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Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe. Other factors may change the nutritional information such as when the salt amount is listed as “a pinch,” it is not calculated into the recipe as the amount will vary. Also, different online calculators can provide different results.
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information obtained is accurate.
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Investors and companies are still not having a meaningful dialogue about the business value of Corporate Responsibility (CR), according to research published. The research report ‘Speaking the Same Language’ was commissioned by Business in the Community and the UK Social Investment Forum and conducted by Arthur D. Little. It looked at the underlying reasons for poor communication between the Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) community and companies, and how SRI issues generally feature in communications between mainstream investors and companies.
The research was conducted through interviews with SRI fund managers, research and rating agencies, and CR and Investor Relations managers in companies. It describes the current state of communications as ‘confused and frustrated’, but found a common desire to improve communications on the business value of corporate responsibility among all parties.
‘Speaking the Same Language’ calls for the SRI community to be smarter and more transparent in how they evaluate companies and warns that the widening scope of some SRI analysis is obscuring efforts to focus down on material issues. It pinpoints a clear need to shift the balance of responsibility for defining what is material away from SRI analysis and towards the company.
Simon Berkeley at Arthur D. Little comments "Our research found that the large volume of information and case studies dominating current company CR reports often obscures rather than reveals the material issues. In addition, the growth in the range and diversity of research and rating agencies asking the questions confuses the company staff on the receiving end which further contributes to the difficulties in communication. As the CR agenda continues to expand, so does the number and complexity of questions being asked of companies – CR means too many things to too many people."
The research found that improvements are needed in how companies report on material CR issues: how issues affect growth and profitability; the process for tracking and managing material issues over time; the effects of products and services; and sector-specific collaboration on materiality.
It also found there was a strong desire within the SRI community for CR issues to become part of mainstream dialogue between investors and companies, but mainstream investors still cannot see how CR information can enhance their current analysis. The principal reason is the lack of focus to date on materiality. In addition, there are other ways in which the SRI community can enhance its credibility with the mainstream:
* engaging more directly with the companies they assess;
* being more transparent about their identity and purpose;
* improving the quality of research; and using the language of risk (because mainstream fund managers still think of CR issues as risks)
The findings build on Business in the Community’s ‘Investing in the Future’ report (May, 2001) which revealed that companies are selling themselves and their shareholders short by failing to make the case to the City. It identified a need for reliable standardised information that would enable a company’s performance to be compared with that of its peers. This finding was one of the drivers behind Business in the Community developing its recently published Corporate Responsibility Index.
Derek Higgs comments: "There is scope for companies to win greater recognition in the City for their responsible business practice. Companies that have proved to themselves that environmental and social responsibility makes good business sense must now show this clearly in their reporting in a way that makes sense to the City. Business in the Community members commit to integrating responsible business practice throughout their business and we urge them to extend this commitment through to their investor analyst presentations."
‘Speaking the Same Language’ will be officially launched at a briefing hosted by Derek Higgs, Chairman, Business in the Community’s environment campaign, on Wednesday, June 18, 2003. The briefing will explore the key findings of the research, examine how to overcome the ‘chicken and egg’ syndrome, i.e. ‘the City does not ask about CR, so we do not provide anything’ and discuss the current debate surrounding materiality. | https://www.sustainability-reports.com/titel-499/ |
The successful implementation of the Paris Climate Change Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals will be impossible if the huge amount of capital invested through the Belt and Road Initiative (‘BRI’) or ‘One Belt, One Road’ is inconsistent with climate change and sustainable development. ‘Greening’ BRI is therefore a priority of global significance.
Greening BRI requires us to understand the i) impacts that current and planned BRI projects will have on the local and global environment, as well as on sustainable development and ii) the stranded asset risks current and planned BRI projects face from different physical and transition risks related to environmental change, particularly climate change. This information and analysis can then inform decision-making by governments, private and public financial institutions, financial regulators, companies, and civil society.
The ‘Green BRI Platform’ will provide this information and analysis via a new collaborative online data and analysis platform. This will allow a range of different groups, including governments, researchers, financial institutions, and civil society to share and use data on BRI. By bringing together existing and novel datasets the project will provide unparalleled capabilities for understanding potential environmental risks and environmental impacts facing BRI projects, so that financial institutions, companies, and policymakers in China and around the world can minimise risks and maximise societal benefits with accurate information.
The Green BRI Platform is intentionally designed to allow different asset-level datasets, measures, projections, and scenarios from a range of actors to be used consistently and to ‘speak’ to one another. The project is a vehicle to enhance collaboration between different groups working on different parts of the problem and creates a transparent distribution channel for these efforts. It is not intended to be or will ever become a ‘closed shop’ and is intended to be a common resource.
The Green BRI Platform is managed by the Oxford Sustainable Finance Programme at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford. | https://bri.ouce.ox.ac.uk/about/ |
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Sencerus Insurance Brokers (Pty) Ltd, including all of its subsidiaries and affiliates, maintains relationships with clients and business partners worldwide. When SIB recommends or mentions a product or service provider, it is possible that the product or service is being offered by one of SIB’s clients or business partners. SIB maintains a strict Code of Business Conduct covering many topics, including antitrust and competition law, conflicts of interest, anti-bribery, privacy, financial reporting, compliance with trade restrictions, protection of confidential information, and compliance with all laws and regulations applicable to the conduct of our business. SIB also files necessary disclosures with all governmental regulators. If you have any questions about an SIB recommendation or mention of another business entity (or about an entity with which SIB conducts business), please follow-up with your SIB contact person. SIB is committed to serving our clients in a transparent, fair and equitable manner.
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SIB, affiliates and subsidiaries that provide retail brokerage and risk management, may receive remuneration as commissions or fees paid by an insurer; fees paid by a client in lieu of, or in addition to, commissions; and investment income on premiums. In certain circumstances, one or more of these affiliates may also receive compensation paid by underwriters for performance of technical or other services. If you have any questions regarding the nature or amount of the compensation paid to any SIB on your account, we encourage you to contact the head of the SIB office that services your account. In addition, SIB has committed to provide, upon request, detailed year-end summary information to our clients on compensation we receive from insurers or other third parties in connection with the placement, renewal, consultation on or servicing of policies. | https://www.sencerusib.co.za/terms-conditions |
Have You Suffered Organ Damage, Device Migration, or Other Adverse Events After Being Implanted with Essure?
Table of Contents
- 1 Have You Suffered Organ Damage, Device Migration, or Other Adverse Events After Being Implanted with Essure?
- 2 What is Essure?
- 3 How is the Procedure Done?
- 4 Who Shouldn’t Use Essure?
- 5 What are the Risks with Essure?
- 6 FDA Examination of Essure
- 7 Continued Clinical Studies
- 8 Minor and Major Impacts of Essure
- 9 Deaths Have Been Reported
- 10 Lawsuits Surrounding Essure
- 11 Getting Legal Help for Essure Complications
Women who no longer want to have children may be searching for a permanent form of birth control. Having your tubes tied can seem a bit drastic and even frightening for some. Essure is a form of permanent birth control that seems safer and allows women to be free from the worry of pregnancy.
What is Essure?
Essure is an implanted form of birth control which requires no surgery or incisions. Because the implant never needs to be removed, it is considered permane
nt. The procedure may be done in a physician’s office rather than a hospital, which also appeals to many women who don’t want to deal with a longer recovery time.
The risk of pregnancy when Essure is completed correctly is around 0.1 percent. There is no longer a need to buy other forms of contraception to prevent pregnancy. It’s also NOT reversible.
How is the Procedure Done?
Tiny coils made of fiber and metal are placed in the Fallopian tubes. The coils create scar tissue, which becomes heavier over time and prevents sperm from getting to the egg. To insert and position the device, the doctor uses a hysteroscope for the procedure which is a tube with a camera.
While the procedure only takes a few minutes, it takes about three months to become effective against pregnancy. For some women, it may take longer.
Who Shouldn’t Use Essure?
Essure isn’t right for everyone. Any woman who might want to have children in the future should not have the procedure. Other women might experience serious side effects if they have the procedure and other medical conditions. These women include the following:
- Someone with a metal allergy
- Someone with an autoimmune health condition
- Someone who recently had a baby
- Someone diagnosed with a recent pelvic infection
- Someone with blockage in their fallopian tubes or uterus
- Someone who has had a tubal ligation
Your doctor should warn you about any issues with you being a potential candidate for the Essure procedure.
What are the Risks with Essure?
Essure does pose some risks for women who have the procedure. Some of these risks are minor while others may have more serious consequences. They include:
- Pelvic pain
- Allergic reaction which can include itching, hives and swelling of the face
- Heavy periods or spotting at other times of the month
- Infection
- Shifting of the coils to other areas
- Perforation of the fallopian tubes
- Perforation of the uterus
Some side effects are normal, including cramps, nausea and vomiting as well as abdominal pain.
