Compliance of Businesses with the Principles of United Nations Global Essay - 1

Compliance of Businesses with the Principles of United Nations Global Compact - Essay Example Alcoa Inc., being an international organization with 31 headquarters all over the world and working in all the major aspects of its industry (developing technology, performing mining, refining, smelting, fabricating, and recycling of aluminum), believes it has enough expertise and experience for making recommendations to the Australasian Local Network. Furthermore, these particular principles are a basis of our Vision & Values statement, which makes us responsible for protecting and promoting â€Å"the health and well-being of the individual and the environment† (Vision & Values 2011). Alcoa Foundation, one of the largest corporate foundations in the U.S., is an outstanding project of our company, the activities of which are aimed at supporting our host communities worldwide (Alcoa Foundation 2011). The organization works as an independent foundation for addressing both global and local challenges of the communities. These activities are consistent with the vision and mission of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in terms of supporting â€Å"economic and social well-being of people around the world† (OECD 2011), and of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in regards to â€Å"promoting social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights† (ILO 2011). Therefore, on the basis of our experience working towards the outlined above principles, we would like to propose the following recommendations: 1. Design, implement and control the fulfillment of a statement of protecting human rights in all the communities the company operates in (Global Compact Principle One 2011). Benefits & Implications: The company’s vision regarding human rights protection is clearly outlined and, thus, it is easier to develop corresponding structures and policies Communities differ and, therefore, some general and universal principles should be outlined in the statement instead of those to which a particular l ocal community is accustomed. A unified statement, being fulfilled, will not only promote human rights protection within the community but will also help to educated communities on what they should claim from organizations in terms of respecting and supporting people’s rights. Lessons Learnt The statement of protecting human rights of Alcoa Inc. now includes only the points regarding paying employees guaranteed minimum wages and prohibiting slavery (Health 2011), and we are working on improving this aspect. This shortcoming of ours has caused many problems in the past – we have even been blamed for putting corporate interests above the interests of people, governments or the planet. There, however, already exist good examples: the Human Rights Policy Statement of Continental Airlines, for instance, deals with such issues as ethical business conduct, as well as protection of the rights of co-workers and children (Continental Airlines, Inc. 2011).

Prenuptial Agreements in UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Prenuptial Agreements in UK - Essay Example Prenuptial agreements are not binding in the UK; however, the courts proved that, in case of Radmacher v Granatiano, circumstances had to be considered. They applied the requirements of the prenuptial leaving out parts that contravened principles of family law. Prenuptial agreements have remained to be a contentious issue since it can leave out fundamental principles. Such principles include being silent about children that may be born in the course of the marriage or insufficient funds or funds being allocated inefficiently leaving kids without being properly provided for. In case of such circumstances, the court has the authority to divide family assets in order to ensure children rule a decision in any other appropriate way. A pre-nap can be used to reduce the court’s authority to divide family money. Radmacher going to court to challenge the prenuptial agreement undermined decision held in Macleod v Macleod . In this case, it was held that prenuptial agreements could not be binding and made a distinction between prenuptial and post-nuptial agreements. The Privy Council’s decision in this case shed light on how judiciary viewed this issue during that period. In Radmacher’s case judges stated that they did not recognize any difference between pre and post marital agreements. This change of position has been supported by scholars such as Joanna Miles who argues that there is no difference between a spouse and a fiancà ©. This means that whether the agreement is made before or after solemnization of marriage should not matter. An additional effect of this case is that it provides a way that can result into pre-nuptial agreements becoming binding in the UK. This, however, can only happen if it is under the right circumstances. It, therefore, becomes necessary to consider the effects that pre-nuptial agreements will have on marriage after this decision. The first significant effect is that, after this decision, there will be legal certainty. Prenuptial agreements will help couples to know what will happen to their finances in case of a divorce. Courts have been known to be extremely inconsistent in the past and certainty is welcomed. However, these

