An independent assessment of how an organization's actions affect society; likely to include a review of the firm's environmental impact, staff management, and contributions to society.

• A. Social responsibility report
• B. Sustainability report
• C. Social audit
• D. Environmental audit

Answer: (C)

An independent assessment of how an organization's actions affect society focuses on external verification of social performance. A social audit examines a company's impact on people and communities, including how staff are managed and treated, the organization’s environmental footprint, and its contributions to society. Because it's conducted by an external party to provide objective evaluation, it fits the description best. Sustainability or social responsibility reports describe and communicate a company's performance but are typically published by the firm itself and not necessarily independent; an environmental audit zeroes in on environmental compliance and impact, not the broader social effects. Therefore, the assessment described is most accurately a social audit.