FDA Examination of Essure
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been investigating the adverse event reports that are associated with Essure. Some of these effects are severe enough to cause women to have surgery to have the coils removed.
The examination by the FDA led to a meeting to learn more about Essure with the Obstetrics and Gynecology Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee which was held in September 2015. During the meeting, scientific opinions and clinical information were presented along with specific patient experiences. The FDA provided a public docket to gain comments on Essure which remained open until October 2015. During that time, there were over 2800 comments added to the docket.
After this information was reviewed, the FDA took another step in ensuring the safety of Essure. It ordered post-market surveillance to be conducted by Bayer, which is the manufacturer of Essure. The study was approved in September 2016 with updates to be made available.
The FDA provided its final guidance for Essure on October 31, 2016. There were concerns on the labeling and the information provided to allow patients to be informed well enough to make a decision about selecting it as a permanent birth control method.
Based on its findings, the FDA provided guidelines for labeling. They include the following:
- A warning on the side effects and risk of complications and the information about possible removal
- A Decision Checklist which would include specific items about the device and its use, which should be provided to the patient
In addition, the FDA received 14,919 reports related to the contraceptive device in the Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database. While some of the complaints were for minor issues, such as headaches, abdominal pain and weight fluctuations, many of the reports were more serious. For example, a total of 2,402 reports were on the incompatibility between the patient and the device. Another 1,485 were on the migration of the device while 261 were on the device’s positioning.
Women have filed lawsuits against Bayer over Essure to recover compensation for the injuries they say came from the device. If you have suffered side effects or complications as a result of the Essure procedure, contact us to find out if you are eligible for compensation.
Continued Clinical Studies
The FDA has continued to follow Essure studies after thousands of complaints were discovered online and issued an order that a Black Box warning be added to the label, which is the strongest warning available by the FDA to provide notice to medical professionals and their patients about the potential for migration of the device and perforation of organs along with chronic pain which may be associated with Essure.
There has been some controversy about the clinical trials with concern that the requirements of the studies were not followed. For example, the FDA ordered the manufacturer to follow the participants for five years, but many of them were only followed for two years or less. Numerous side effects were reported, but not all of them were linked to Essure. Data on some of the participants was not even included in the reports, which often occurs when the participants have problems.
If you or a loved one has experienced severe side effects from Essure, give us a call to discuss the merits of your case.
Minor and Major Impacts of Essure
The most frequent issues reported from Essure include:
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Heavy periods
- Changes in weight
- Abdominal pain
Other issues were more serious, including:
- migration of the device
- incompatibility of the device
- breakage of the device
- incorrect positioning of the device
- difficulty with insertion, and
- differences in the operation of the device.
Deaths Have Been Reported
There were also 26 deaths reported. The majority of those involved pregnancies while two included infant death after birth. Additionally, 631 reports were found where the women who had the Essure device implanted became pregnant. Of those, 294 lost their pregnancy with 96 being ectopic.
The manufacturer has promoted Essure as a safer alternative to other forms of permanent birth control. However, many women have suffered major issues, including perforated organs. If you have suffered from side effects after this procedure, call us today. We will fight on your behalf.
Lawsuits Surrounding Essure
Thousands of patients have filed lawsuits or turned to the legal system for advice. Allegations against the manufacturer of Essure include the fact that they failed to property warn of the risks of the device and that they failed to inform medical professionals how to manage complications with the device. In fact, over 200 lawsuits have been filed just in California with other states processing their own claims. More lawsuits are expected, especially if some of these pending suits are awarded to the claimants.
Getting Legal Help for Essure Complications
If you or a woman you love or are related to have had the Essure procedure done and are suffering from any of the major complications of the device, you should contact an attorney to review your case. Call us today and tell us the details of your situation. We offer a free consultation to give us a chance to determine if your situation qualifies for the next step. If we determine your case has merit, we will provide aggressive representation to help you get the amount of compensation you deserve.
We have been fighting for patients for decades and defending their rights against big pharma companies that fail to take responsibility for their products or to disclose pertinent information to consumers and the medical community. We will fight to ensure you receive compensation for medical costs you have incurred or will incur in the future, including for any additional surgeries that you might need because of the Essure device. You may also be entitled to compensation for pain and suffering, psychological distress and chronic pain.
We are aggressive litigators and skilled negotiators and we will fight to get you the compensation you deserve. You don’t have to go through this situation alone. We will be your advocate to ensure your rights are protected. | https://masstorts.com/essure-lawyer-lawsuit-claims/ |
The Q3 report leads on the results of a three-year engagement with the automotive sector aimed at cutting carbon emissions as the industry transitions away from the internal combustion engine. In a wide-ranging round-up, Cristina Cedillo reflects on the progress made and the challenges still ahead in the years to come.
Emerging markets are another challenging arena to engage with, but they also hold much potential in delivering significant improvement of environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices. As they embark upon one of the team’s major engagement themes for 2020, Michiel van Esch and Ronnie Lim set out their expectations for this tailor-made program with companies from China, South Korea and Brazil.
As one engagement program begins, another ends. Closing a three-year rapport with the office real estate sector, Sylvia van Waveren explains how the program led to companies further incorporating sustainability into their processes and making more detailed disclosures. She summarizes the progress made in this high-carbon sector and highlights the initial impacts of Covid-19 on office buildings.
Another sector profoundly affected by the coronavirus pandemic is food production systems around the world. Laura Bosch provides an update on how Covid-19 is affecting various industries along the food value chain and highlights the negative effect of the crisis on progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goal SDG 2: Zero hunger.
As well as engagement, voting forms an important part of the Active Ownership team’s work. As dissatisfaction with executive remuneration continues to rise among stakeholders in society, Carolina Vergroesen gives an insight on the effects of Say-on-Pay votes. And although shareholder proposals are often seen as being progressive on ESG issues, Robert Dykstra highlights the niche of some anti-social proposals that have the exact opposite goal.
“Throughout the past quarter, there have been several developments around our engagement program,” says Carola van Lamoen, Head of Robeco’s SI Center of Expertise. “We have officially launched our new engagement theme on improving corporate governance in emerging markets, which aims to facilitate corporate governance improvements in China, South Korea, and Brazil.”
“We continuously look for innovative ways to effectively engage on material issues, which was demonstrated by our active participation in a joint investor meeting with the vice president of Brazil to discuss the preservation of the Amazon rainforest. In addition, we have embarked in Q3 2020 on a research project to develop a framework for sovereign bondholder engagement.”
“Lastly, we are proud to announce that Robeco has taken an important next step in our SI approach with the decision to exclude investments in thermal coal, oil sands, and Arctic drilling; three fossil fuel sources with the greatest negative impact on carbon emissions and ecosystems. Through this exclusion, we can further focus our engagement efforts on companies where we can generate long-term stakeholder value.”
The contents of this document have not been reviewed by the Securities and Futures Commission ("SFC") in Hong Kong. If you are in any doubt about any of the contents of this document, you should obtain independent professional advice. This document has been distributed by Robeco Hong Kong Limited (‘Robeco’). Robeco is regulated by the SFC in Hong Kong.
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2016. It will be reviewed annually and remain in effect until any amendments are approved by Moody’s.
Moody’s tax strategy is aligned with our overall approach to corporate governance and risk management,
including our Code of Business Conduct. As with our broader business activities, integrity, honesty and
ethical behavior guide our approach.
Moody’s Group UK Organizational Structure
This tax strategy statement applies to all Moody’s group companies and branches that are incorporated
within the UK and/ or tax resident in the UK (collectively “Moody’s UK”).
Tax Risk Management
Moody’s is committed to complying with all tax laws in the jurisdictions where it operates, including the
UK. We maintain robust internal procedures and processes to support our global tax control framework
and employ appropriately qualified and experienced personnel to properly identify, evaluate and manage
tax risk. Professional care and judgment are employed to assess tax risks in order to arrive at wellreasoned conclusions on how the risks should be managed.
Our tax function maintains close working relationships with our businesses in the UK and provides them
with the appropriate guidance to ensure compliance with the UK tax laws. Engagement with stakeholders
ensures that tax risks are identified in a timely manner and any appropriate mitigating action is
undertaken. This results in an open and transparent environment within which tax risk can be managed.
Moody’s recognizes that external tax advisors can add value, particularly when providing advice regarding
new legislation and case law or in complex areas where further analysis is beneficial. All external advice
is reviewed by the in-house tax team to ensure any outcome is consistent with our overall tax strategy
and approach to managing risk.
Approach to Tax Planning
Moody’s complies with all tax rules and regulations on a worldwide basis and engages in tax planning that
is aligned with our business operations.
Moody’s recognizes that it has a responsibility to pay an appropriate amount of tax in each of the
jurisdictions in which it operates and aims to balance this with its responsibility to its shareholders to
structure its operations in an efficient manner. Any tax planning undertaken by us will have commercial
and economic substance as well as regard for the potential impact on our reputation and broader business
goals.