Love Jones Review Essay Example for Free

Love Jones Review Essay The consummate ladies man, Darius silky smooth presentation romises more sell than substance. And Ninas recently Jilted heart isnt looking for anymore of loves kind of trouble. love Jones begins with Nina and her good girlfriend Josie Nichols (Lisa Nicole Carson) packing up whats left of Ninas disappointing relationship. Fearful that the scars left from this failed romance may be too deep for her to heal, Josie takes her to a night-time poetry-slam at the Sanctuary, where she encounters Darius for the first time. The Sanctuary is the local haven where poetry is the prime draw, and a favorite night spot for Darius and his friends Savon Garrison (Isaiah Washington), Eddie Coles Leonard Roberts), Sheila Downes (Bernadette Clark, and Hollywood (Bill Bellamy). The romance dies between couples, we overhear Darius telling his friends from his intellectual set, because theyVe (people) given up on the possibility of it. In an awkward introduction at the bar, Nina catches Darius off-guard and, uncharacteristically, he fumbles and spills his drink on her. He recovers minutes later when called to the stage to recite one of his poems. He makes the most of the moment by calling his sensuous creation A Blues for Nina. Flattered but embarrassed, she informs him in front of his friends that there are opics for poetry other than sex. When he asks her to name one, she writes the word love on his hand. Everyone is impressed; particularly Darius. Darius runs into Nina at a record store managed by his friend, Sheila. She is there because she has Just been fired from her Job as a photographers assistant and desperately needs to hear the Isley Brothers. When Darius approaches her, she acts as thought she vaguely remembers his name. Darius seizes the opportunity though, by playing her a tender rendition of Parkers Mood. While Nina remains unreceptive at that point, she finally buckles and agrees to a date when Darius ppears, unannounced at her door presenting the very CD she had been looking for at the record store. He bribed Sheila so he could get her address and phone number off of the check she used to pay for a CD. His persistence pays off when a romantic statement l Just want to come up and talk leads to a passionate night at her apartment. The next morning, Darius and Nina confide in their respective friends Savon and Josie that, in spite of the incredible sex, It aint no love thing, they Just kickin it. Unfortunately, these two individuals arent exactly the best advisors they could have ound Josie is way down on men and lives her life vicariously through Nina, and Savon is mired in the problems of his eight-year marriage (his wife left him and took their son). But Darius is getting interested. He even reveals to Nina the sacred location of the Batcave (his apartment), where some interesting foreplay ensues when she whips out her camera and tells Darius to take off his clothes. The romance advances. Then, out of the blue, Marvin Cox (Khalil Kain), Ninas former fianc ©e, shows up asking her for a second chance. At Josies suggestion, Nina uses the offer to test Darius: Will he be Jealous, or coolly let her go? Darius pretends not to care, of course, and Nina moves to New York to see if she should resume her relationship with Marvin. Inevitably, Marvin and Ninas differences are irreconcilable, and Nina returns the engagement ring and then heads back to Chicago. Hoping to reconnect with Darius, Nina and Josie go to the Sanctuary, to no avail. Darius has settled down with a new girlfriend, Lisa Oacqueline Fleming). Enter, Hollywood, whose friendly competition with Darius enables him to sense a prime opportunity for one-upmanship. Wood stops by the portrait studio where Nina now works to cheer her up. Tensions run high when Wood brings Nina to Sheilas house for a party that he knows Darius will be attending. Nina, feeling like a pawn in a bad game of male egos, asks Wood to take her home. He refuses and Darius comes to her rescue. Its their first meeting since she went to New York. She confesses she still has feeling for him, and he assures her that Lisa means nothing to him. Swooning, they make up and head for a date at the famous Blackstone Hotel. There, legendary Chicago DJ Herb Kent is hosting a steppers ball, featuring the inimitable dance style popular in Chicago. On the floor, Nina and Darius become a eam again. The fire is relit as they complete the evening with a wet, but romantic walk around Buckingham Fountain. Nina starts to inherit habits from Darius and vica versa. She starts smoking and