessment required identifying an international management issue related to ethical conduct and corporate governance within an organization that operates across borders. The report was to highlight a specific ethical challenge related to international parties (e.g., suppliers or service providers), analyze the problem using recent academic literature, and provide some specific, actionable, and evidence-based recommendations to executive management. The completed report fulfills these requirements by critically analyzing the ethical governance challenges faced by Canva, a global Australian-based design platform. Key issues identified include inconsistent ethical standards among international partners, data privacy risks, weak oversight mechanisms, and cultural misalignments in outsourced regions. Seven tailored recommendations are provided, including the implementation of a Global Code of Ethics, creation of a compliance unit, enhancement of cross-cultural training, and adoption of real-time digital oversight tools. Each recommendation is designed to align Canva’s international practices with ethical norms and governance expectations, ensuring sustainable and transparent global operations.