Transactions between Moody’s group companies, including its UK companies, are conducted on an arm’s
length basis.
Level of Tax Risk
As a large, multinational organization, Moody’s and its UK subsidiary companies and branches can be
exposed to tax risk. Where such risks arise, they are identified, evaluated and managed in a proactive
manner. We monitor operations, tax structure and arrangements so that they comply with changing tax
laws and regulations. We consult with external advisors when there is uncertainty as to the proper
interpretation or application of tax laws or regulations related to a material transaction.
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including OECD measures on country-by-country reporting and automatic exchange of information.
Open and Transparent Relationship with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)
Moody’s UK is committed to cooperate with HMRC in a professional and collaborative manner. We are
committed to being transparent about decision-making, governance and tax planning. In the event of a
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within a reasonable timeframe in order to remove uncertainty and mitigate tax risk. | https://ir.moodys.com/investor-resources/UK-Tax-Strategy/default.aspx |
The Cabinet approved an Incentives package contract to encourage investment in the use of alternative and renewable energy technologies
Ramallah, July 18, 2017: The Palestinian council of ministers approved an Incentive package contract to encourage investment in the use of alternative and renewable energy technologies, which was endorsed by PIPAs’ Board of Directors pursuant to the provisions of the Palestinian Investment Encouragement Law No. (1) of year 1998 and its amendments, The approval of the incentive package contract is a clear interpretation of the Palestinian government vision and its plans and commitments toward maintaining a healthy investment environment to attract foreign, Diaspora and expatriate investments in accordance with PIPAs’ strategic framework, which integrate with the National Policy Agenda 17-22, Local development and Sustainable Development Goals.
In view of the fact that energy sources are a major challenge in Palestine as we import around 90% of energy, a number of field surveys have been implemented through After Care Program, to examine the main obstacles facing the expansion of existing investments or attracting new investments by proposing policies that respond to the needs of providing an appropriate and competitive investment climate. And here PIPA assure that the energy challenge has become an opportunity and a viable investment opportunity.
The Incentive Package Contracts are considered to be the most competitive instruments in the Law. These contracts provide flexibility to PIPA to issue facilities that serve a certain sector, geographic location or a strategic project for the purpose of stimulating investment and increase performance in order to create jobs through production growth, increase export and transfer of technologies.
In line with the energy sector strategy and goal to generate 130 MW /s by 2020 from alternative energy sources, the incentive package contract is expected to stimulate investments to generate 30-40 MW /s in less than two years and to create 5,800 direct jobs through targeting Some 800 new or existing facilities, and the total investments expected to reach US $ 50 million, and to generate revenues estimated to be US $ 3 million in form of value added tax and investment registration fees.
It is worth mentioning that PIPAs’ BoD accredited as a representation of public and private sector given that the private sector is represented by 40%. The Council is chaired by HE Abeer Odeh, Minister of National Economy. And it is worth mentioning that PIPAs’ BoD in process of endorsing new Incentive Package contracts in response to Investment needs and strategic plans, to attract new foreign investments and this efforts supported by several available tools and programs whether from the public or private sector institutions or international institutions, and here we would like to extend our gratitude but not limited to DFID, EU, PMDP and USAID
The Palestinian Investment Promotion Agency (PIPA) is the practical expression of Palestine's vision and policy in encouraging the private sector and contributing to maintain and an appropriate investment environment, through providing local and foreign investors with services through the one stop shop and promoting the partnership and cooperation between the public and private sectors, and providing all needed information to assist investor to make the decision to invest and start businessman in Palestine, including the assistance in obtaining all the necessary licenses, and available investment opportunities and available sources of funding, and To maintain the relationship with investors through the After Care program under the guidance of PIPAs’ BoD chairperson H.E. Abeer Oudeh Minister of National Economy to achieve the goals of the Palestinian government headed by Prime Minister Dr. Rami Hamdallah , and the vision of H.E. Mr. President Mahmoud Abbas. | http://pipa.ps/page.php?id=271b81y2562945Y271b81 |
Senate Climate Crisis Committee Report Supports Biofuels in New Report
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) … The new report – which comes after dozens of hearings, meetings, and input from experts, labor unions, mayors, environmental justice leaders, and native communities, among others – details how bold climate action from Congress can create millions of new jobs, grow the American economy, and improve people’s lives across the country.
The Committee’s report calls on Congress to:
- Reduce U.S. emissions rapidly to achieve 100 percent global net-zero emissions no later than 2050;
- Stimulate economic growth by increasing federal spending on climate action to at least 2 percent of GDP annually — and ensure that at least 40 percent of the benefits from these investments help communities of color and low-income, deindustrialized, and disadvantaged communities; and
- Create at least 10 million new jobs.
Biofuels, especially advanced biofuels coupled with BECCS, are highlighted as a way to address commissions but the impacts of climate change on crops is noted as a concern. READ MORE
Senate Democrats’ Climate Committee Releases New Report On Climate Action, Plan To Build Clean Economy For American People (Senate Democrats)
U.S. Flood Strategy Shifts to ‘Unavoidable’ Relocation of Entire Neighborhoods: Using tax dollars to move whole communities out of flood zones, an idea long dismissed as radical, is swiftly becoming policy, marking a new and more disruptive phase of climate change. (New York Times)
RFA Welcomes Inclusion of Renewable Fuels in Senate Democrats’ Climate Plan (Renewable Fuels Association)
Senate Democrats’ Climate Plan Includes Renewable Fuels (Energy.AgWired.com)
Excerpts from Senate Democrats: It is time to decarbonize everything possible: our cars, our homes, our public transportation, and our office buildings. In the near term, we must continue to significantly grow solar and wind energy, energy storage, and electric vehicles while conducting more research into new technologies, advanced biofuels, and smaller and safer nuclear power.
…
Switching fuels for high-temperature heat
Many industrial processes require high-temperature heat, which is not suited for replacement by electrification.176 For example, making cement requires temperatures of 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit, and melting iron ore to produce steel requires temperatures of 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit.177 One way to address these emissions is the use of low- and zero-carbon fuels, such as hydrogen, ammonia, and biofuels.
…
Promising negative emission technologies include: afforestation projects and other natural solutions; direct air capture (pulling carbon dioxide directly from the air); and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), which pairs
carbon capture technologies with biofuels.185 All of these technologies require more research and development to deploy them at the scale needed, but we likely need to pursue all options to achieve a net-zero economy.
…
Developing cleaner liquid fuels
Alternative liquid fuels could play a significant role in reducing the carbon intensity of the U.S. transportation system by transitioning it away from oil dependency. This is particularly applicable for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, including trucks, farming and mining vehicles that are more challenging to electrify, and for specific regions of the country. It is also true for transportation modes like aviation, rail, some freight trucking, and marine shipping,
where viable alternatives to liquid fuel are not yet available. It will also be important for the United States’ existing fleet of internal combustion engine vehicles. Advanced and cellulosic biofuels, coupled with carbon capture and storage technologies, have the potential to serve as alternatives to fossil fuels if we continue investing in their development.
One of the big drivers of biofuels in the United States has been tax subsidies. In December 2019, Congress retroactively extended the biodiesel tax credit for years 2017-2022 and the second generation biofuels tax credit for years 2017-2020. The Joint Committee on Taxation estimated the value of the biodiesel tax credit at $15 billion and the second-generation biofuels tax credit at $43 million.
Currently, the primary driver of alternatives fuels in the United States is the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The RFS creates a mandate for volumes of renewable fuels that refiners and blenders must use in transportation fuels, and sets up a trading system so those volumes can be used most efficiently. If implemented properly, the RFS gives farmers revenue stability, allowing U.S. agriculture to play an important role in reducing U.S. oil usage and further supporting rural economies.
Although biodiesel use has expanded, the advanced biofuels segment has not otherwise developed as rapidly as the authors of the RFS envisioned. This is at least in part because the Trump administration continues to lower biofuel volumes and waive blending requirements under the RFS, jeopardizing the market stability that the RFS was intended to create. New policy tools may be needed to encourage growth of new advanced fuels beyond just corn starch ethanol and soybean biodiesel.
A Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) may also be an effective policy to reduce the carbon intensity of the fuel supply. An LCFS sets a maximum carbon intensity level for fuels that must be met each year, with the goal of increasing the range of commercially available low-carbon and renewable fuel alternatives.267
California was the first state in the country to implement an LCFS. The California system regulates refineries and distributors and allows emissions trading to increase economic efficiency. To date, California’s LCFS has helped avoid 38 million tons of carbon pollution and the use of 13.7 billion gallons of gasoline. The California LCFS was the model for a similar program in British Columbia, and Oregon recently followed California’s lead and adopted an LCFS of its own. In 2010, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and the District of Columbia formed the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI). TCI has developed a draft memorandum to create a cap-and-trade system for greenhouse gas emissions from transportation fuels and invest revenues to achieve additional emission reduction benefits. The
proposal is currently out for public comment, and TCI hopes to finalize it by September 2020.