develops a love for poetry. In return, he develops an eye for photography. But soon after their reconciliation everything starts to crumble. Nina finds Lisas telephone number around Darius apartment, and he gets the occasional Sam call that takes him out of the room. The issue of distrust rears its ugly head. Darius tries to smooth things over by whipping out her camera and telling her to take her clothes off, as she id in an earlier scene. But it is too late. Come get your things from my apartment why would you be with someone you dont trust? The scene ends with Nina returning the key. Because of a Job offer from Vibe magazine in New York, Nina decides to move. Josie, serving as a reluctant Cupid, intercedes by telling Darius of Ninas plans. He takes the cue and makes a gallant but futile effort to talk to Nina before she leaves. A year later, his book has been published, her career is off and running and Nina has been sent to Chicago to shot a Michael Jordan layout. Looking in vain for Darius t the Sanctuary, Nina takes the stage to recite a poem of her own. Startled, Darius turns and listens to her recital, which is about love remembered. Funny what you can do in front of a room full of people, she says, and cant do in front of one person. The movie ends with Nina leaving the Sanctuary and seeing Darius outside. Darius starts off by saying, Longtime no see. I enjoyed your poem. Nina, there have been mistakes on both sides and I apologize for my part. I want to put the past in the past. Once again your timing couldnt be worse you always want what you want hen you want it why is everything so urgent, Nina says. Nina, this here, right now, at this very moment, is all that matters to me. I love you and thats urgent like a mother fucker. love Jones shows that love can be inconvenient. It encourages everyone to approach love the way Nina and Darius do scared, awkward, and even sometimes alone. Theres the obligatory handful of tragic misunderstandi ngs, prideful arguments, over-orchestrated sex scenes, and betrayal and reconciliations. ove Jones steps back, allowing its characters to closely examine what is happening to them. They analyze their own instincts; wonder about each others feelings and even plot little traps to reveal the others true intentions Nina and Darius relationship is built upon the use of some key things: sex and sexual invitations, pick-up lines and relationship openers, music and poetry, the actions of all the movies characters, friends being confidants and advisors, and the use of Baxters techniques to acquire information about the relationship play vital roles. Their relationship proves that the movement in and out of the interaction stages is not set in stone. The stages conform to your situation. Nina and Darius seem to ollow this type of pattern: initiating, experimenting, intensifying, terminating, experimenting, intensifying, integrating, bonding, stagnating, terminating, and initiating. They are also struggle with the roles society has laid out for women and men. And are both trying to fgure out how to play without getting played. Theyre both secretly wondering how you get beyond playing and move on to the love. When youre in your twenties, as Nina and Darius were, loving someone outside your friends and family can seem like a task for Mother Theresa. We twenty- somethings have been unleashed from our parents and the chances to experience exual encounters of all sorts are numerous. But flirting and playing is one thing. Building relationships with the human objects of our desires is a challenge that many of us fail at miserably. At one point in the movie, Darius asks his married friend Savon if he believes in the concept of soulmates. Savons response is that it depends on what day you ask him. Youre with who youre with, he says. Love and marriage are pretty much what you make of them. love Jones doesnt fully answer the soulmate question. In the end, we are only promised that Nina and Darius will be together as long as their belief in he possibility of romance lasts. eeting in a bar, the reluctant coupling, the Jealously and conflict, even a mad rush by one lover to stop the other from leaving on a train. love Jones showed me that there is Just no way around it: Love between a man and a woman is hard work. A conscious effort to relate to the opposite sex is whats needed if were going to get the satisfaction we crave from that someone special. Our twenties can be about a lot more than simply getting our groove on. We can build lives with people while we are enjoying the fresh experiences we are having in our y outh.