…
ADVANCED LIQUID FUELS. One of the biggest challenges to reducing emissions from aviation is the continued
reliance, at least for commercial aviation and freight, on liquid fuels. The weight-to-energy ratio of batteries
will need to come down significantly before electric aviation becomes a viable alternative for commercial flights.
However, some smaller airlines are investing in electric air fleets for shorter trips, including Cape Air in Massachusetts.284 Since the aviation sector will likely depend on liquid fuels in the near term, we must develop the next generation of cleaner fuels as quickly as possible. Advances are already being made in advanced and cellulosic biofuels. There have also been proposals to create a federal LCFS similar to the one in California for aviation fuels, to bring low-carbon fuels to market. Another potential opportunity is to make synthetic jet fuel from carbon removed from the air through direct air capture.
Investments in research, development, and deployment of new technologies will help bring technologies to market and achieve economies of scale. In 2012, President Obama created the Navy Biofuel Initiative under the Defense Production Act (DPA) to speed the development of “drop in” biofuel substitutes for diesel and jet fuel.”285 This initiative used Title III of the DPA to procure $510 million of biofuels for the Navy. As a result, in 2016 the Navy launched its “Great Green Fleet” using a biodiesel petroleum blend, utilizing biofuels it bought for less than the cost of gasoline.286
Additional federal R&D spending could aid the development of usable batteries and advanced fuels for aviation.
…
America’s farmers already have many of the tools they need to improve productivity, increase resilience to extreme events, and generate new income. Advanced biofuels and biomaterials are being developed as alternatives to synthetic plastics, building on the opportunity demonstrated by ethanol to continue lessening our dependence on fossil fuels. Certain farming and ranching practices can also draw significant carbon from the atmosphere, and when this service is assessed a value, it can mean new income for farmers and ranchers. The data show that these soil-enhancing practices can also make farms more productive and resilient to flood and droughts. Expanding methane capture, the use of tailored livestock feed mixes, and precision farming aided by satellites, broadband data, and sensors can substantially reduce both emissions and production costs from our working lands.
These advancements and others, when used at scale, can make farms more profitable while helping fight climate change.
…
The federal government can and should facilitate this transition by promoting stable markets, providing incentives and financial support to implement best practices, and delivering accessible, science-based decision-making tools. Specifically, Congress should:
- Expand existing USDA agricultural conservation programs and include improved soil health and soil carbon storage incentives.
- Invest in technical assistance and expand apprenticeship programs to support farmers and ranchers as they adopt and expand regenerative practices.
- Facilitate participation in carbon markets by supporting research and development of accurate, low-cost, readily scalable methods to measure soil carbon.
- Provide funding for research, development, and deployment of advanced biofuels and bio-based products from waste products and non-food crops.
- Provide technical assistance and financial incentives to scale the use of methane digesters.
- Fund grants, incentives, and tax credits to assist with the costs of building on-farm clean power generation and reduce the costs and technical barriers of connecting to the grid.
- Invest in and maintain state-of-the-art universal rural connectivity, including rural broadband.
…
Growing the bio-based economy can reduce emissions and bolster rural economies
The federal government has invested in research and development of these products for years, but regulatory uncertainty and market volatility create barriers to private sector investment in advanced biofuels like cellulosic ethanol.590 Increased federal funding for RD&D of advanced biofuels and bio-based products from waste products and non-food crops could significantly accelerate the adoption of advanced biofuels and bioproducts in American commerce, thereby lowering emissions in the transportation, electric, and industrial sectors.
We need a stable framework that accounts for the climate and ecosystem benefits of these fossil fuel alternatives—and passes this value on to farmers and advanced biofuel producers. This would promote the sustained investment necessary to develop the next generation of these products and accelerate their use by consumers and industry. But as this sector grows, we must focus on increasing productivity on each parcel of land, while protecting high-worth
conservation areas.
…
There is also great potential in transitioning more farm technology and processes to systems fueled with clean electricity or to systems that pair electric power with biofuel-fueled vehicles and machinery.
…
Energy production from biomass includes biodiesel, energy crops, landfill gas and biogas, municipal solid waste, algae, and wood waste. U.S. investments in bioenergy R&D should prioritize advancing ways to efficiently produce bioenergy from agricultural, municipal, or industrial waste and development of renewable hydrocarbon biofuels. These forms of
bioenergy offer particular promise for decreasing emissions in harder-to-shift sectors. It is also important that biofuels be produced sustainably. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Center for Bioenergy Innovation has identified three overarching research targets:
(1) sustainable biomass feedstock crops using plant genomics;
(2) advanced processes to convert plants into specialty biofuels; and
(3) valuable bioproducts, such as chemical feedstocks made from lignin residue from bioprocessing.1010
In 2019, ARPA-E announced funding to develop technologies to quantify feedstock-related emissions at the field level.1011 DOE also announced R&D funding for projects related to improving algae yield, enhancing conversion efficiency, lowering costs of smaller wet waste systems, and using systems research to improve performance and lower costs of hydrocarbon biofuels.1012 Renewable hydrocarbon biofuels, or ‘drop-in’ fuels, present opportunities to replace petroleum in existing pipelines, refineries, and engines; this field particularly merits increased R&D funding.
…
Solutions are emerging for harder-to-shift sectors, but more work is needed
…
Aviation, freight, and shipping are additional areas for further innovation. Promising propulsion for planes includes renewable drop-in fuels, hydrogen fuel cells, and batteryelectric engines. Biofuels can be made from industrial process waste gases, reusing carbon.
…
A lignin and ethanol blend and cooking oil are two of the biofuels in R&D for use in shipping. Hydrogen and ammonia are considered promising alternatives, but RD&D is needed to advance green production and address the special storage considerations for these fuels. One manufacturer plans to deliver its first ammonia engine in 2024. Efficiency is another aspect of emissions-reducing RD&D in shipping, and ranges from rotor sails, to paints that improve glide, and “flapping foil” propellers.
…
The Department of Defense (DoD) has a sizable budget for energy-related RD&D and has funded projects related to solar PV materials, battery storage, fuel cells, biofuels, and microgrids.
…
Some references: | https://advancedbiofuelsusa.info/senate-climate-crisis-committee-report-supports-biofuels-in-new-report/ |
Published 1988 by The Office in Washington, D.C .
Written in EnglishRead online
Edition Notes
|Other titles||Lessons from the Maryland experience.|
|Statement||United States General Accounting Office.|
|The Physical Object|
|Pagination||81 p. :|
|Number of Pages||81|
|ID Numbers|
|Open Library||OL17660431M|
Download Enterprise zones
Enterprise Zone: An enterprise zone is a geographical area, such as a neighborhood within a city, where a government authority grants special tax or. The Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) program’s Development Enterprise Zone (DZE) certification category provides businesses located within the boundaries of Enterprise and Economic Development Zones with 2 preference points or a 2 percentage of price reduction when evaluated as a part of a procurement opportunity.
Once a business meets the Local Business Enterprise (LBE) requirements. This book explores how policy ideas are spread—or diffused—in an age in which policymaking has become increasingly complex and specialized.
Using the concept of enterprise zones as a case study in policy diffusion, Karen Mossberger compares the process of their adoption in Virginia, Indiana, Michigan, New York, and Massachusetts over a. Octo Enterprise Zones, Part 3.
Testimony on enterprise zones continues. Witnesses include representatives from the Urban Institute, the New York.
Enterprise Zones are part of the Government’s wider Enterprise zones book Strategy to support businesses and enable local economic growth.
The first 24 Zones were launched in and 24 new Zones were created in and Businesses that locate on an Enterprise Zone can access a number of benefits: Simplified local authority planning, for example. Enterprise Zones 39 location of capital investment.
If any tax-induced investment only repre-sents relocation from another state, then tax competition is a zero-sum game for the country as a whole. In addition, the preferential treatment of certain types of investment or employment within EZs.
The committee heard testimony on the administration's proposal for 'enterprise zones,' which would provide specific incentives for investors in particular areas of American cities most in need of. Enterprise zones (EZs) are geographic areas in which companies can qualify for a variety of subsidies.
The original intent of most EZ programs was to encourage businesses to stay, locate, or expand in depressed areas and thereby help to revitalize them. EZ subsidies often include a variety of corporate income tax credits, property tax.
Enterprise Zones consist of areas of “economic distress,” meaning conditions of high unemployment, poverty, and declining population. DED accepts applications from Nebraska cities, villages, counties, or Enterprise zones book Government Areas that wish to apply for an Enterprise Zone designation.
An urban enterprise zone is an area in which policies to encourage economic growth and development are implemented. Urban enterprise zone policies generally offer tax concessions, infrastructure incentives, and reduced regulations to attract investments and private companies into the zones.
Enterprise Zones An Enterprise Zone is defined as an economically lagging area of Colorado in which special tax incentives are offered to businesses that expand or locate in the zone. More information can be found through the Department of Revenue at The Enterprise Zones (EZ) Partnership Program gives State & County benefits to companies in an effort to stimulate business activity, job preservation, and job creation in areas where they are most appropriate or Enterprise zones book needed.
If your business meets the eligibility requirements and you enroll in the program you can reduce your State taxes and. The term "enterprise zone" was coined in by Geoffrey Howe, a Conservative member of the British Parliament, according to "Enterprise Zones: Greenlining the Inner Cities," a book by.
The government has today (25 November ) announced 18 new Enterprise Zones and extended 8 zones. In total there will be 44 Enterprise Zones in. The Beaverton Enterprise Zone is an urban enterprise zone and includes additional eligibility requirements beyond to those required by the State program.
Enterprise Zones are designed to encourage business investment through property tax relief, in specific areas of the state. In exchange for locating or expanding into an Enterprise Zone.
Enterprise Zones: Critical Positions (Film Studies (Boulder, Colo.).) 1st Edition by Kent Ono (Author), Elyce Rae Helford (Author), Taylor Harrison (Author), & out of 5 stars 1 rating. ISBN ISBN Why is ISBN important.
ISBN. This bar-code number lets you verify that you're getting exactly the right version 5/5(1). Official government website about the 24 Enterprise Zones in England, which offer Business Rates relief, superfast broadband, simplified planning and more. Start studying Ch 6 Entrepreneurship and Starting a Small Business.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The idea of "Free Enterprise Zones" has been offered by some scholars and governmental leaders as a way to spur economic development in Black urban communities characterized by unemployment and low levels of business infrastructure.
In June CPCS and the William Monroe Trotter Institute of the. Additional Physical Format: Online version: Dunn, Brian J. Enterprise zones.
[Lansing, Mich.] Legislative Research Division, (OCoLC) Enterprise zones exempt businesses from local property taxes on new investments for a specified amount of time, which varies among different zone programs. Sponsored by city, port, county, or tribal governments, an enterprise zone typically serves as a focal point for local development efforts.
In a follow-up study, Kolko and Neumark () explored the associations between the job-creating effects of California enterprise zones and (1) factors relating to the areas in which enterprise zones are established and (2) how enterprise zones are administered.
The research used a survey of enterprise zone administrators that asked detailed. The council works out how the relief is applied.
You could get up to £55, a year over 5 years. Find your local enterprise zone to check whether it offers business rates relief, and how and. Microsoft. Microsoft and Zones provide intelligent solutions to help you succeed in the future.
As an authorized Microsoft Licensing Solutions Partner and a Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider, Zones offers the solutions, teams, and services that support an agile, engaged, and energized workplace.
in enterprise zones that did not receive tax exemptions and firms not located in enterprise zones. • By all measures of economic activity used in the study—job growth, total payroll and average wage, firms in rural remote enterprise zones lagged behind comparison areas.
• The long-run analysis showed that in general, poverty rates and. Enterprise zones were first proposed by the Reagan administration as a supply-side effort to reenergize inner cities, and they were eventually embraced by liberals and conservatives alike.
They are a compelling example of a policy idea that spread and evolved by: Enterprise zone definition is - an economically depressed area in which business growth is encouraged by the government through tax relief and financial concessions.
Enterprise Zones riseZones was originally created to be used in a web application that allows the public to search by address and be informed whether or not a. The concept of the enterprise zone - with its targeted tax and other incentives - is analyzed, and case studies are critiqued, in the comprehensive coverage of this volume.
It presents the viewpoints of academics, government researchers and public officials concerned with economic and Author: Roy E. Green. size of the literature on enterprise zones, we believe it is high time for a multistate evaluation of the effectiveness of enterprise zones.
In this book we look at state and local zones only, and our sectoral focus is on manufacturing. We ignore federal zones because they are very differ.
/ Marilyn Marks Rubin --Enterprise zones: Maryland case study / Patrick G. Grasso and Scott B. Crosse --Determinants of enterprise zone success: a four state perspective / Richard C. Elling and Ann Workman Sheldon --Comparative dimensions of state enterprise zone policies / Rodney A.
Erickson and Susan W. Friedman --The British enterprise. Enterprise zones are specific geographical areas within a local enterprise partnership’s boundaries.
London's Enterprise Zone is within the Royal Docks in East London, an area that provides a fantastic opportunity to develop in excess of 5 million square foot of commercial space along with homes and jobs. Clermont County has designated certain areas as Rural Enterprise Zones, which allows for eligible companies to receive real property tax exemptions on new investment of up to 60% for up to 10 years in townships.
Under limited circumstances, and with approval of the locally affected school district, an exemption of % for 15 years may be granted. Virginia renews 15 Enterprise Zones State program has generated more than $B in investment jobs since Published Decem by Sydney Lake Fifteen Virginia Enterprise Zones (VEZ) were renewed for another five years, continuing to make expanded economic development grants available for qualified employers and investors in the zones, Gov.
Ralph Northam. Enterprise 4-workbook-teachers-book 1. Key to Workbook Enterprise Intermediate 2. Unit 1 - People & Jobs Reading Comprehension (p.
4) Warm-up Activities (Suggested answers) Perhaps it is about a boy who inherits his father's company at the age of The Enterprise Zone Program is a part of California’s Geographically-Targeted Economic Development Areas, which provides tax incentives and benefits to stimulate business investment and job creation for qualified disadvantaged individuals in state-designated economically distressed areas.
Welcome to the Indiana Department of Revenue's (DOR) enterprise zone interactive map. This map represents an estimate of the enterprise zones' boundaries, and are not guaranteed to be % precise.
This map has not been updated sinceand may show. In March ofthe US Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency chose The Enterprise Center to host their first Opportunity Zone summit, where we assembled thought leaders, subject matter experts, and entrepreneurs to discuss the promise and potential that Opportunity Zones hold for minority-owned businesses.
Enterprise zones are an integral part of that strategy. Ministers hope that a combination of lower taxes and reduced regulations will provide the conditions for businesses to : Mark Wilding. The government has announced locations for new "enterprise zones" in England to try to boost economic growth.
Ministers s new jobs. enterprise zones in Oregon. A Little of the Old, A Little of the New Equals Success for Orox Leather Company.Connecticut ' s enterprise zone incentives are available in 17 state-approved enterprise zones, which by law are economically distressed areas no larger than two contiguous census tracts.
The number of permitted zones and the criteria for designating them is set in statute. (The law fixes the number of zones at 15, all of which have been.The rationale for enterprise zones is most fundamentallybased on the view that economic growth can be sustained over the long run only by reliance on free markets and the private sector. | https://dydukaqugaq.stpaullimoservice.com/enterprise-zones-book-18661mv.php |
Mozambique is painting itself into a corner. Already extremely hydropower-dependent, the poor Southern African nation's next priority energy project is yet another large, costly dam on the Zambezi, at a time when climate change threatens to make the river's flow more erratic and hydropower more risky. The Mphanda Nkuwa Dam's power will primarily be for export to South Africa, since Mozambique's people are too poor, and its national grid too small, to make the dam economically viable for domestic use. Local NGO Justiça Ambiental contracted energy expert Mark Hankins to analyze what it would take for the nation to embrace market-ready renewable energy solutions. This excerpt from his new report discusses changes needed to reach this green future.
Mozambique is three countries.
The “first country” is a power house for the Southern Africa region. Based on low-priced electricity from Cahora Bassa, it is able to pump hundreds of millions of dollars worth of power into South Africa and to attract investors that set up energy-intensive “megaprojects” such as smelting plants and refineries. Electricidade de Mozambique (EdM), the national power company, is a leader in the region, with an electrification program that is expanding at the rate of 100,000 new connections per year. This “country” is negotiating with international investors to install the multi-billion dollar Mphanda Nkuwa Dam, and inject still more power into the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) grid.
The “second country” is predominately off-grid, poorly served by electricity infrastructure, and – at less than 50 kWh/capita/annum – has among the lowest per capita use of electricity in the world. This second country is unable to extend or build power stations in remote regions, and its planned transmission infrastructure forces most of the power it produces to be exported to South Africa, before re-importing at higher cost. It relies on international donors to fund over 75% of its slow-moving rural electrification programs. Its rural areas have poor access to communication, roads and income generation, in large part because there is little economic activity or ability to process agricultural products.
The “third country” is energy-rich with a vast potential for decentralized clean electricity and fuel production. It has virtually unlimited solar power across the entire country and large biomass resources that could be used for electrical production in strategic areas. It has over 1000 MW of mini-hydro potential, much of it in areas that are currently electricity-starved. It has the second largest coastline in Africa, with unexplored wind resources that could contribute to the national grid.