Solutions To Environmental Pollution Environmental Sciences Essay

Solutions To Environmental Pollution Environmental Sciences Essay It is believed that globalization has numerous benefits to the economy of China. In recent decades, China has witnessed rapid economic growth due to economic reforms. Its GDP has increased by more than seven percent per annum. However the fact that globalization negatively affects the environment cannot be ignored. Apparently China is witnessing serous environmental problems. Not only do these problems impair the progress in the economic development but also have harmful effects on the peoples health. The government of China can consider formulating clear policies, educate the masses concerning these issues and using technology to tackle these problems. Some of the pollutions that need to be tackled include; water, soil and air pollution. T1. Soil Erosion 1. Background Globalization has had a significant effect on the soil. This is because it causes deforestation which then leads to soil erosion. The end result is desertification. Desertification for instance is caused by different reasons depending on the area. They include population pressure, socioeconomic factors, policy, and international trade as well as land use patterns. Globalization decreases land productivity hence leading to degradation. As people clear forests so as to create space for mans activities like urbanization and agriculture, the land is left bare. There is nothing to hold the soil together. Such land is prone to soil erosion which if it persists could lead to desertification. Erosion degenerates land hence making it less productive. For farming activities lower the soil organic matter. This usually causes poor soil structure hence increasing the vulnerability of the soil to erosion. China is widely known for its extensive mining activities. There activities have rendered the land bare and hence makes it vulnerable to erosion. 2. Solutions: To tackle this problem, the government needs to educate the masses on the dangers of deforestation and the importance of planting trees. The mining activities are supposed to be controlled so as to prevent the problem from escalating. People need to be taught on the best farming processes that will render the soil vulnerable to erosion. Gabions could also be built in areas that are adversely affected by the problem of erosion. T 2. Land pollution Background Land pollution occurs when hazardous wastes are disposed on the land. Such substances could be urban wastes, agricultural chemicals, fertilizers, industrial wastes and radioactive substances. Such chemicals contaminate the land surface as well as the soil and hence may render the land unsuitable for farming (Engelking 2007, p. 52). This occurs when the urban waste matter is discriminately dumped. The mining processes may also contribute to the process. Such chemicals can lead to respiratory problems, skin complications, birth defects, and even cancer (Engelking, 2009). Solutions The problem of land pollution can be tackled by educating the Citizens of China on the hazard posed by littering the environment. The items that are used domestically could be recycled or reused. People should dispose the waste matter in the right manner. Organic waste has to be disposed in non residential areas while the inorganic matter should be recycled. T3. Water pollution Background This involves the contamination of water bodies. This kind of pollution affects organisms and plants in these water bodies. This damages individual species as well as the biological communities. This form of pollution occurs whenever pollutants are discharged into the bodies without undergoing treatment to remove the harmful compounds. Considering the fact that China is an industrialized nation, factories frequently opt to discharge their affluent into these water bodies. About 90% of the cities in China suffer from water this kind of pollution. Some of the organic water pollutants include detergents, chloroforms, and food processing waste, herbicides and insecticides, petroleum volatile organic compounds. Most of the inorganic pollution is caused by sulfur dioxide, ammonia, chemical wastes, fertilizers, heavy metal substances and silt (Hart, 2007). Solutions This problem can be checked by treating those wastes that are deposited to the water bodies. The sewage systems in especially in urban centers should be kept in good condition so as to prevent the organic waste from trickling into the water bodies. Erosion control measures should be employed to minimize the surface run-off. Farmers need not to overuse the agricultural chemicals. T4. Air Pollution Background Air pollution involves the emission of toxic fumes into the air. Everyone in way contributes to air pollution in his/her capacity. Carbon dioxide is among the main pollutants of the air. This gas forms a big percentage of the gases that are emitted in many factories across China. Combustion of fossil fuels and deforestation greatly contribute towards the increased levels of this gas in the atmosphere. It is also emitted during any volcanic activity. It is a major contributor towards global warming. Most automobiles, air jets, and marine vessels also release fume to the atmosphere. Other pollutants include Aerosol sprays, nuclear fumes. Other dangerous gases that pollute the air include carbon monoxide and Sulfur dioxide. Air pollution can cause acid rain, which occurs whenever sulfur dioxide combines with Nitrogen dioxide (Hart 2006, p. 62). Solution This problem can be fixed through reducing the number of automobiles, recycling products, avoiding so much of the fire cracker use; Companies have to treat the gases before they release them into the atmosphere. All these forms of pollutions can be reduced if the government will enact and implement policies that are geared towards reducing the pollution. Companies should embrace social corporate responsibility by embracing environmental friendly policies. Globalization in general should be embraced cautiously because some of its effects could be very harmful to humanity.

Locked Out :: Short Stories Crime Violence Papers

Locked Out Death is a small price to pay for respect--the words spilled from the headphones like crude oil. Erway Dewey listened to the music barely hearing the lyrics. The words were dark and damaging but soothed the roughness of the harsh surroundings. It didn't matter what the words said anyway, Erway thought, it ain't real life. Erway stood in the shadow that the old warehouse doorway cast against the rising sun. He hoped the bus wouldn't take much longer because although the building sheltered him against the wind, it was cold and snowing. Today, like most other school days, he got up early so he could lift weights and play a game of basketball in the gym with his friends. It was quiet on North Avenue this early in the morning. In the afternoons, sometimes it was so loud you could shout and no one would hear. As he waited, Erway tried to remember what he had done when he got up this morning. Only forty-five minutes had passed but it was already a blur. He remembered going to the bathroom, but that was about it. The hunger in his stomach reminded him that he hadn't eaten anything since last night. I'll get somethin' when I get to school, Erway thought. A slight alarm swept over Erway's body; he fingered his coat pocket for his bus pass. The smooth plastic calmed him. He had forgotten it the day before and had to walk back home to get it, missing the early bus. A tall shadow appeared from around the corner of the warehouse. It was too dark outside to distinguish faces. Erway's body tensed up as he prepared for a confrontation. Would he be robbed, stabbed, shot, or just beaten? Erway stood still, cocked like a pistol ready to fire; to run or fight. As the man came closer Erway realized it was the same man he'd seen yesterday. It was just some older guy going to work or something who caught the same bus. As he came closer Erway could see he was smoking a cigarette. Cigarette smoke and the smoke from warm breath meeting cold air danced a desperate tango and disappeared in the darkness. "Hey," the man said to Erway, looking past him. "Hey," Erway replied coolly, maintaining his casual slump in the doorway. "First bus come, yet?" "Naw, not yet," Erway exhaled heavily.