Mozambique’s future development will largely be determined by whether it utilises the ample energy resources of the “third country” to bring power to the “second country”. However, at a time when many countries in the world are actively implementing renewable energy programs, Mozambique still does not have such a program and is primarily focused on the “first country’s” mega-power needs.
Mozambique’s huge untapped potential of renewable energy technologies are well-suited for both urban and rural energy development. But its electricity sector has a short-sighted and risky reliance on electricity from large dams which is primarily driven by a need to sell low-cost power to South Africa and industry. Because of this focus on power prices and large projects (and, typically, an avoidance of addressing environmental and social costs in pricing these projects), Mozambique is missing out on critical global developments in new clean sources of energy that could benefit its population, create new industry, jobs and capacities, and bring ample, high-quality power to its own population.
Moreover, a lack of leadership, implementation capacity, policy and incentives is causing Mozambique to miss out on viable renewable opportunities that would benefit the country for the long term. The lack of government-designed incentives constrains renewables development and lowers investment appetite for rural electrification.
Mozambique’s close integration with South Africa impacts immensely on the way energy projects are developed. Like many African countries, Mozambique has followed a centralized approach to electricity supply, selecting power sources according to criteria that are largely determined by cost – and ease of financing. Its current supply focus on large-scale energy projects is directed primarily at electricity for industry and electricity for export to the Southern African Power Pool – which has rapidly increasing demands for power.
In fact, through use of energy efficiency programs, South Africa has the potential to quickly reduce its own electricity consumption by an amount equivalent to 3 to 5 times Mozambique’s entire consumption!
As long as Mozambique’s power planners focus on the huge consumer next door, they will never adequately meet the needs of their own country, which remains largely off-grid and unconnected.
Mozambique is now in the awkward position of having to export electricity from Cahora Bassa Dam via South Africa’s transmission system, and re-import it for use in the capital city of Maputo. The transport of electricity via this system encourages a relatively high waste of electricity, as large amounts of power are lost in these transactions.
Despite the ample resource and large number of potential sites (as well as the positive government policy towards small- and micro-hydro), the overall development focus has been on megaprojects such as Mphanda Nkuwa. Only a handful of small and micro-hydro projects have been completed over the past five years. This is largely due to the lack of capacity to implement small-scale microhydro projects, lack of clear process and lack of focus on the sector.
What’s the Problem?
The following summarizes the key obstacles to developing Mozambique’s ample renewable potential.
A Lack of Leadership, Capacity, Policy and Incentives
Renewable energies are constrained less by cost and technical feasibility than by a lack of leadership and political will to utilise existing resources.
As is the case in many African countries, the development of large-scale renewable energy projects in Mozambique is still in its infancy. Because of climate change and the need for diversified power sources, Germany, Spain, Japan, China, India and the US (and, soon – with its new feed-in tariffs – even South Africa) are rapidly recognizing the need to make systematic shifts away from large hydro and coal-fired power. They have developed strong policy drivers, such as feed-in tariffs, renewable targets, and special-purpose incentives to rapidly build up their renewable energy industries.
Mozambique’s power sector is only beginning to consider such moves, and on a relatively small scale. Senior players in the government and energy sector have not demonstrated knowledge or interest of the rapid policy changes being made in other countries, or of the need for leadership and strong incentives in the development of renewable energy markets.
The government-led approach to renewable projects has prevented the growth of the private sector in PV, wind, cogen and small-scale hydro.
Given the relatively large private sector investment flows into other sectors (i.e., tourism, agriculture), it is surprising that there is little encouragement of the private sector to enter power generation in areas where EdM cannot reach. Worldwide, virtually all successful on- and off-grid PV sector developments have been private-sector based, not based on government procurements.
Thus far, Mozambique’s isolated renewable energy generation for mini-grids and remote stand-alone power is dominated by government. Although the World Bank attempted to stimulate private sector initiatives, this was abandoned by the government and to date the sector remains government controlled.
Private and community-led development – with incentives – of solar, wind, small-scale hydro and biomass resources is much more efficient than government-led initiatives. For example, in Germany and California, incentives offered for renewable energy production caused rapid development of capacity as consumers took up the incentives and as companies rushed to take advantage of new markets. GEF-supported incentives have resulted in installation of hundreds of thousands of solar home systems in Bangladesh, China, Sri Lanka and Uganda. Private sector led installation of microhydro systems in Rwanda is also increasingly successful. In these situations, the government does not procure – instead, it provides resources and actively facilitates the installation of systems to private consumers. Companies are able to use these incentives to sustainably build their markets.
Action Priorities
The suggested actions presented below would allow Mozambique to aggressively implement a clean energy plan. Such actions will encourage the development of locally available energy solutions that can be used to meet the needs of the vast majority of the presently unserved population. As well, the actions will promote local opportunities for investment while limiting harm to water resources and reducing vulnerability to climate change.
- Develop a renewable energy policy that sets aggressive targets for priority renewable energy technologies. The policy should contain specific and separate guidelines for the development of renewable energies on-grid and off-grid. There should be some type of equity between rural and urban projects to ensure that a fair allocation is made to areas that have, to date, received little focus from planners.
- Remove all duties and tariffs on renewable energy technologies. This will ensure costs are further reduced for consumers and help ensure that renewable energy technologies can compete on a level playing ground with traditional technologies. This should be done before any incentive or subsidy program is introduced.
- Actively encourage private-sector investment in renewable projects in Mozambique. Create clear incentives for investors, manufacturers and developers to utilise and promote renewable energies when making investments in the country. Renewable energy support should not be targeted exclusively to off-grid initiatives and poverty alleviation; renewables should be encouraged in economically active sectors including tourism, telecommunications and commercial, as well as among middle- and high-income households.
- Create feed-in tariffs and standard agreements for grid-connected mini-hydro, solar, wind and biomass cogeneration projects. Such tariffs can be based upon similar programs in South Africa or other neighboring countries. Actively seek revenue through energy export taxes and donors to support feed-in tariffs and off-grid renewable energy projects.
- Expand subsidy funds for off-grid renewable energy projects that support PV, wind, microhydro and biomass projects in isolated and mini-grids. Open this fund up to community groups, the private sector investors and/or EdM.
- While stimulating the growth of a local renewable energy sector, increase programs for training qualified personnel in engineering, installation and maintenance of renewable systems. Such training would require a balanced mix of university-level engineering training, community-level instruction to decentralize maintenance and service, as well as support for private sector training initiatives. These efforts would necessarily require government certification to fit within existing policy.
- Actively encourage energy efficiency in Mozambique through policies and programs. First steps would be appliance and building standards, and working with the largest industries to reduce energy use. A program to retrofit public buildings would also send a strong message.
- Seek to harmonize SAPP efforts to introduce decentralized energy technologies, energy efficiency standards, demand management and feed-in tariffs for renewables. Seek support for region-wide funds to develop renewable energy projects that benefit the SAPP. SAPP needs to adopt policies that prepare for climate change – in whatever form it takes – by quickly shifting its focus from mega-coal and dam projects to smaller, environmentally friendly solutions.
BOX: Mozambique's Renewable Palette
Biomass steam cogeneration: Mozambique increasingly sees itself as a country with a large base of resources for both biofuels and biomass-fired generation. However, investments are yet to be made. Use of biomass electricity has the potential to generate the most jobs because Mozambique’s small and medium sized enterprises can be involved in all stages of the supply and production chain. Biomass steam turbines are close to being competitive with other power sources. Given cogen’s mature status, the connection with the established sugar industry, and benefits of additional income to farmers, as a first step, there is a need to build upon the bagasse resource in the sugar industry for power generation.
Small-Scale Hydro: Great potential to build up energy resources far from the grid to help develop remote areas. More than 60 potential mini-hydro sites with over 1,000 MW of potential. Slightly more expensive than large-scale hydro, but requires lower up-front investment. If managed locally, mini-hydro provides a decentralized “development” focus for the country, enabling medium-sized developers or even communities to enter construction and ownership programs. A major constraint is lack of capacity at regional levels to develop projects, and lack of private investors to take up projects.
Wind farms: Mozambique’s Indian Ocean coastline should be surveyed for wind resources. Thus far, although no areas show outstanding resources (6 m/s have been registered), there is much potential for study. Seasonality of wind resources must be closely analyzed. Given the modest potential and the extra expenses of building capacity in Mozambique, it is likely that wind costs will be above 6¢/kWh for some time. Wind is showing relatively rapid and large reductions in cost, and will be considerably less expensive by 2015.
Concentrating solar: Because CSP plants can store energy for some hours and dispatch it when needed, they are well suited for large-scale grid connection Large-scale CSP has yet to be developed in Africa, despite high potential. CSP technologies are rapidly developing energy storage capacities that enable them to become firm power providers. Mozambique has excellent solar resources and could be a major CSP player. Recently introduced feed-in tariffs in South Africa have made CSP especially attractive in that country.
Reducing Demand: Through use of energy efficiency programs, South Africa has the potential to quickly reduce its own electricity consumption by an amount equivalent to 3 to 5 times Mozambique’s entire consumption. | https://archive.internationalrivers.org/resources/tapping-local-green-power-could-light-up-mozambique-1769 |
This is a guest blog written by NCEL’s Communications Intern Sophie Kahler. Sophie is a master’s student at the George Washington University studying Media and Strategic Communication. She has a B.A. in Geography and a minor in History from the University of South Carolina.
On August 16, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) into law, a landmark piece of legislation that includes $369 billion in climate and energy investments along with tax and healthcare reforms. While the bill will advance the federal government’s action against climate change, it also includes significant investments in climate policy at the state level.
Key Components
The IRA includes historic investments in clean energy tax credits that will encourage the development of carbon-reducing infrastructure and move toward a 40% emissions reduction from 2005 levels by 2030. Credits and subsidies for technologies including renewable electricity, hydrogen, clean vehicles, carbon capture and sequestration, and nuclear power will be extended by 10 years to 2032. The bill will also incentivize the creation of clean energy jobs, lower energy bills by $500 to $1,000 each year, and invest in disadvantaged communities bearing the cumulative impacts of environmental injustice.
The IRA also features critical investments targeted at states, including:
- $27 billion for states, tribal governments, nonprofits, and other eligible recipients to utilize zero-emission technologies and reduce climate pollution in disadvantaged communities through a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
- $8.6 billion for state energy offices to help consumers make updates to their homes through High-Efficiency Electric Homes Rebates (HEEHRA) and a Home Energy Performance-Based, Whole-House Rebates (HOMES) program.
- $5 billion for states, municipalities, and tribal governments to develop and implement plans to reduce pollution with a focus on environmental justice communities through Climate Pollution Reduction Grants.
- $2.6 billion in coastal resilience grants, including to state and tribal governments, to protect and restore coastal communities and ecosystems.
- $2.2 billion for state and eligible entities to plant trees and undertake land acquisition projects to increase carbon removal on private lands.
- $1 billion for state and local governments to adopt building energy codes, including $670 million for net-zero energy codes.
- $5 million for states to adopt and implement strict tailpipe emissions standards for vehicles.
States’ Role
States will play a major role in determining how and when the IRA investments are implemented. From regional power grid operators to state regulatory commissions, actors at the state level will be instrumental in carrying out new climate and energy policies.
The IRA allocates $27 billion to establish a national green bank to provide low-cost financing for clean energy infrastructure projects, from which states and tribal governments can apply for $7 billion in grants and loans. While green banks already exist in several states, this will allow more states to take advantage of financial support for low or zero-emission projects.
Other funding opportunities will be delegated to state and local policymakers to apply for and carry out. Some will face debate in state legislatures, while others, such as the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants, can be applied for by independent state agencies.
It will be up to states to utilize these new federal incentives and lead national climate action in a way that benefits states and their local communities.
What’s Next?
Like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law enacted last year, the passage of the IRA does not guarantee that the anticipated 40% emissions reductions will actually be realized. Lawmakers will have to work at all levels of government to make sure that the funds and other provisions are implemented successfully and to their full climate benefit. For example, if the provisions for carbon sequestration simply lead to the oil and gas industry using captured carbon to extract more fossil fuels, that provision will not have been successful.
The projected 40% emissions reduction under 2005 levels by 2030 is a huge step in the right direction. But it is only a step, not the finish line. Further policy action is needed at both the federal and state level to achieve the remaining 10% reductions by 2030 promised in the Paris Agreement, and the remaining 60% reduction for a net-zero emission world. According to the IPCC, emissions must peak by 2025 in order to limit warming to 1.5°C.
NCEL released a briefing book to help state legislators understand the resources and funding available from the IRA. We encourage you to review the briefing book to gain further insight into how states can use this legislation to achieve local, state, and national climate goals. | https://www.ncelenviro.org/articles/the-inflation-reduction-act-and-the-role-of-states/ |
Clean energy transitions can significantly improve the livelihoods of people, generating many more jobs than will be lost. However, new jobs will not always be created in the same places, suit the same workers or skillsets, or be of the same quality or remuneration.
Strategic design of clean energy transitions by governments can minimise negative employment disruptions and maximise opportunities for new, good quality jobs across regions by aligning with existing strengths, infrastructure and skillsets, promoting innovation and identifying opportunities in new and emerging areas. Establishing clear and transparent long-term energy transition strategies will help stimulate and de-risk private investment in clean energy sectors to support job creation.
- As part of Denmark’s decision to phase out oil and gas production in the North Sea by 2050, the government is planning an aid package to ensure local jobs for the existing skillset of oil and gas workers through carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) and electrification projects.1
- Japan has recently begun to deploy ammonia as a fuel for existing thermal power plants, which can retain existing workforces while creating jobs in new supply chains.
- Canada plans to leverage its existing strengths in the oil and gas sector to develop its hydrogen sector, creating up to 350 000 quality, green jobs over the next three decades.
Governments can also explicitly align industrial and climate policies to promote innovation and job creation in growing areas such as energy services, renewables and smart technology. Addressing issues such as economic diversification and development will be particularly important for fossil fuel producing and exporting countries.
- India’s Make in India industrialisation strategy aims to attract companies to produce solar PV, lithium batteries, solar charging infrastructure and other advanced technologies in India.
- Envision has been working with the city of Ordos in China’s coal-producing province of Inner Mongolia to repurpose its economy by building renewable and digital technology parks as an alternative to coal production.
- The European Green Deal is a comprehensive growth strategy, covering all sectors of the economy, designed to maximise the job potential of the green transition.
- The United States, among others, is promoting the development of CCUS through tax credits as a decarbonisation pathway for its fossil fuel dependent industries to help preserve jobs in these sectors.
It is equally important to ensure that new jobs created by energy transitions are of good quality and uphold the highest labour standards. There are well-developed principles for supporting those affected by employment changes in clean energy transitions, most notably the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO’s) 2015 Guidelines for a Just Transition Towards Environmentally Sustainable Economies and Societies for All, which provide a policy framework and specific recommendations to ensure that energy transition policies are socially inclusive and support decent work.
Charting pathways for net-zero workforces, including quantification of job potentials, can help governments understand future job opportunities and plan for education and skills needs.
- Recent IEA analysis of job gains and losses under a net zero pathway will help governments understand and prepare for employment shifts brought about by energy transitions. It illustrates that strong investment in clean energy will overall boost GDP growth and create many millions of jobs, although care must be taken regarding the distribution of gains and losses.
- The UK has set up a Green Jobs Taskforce to gather evidence on skills needed for the transition to net zero.
- A study of India’s options to move away from coal while preserving employment and economic prospects for its coal-reliant communities highlights the importance of modelling employment and distributional impacts from coal closures.
Case studies
Denmark’s oil and gas phase-out
In December 2020 the Danish government reached an agreement with a broad majority in the Danish Parliament to phase out fossil fuel extraction in the country by 2050, starting with the cancelation of its 8th licensing round as well as all future bid rounds. North Sea production has historically been an important economic driver for Denmark, contributing around EUR 0.8 billion in revenues in 2019. The agreement also commits the government to ensuring a just transition for impacted regions and the approximately 4 000 workers (direct and indirect) currently employed by the oil and gas industry. As part of efforts to support the local area, the government has committed EUR 27 million in support for exploring the potential for carbon capture and storage (CCS) using old oil and gas wells. The plan will also explore opportunities for electrification of existing oil and gas production in the North Sea. The government expects the deal will cut production by around 9-15% and reduce annual government revenues by EUR 12 million.
Japans fuel ammonia strategy
As part of its pathway to carbon neutrality by 2050, Japan announced that it would deploy ammonia for use in thermal power plants. The Ministry of Trade, Economy and Industry set out a target to co-fire a coal generation unit with ammonia at a rate above 50% and to develop a 100% ammonia-fired gas turbine by 2030. The initiative is part of a JPY 2 trillion (EUR 15.4 billion) fund established by the government to support clean energy innovation projects over the next decade. The government’s research and development institute, NEDO, has announced that it will support power producer JERA’s demonstration research for 20% co-firing of fuel ammonia in coal-fired power plants from FY 2021 to FY 2024. The government in October 2020 launched the fuel ammonia council to recommend pathways for developing domestic supply chains for ammonia. Given the country’s sizable industry and workforce capacity in international upstream, LNG imports and thermal power generation, the fuel ammonia plan has the potential to transition existing workforces and generate new supply chains and economic activity at the same time that it can help transition Japan to a low-carbon economy.