The Knights of Labor Essay -- Labor Issues

The Knights of Labor represented the pinnacle of the up lift labor movement. They, at one time, had membership that numbered in the hundreds of thousands and nearly hit a million members. This organization was unique in its time because it espoused many of the ideals we hold today as statutory for an ethical and equitable society as well as employee and employer relationships. The Knights of Labor did not begrudge industry or capitalism, moreover they were less of a concern than the organization’s larger goal to protect and promote social equity in labor and society, for the common man. The organization was distinctive for is time. There were other labor unions, but the Knights supported trade craftsmen, common laborers, and worked for the well being of both. According to Dessler (2011) â€Å"the Knights of Labor had engaged in a class struggle to alter the form of society, and thereby get a bigger chunk of benefits for its members† (p.544-545). In contrast the American Federation of Labor (AFL) concentrated on practical concerns. â€Å"Samuel Gompers aimed to reach the same goal by raising day-to-day wages and improving working conditions† (Dessler, 2011, p. 545). Rituals and rites, secrecy, and a belief that labor was a key component to the industry of the country and as such should also have a voice in the organizations, community, and country the supported the ideas of their organization. The preamble of the constitution of the Knights of labor spells out the main goals of the organization. According to Kaufman 2001, The Knights listed their principal aims as to bring within the folds of organization every department of productive industry, to secure to the toilers a proper share of the wealth that they create, to educate wo... ... of Labor Unions in Labor Markets. In R. C. Free (Ed.), 21st Century Reference Series. 21st Century Economics (Vol. 1, pp. 163-172). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Reference. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.library3.webster.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX1700400026&v=2.1&u=edenweb_main&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w Dessler, G. (2011). Human resource management. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Kaufman, J. (2001). Rise and Fall of a Nation of Joiners: The Knights of Labor Revisited. Journal of Interdisciplinary History, 31(4), 553. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/ stable/206859 Kemmerer, D., & Wickersham, E. (1950). Reasons for the growth of The knights of labor in 1885-1886. Industrial & Labor Relations Review, 3(2), 213-220. Retrieved from http:// library3.webster.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost. com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=sih&AN=6447264&site=ehost -live

“I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by William Wordsworth Essay

I chose the poem â€Å"I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud† by William Wordsworth because I like the imagery in it of dancingdaffodils. Upon closer examination, I realized that most of this imagery is created by the many metaphors and similes Wordsworth uses. In the first line, Wordsworth says â€Å"I wandered lonely as a cloud.† This is a simile comparing the wondering of a man to a cloud drifting through the sky. I suppose the wandering cloud is lonely because there is nothing up there that high in the sky besides it. It can pass by unnoticed, touching nothing. Also, the image of a cloud brings to mind a light, carefree sort of wandering. The cloud is not bound by any obstacle, but can go wherever the whim of the wind takes it. The next line of poem says â€Å"I saw a crowd, a host, of golden daffodils.† Here Wordsworth is using a metaphor to compare the daffodils to a crowd of people and a host of angels. The word crowd brings to mind an image of the daffodils chattering amongst one another, leaning their heads near each other in the wind. The word host makes them seem like their golden petals are shimmering like golden halos on angels. It is interesting to note that daffodils do have a circular rim of petals in the middle that could look like a halo. Later in the poem Wordsworth uses another simile, saying the dancing of daffodils in the wind is â€Å"continuous as the stars that shine and twinkle on the milky way.† This line creates the image of the wind blowing the tops of random daffodils up and down in a haphazard matter, so they appear to glint momentarily as their faces catch the sun. This goes along with the next metaphor of the daffodils â€Å"tossing their heads in sprightly dance.† Comparing their movement to a dance also makes me think of swirling, swishing yellow skirts moving in harmony. It is also interesting how the first image of the wandering cloud contrasts sharply with the second image of the dancingdaffodils. The cloud drifts in solitude slowly and placidly across the sky, whereas the daffodils hurry to and fro in an energetic, lively scramble. This contrast seems to show that looking at the daffodils made the author feel better than he did before, that they cheered him up. This idea is supported by the last line of poem, where he says his heart â€Å"with pleasure fills, and dances with the daffodils† whenever he thinks of them.