Canada hydrogen strategy
Canada sees a sizeable role and competitive advantage in the production, distribution and use of hydrogen given its abundance of feedstocks, skilled workforce and existing position as a leader in intellectual property and export of hydrogen technologies. Hydrogen is expected to form a key plank of Canada’s pathway to meeting its net-zero goals. In December 2020, Canada published the Hydrogen Strategy for Canada, designed to spur investments in hydrogen production and use, and create partnerships that establish Canada as a global supplier of hydrogen. Early actions outlined in the Strategy can be supported by several programmes identified as part of the government’s Strengthened Climate Plan, “A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy”, and the 2021 federal budget. This includes a CAD 1.5 billion (EUR 1 billion) Clean Fuels Fund that supports the build-out of new clean fuel production capacity (including hydrogen) and the CAD 8 billion (EUR 5.3 billion) Net-zero Accelerator that supports industrial decarbonisation. If the hydrogen opportunity outlined in the Strategy is fully seized, it is estimated that by 2050 over 350 000 new high-paying jobs could be created nationally as well as revenues in excess of CAD 50 billion (EUR 34 billion), relative to the 832 500 direct and indirect jobs in the energy sector in 2019.
Make in India strategy
The prime minister of India launched the Make in India initiative in 2014 to galvanise investments in India’s manufacturing sector, including through the development of state-of-the-art infrastructure to create industrial corridors and smart cities. The Make in India programme aims to increase the share of manufacturing as a proportion of GDP from 16% to 25% by 2022, and to create 100 million additional jobs in industry. In the clean energy space, through the Make in India initiative, the government is working to attract global companies to produce solar photovoltaics (PV), lithium batteries, solar charging infrastructure and other advanced technologies in India. In particular, the government is strengthening its innovation efforts in a broad range of energy technology areas, including cooling, electric mobility, smart grids and advanced biofuels. Under the Make in India initiative, the focus is on public–private collaboration to tap into the RD&D capabilities of private actors and scale up domestic technology development and deployment, leading to sizeable job creation. The plan is bolstered by the government’s target to achieve 450 GW of installed renewables capacity by 2030.
Envision Group helps bring cities in China to net zero
Envision Group is one of China’s leading green technology companies, and among the world’s top wind turbine suppliers. More recently, it has supported local governments in China achieve carbon neutrality, in line with China’s national 2060 target. In 2020 Envision Group began discussions with the government of Inner Mongolia to develop a Net Zero Industrial Park in the cities of Ordos and Baotou. Ordos is the world’s largest city-economy powered by coal, and currently produces around 16% of China’s coal. As a result, Ordos is under enormous pressure to transition to clean power sources, while ensuring energy access and power system flexibility. The Net Zero Industrial Park planned by Envision is the first of its kind in China. It will be used to generate green hydrogen that will reduce Ordos’ coal consumption in industry (currently planning 10 x 1,000Nm3/h electrolysers), and lay the foundation for the production of synthetic biomaterials. The Park will also include an 8 GWh/year plant for energy storage and batteries, with phase one of three due to be completed at the end of 2021. A smart grid will co-ordinate the use and distribution of renewable energy. The project aims to further reduce emissions by replacing 330 000 trucks for coal transport with EV trucks. These will cut 30 million tons of GHG emissions per year, and save RMB 30 billion in operation costs. By drawing on 100% locally sourced renewable energy at 5 TWh/year (80% direct supply), the Industrial Park’s operations would be net zero.
European Green Deal
The European Green Deal is a comprehensive strategy to reduce the EU’s GHG emissions by at least 55% from 1990 levels by 2030 and achieve climate neutrality by 2050. One of the core pillars of the plan is to lead the third industrial revolution while addressing its socio-economic consequences, creating markets and jobs in clean technologies and products for European industry, and ensuring a just transition for those most directly affected. The European Commission expects that this major shift will have wide-ranging impacts across value chains from sectors such as energy, transport and construction that will result in local, well-paying jobs. In particular, as electrification of the economy using renewable sources of energy becomes more pronounced, employment in these sectors is expected to grow. Moreover, energy efficiency programmes will create local jobs in the construction sector. For instance, the Commission is aiming to renovate 35 million buildings across the EU by 2030 under its Renovation Wave strategy, with an estimated 160 000 additional green jobs created in the construction sector.
US 45Q tax credit for CCUS
As part of the Bipartisan Budget Act that passed in February 2018, the US Congress extended and significantly increased tax credits for CO2 use and storage under Section 45Q of the Internal Revenue Code. Specifically, the changes: expanded the credit to include all carbon oxides, not only CO2, raised the amount of the tax credits; introduced a start-of-construction deadline (originally 1 January 2024 and subsequently extended to 1 January 2026) and 12-year claim period; removed the original 75 million tonne cap; allowed credits for direct air capture and CO2 utilisation; and allowed owners of capture equipment to claim credits and for that entity to transfer the credit to the entity storing the CO2, introducing more flexibility into ownership structures. In January 2021, the IRS issued final regulations for claiming Section 45Q credits including requirements for demonstrating secure geological storage, credit recapture, and life cycle analysis for CO2 utilisation, as well as clarification on taxpayer eligibility to claim the credit. The moves are intended to boost the business case for carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) projects and stimulate investments in new projects. The US Treasury estimated the cost of the tax credits to be USD 2.3 billion over 2020-2029. The credits are expected to help power plants and industrial plants decarbonise. The United States is already a leader in carbon capture technology, hosting nearly half of all facilities operating globally.
ILO’s guidelines for a just transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies for all
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) in November 2015 adopted new guidelines to help governments, workers and employers undertake the process of structural change toward greener economies in a way that achieves just outcomes, including decent jobs and social protections. The guidelines are the product of consultation among nominated experts under each of the categories of participants (governments, workers and employers), based on country-level policies, sectoral strategies and best practices from around the globe. The guidelines include implementing employment-centred macroeconomic policies, targeted environment regulations for industries and sectors, social protections for workers, skills development, and social dialogue, among others. The conclusions were adopted by governments, workers and employers of ILO’s 186 member countries.
UK Green Jobs Taskforce
As part of the UK government’s climate strategy and green recovery efforts from Covid-19, the government in 2020 set up the Green Jobs Task force, comprised of 17 experts from industry, academia, labour unions, and the education and skills sector. The group undertook its study over the period from November 2020 to July 2021. The task force is part of the government’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, which is expected to support the creation of up to 250 000 green jobs by 2030. The 15 final recommendations – divided along three themes of the ‘green jobs lifecycle’ – are meant to help meet the government’s ambition for two million green jobs in the UK by 2030 and help establish the workforce pathway to net zero emissions by 2050. The task force’s report notes that one in five jobs in the UK (approximately 6.3 million workers) will require skills that may experience demand growth (10% of UK jobs) or reduction (approximately 10%) as a result of the transition to net zero. The report also includes estimates of job creation potential in various clean energy sectors (such as offshore wind and buildings retrofits) as well as jobs and skills shifts in sectors experiencing significant transformation (such as automotive).
Just transition case study for India
A case study on a just transition away from coal in India was carried out by the Climate Investment Funds (CIF), in collaboration with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in 2021. For India, the shift away from coal will have wide-ranging economic and social implications, given the relatively young fleet of coal generation and the job losses that would be associated with an end to coal mining. The case study examines not only the transition from coal to renewables, but also the distributional impacts of the shift and social inclusion dimensions through a just transition framework. The report’s recommendations include: pursuing complex system modelling to better determine distributional impacts; develop local platforms to empower marginalised stakeholders; establish partnerships across national and state governments toward just transitions; undertake regional planning to identify priority areas for just transition efforts; develop detailed economic diversification plans; identify and secure budgeting requirements for both clean energy projects and support measures for coal areas; create institutional frameworks that include environmental and social safeguards; and identify institutions to scale up just transitions.
Reference 1
More detailed descriptions of all case studies can be found on the IEA website. | https://origin.iea.org/reports/recommendations-of-the-global-commission-on-people-centred-clean-energy-transitions/recommendation-1 |
This webinar provides insight into the evolving policy landscape for renewable energy and the implications of these changes on financing renewable energy projects.
2009 saw the creation of the largest pool of incentives for renewable energy ever. Nopw, In 2010, policymakers will be evaluating not only the future of these incentives programs but, also new regulatory regimes that could drastically alter the economic balance for energy development.
Agenda
- How effective tax credits, grants and loan guarantees have been in driving renewable energy development
- Likely changes in the scope and nature of incentives and the impact of those changes on the financing landscape
- The effects of State Renewable Portfolio Standards and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative on financing
- The possible impacts of national regimes on financing
Objectives
- Understand how the transition from an incentive-focused policy platform to a regulatory one will most likely unfold
- Gather opinions from subject matter experts on how to best navigate the transition
For more information and to register, please visit SNL Center for Financial Education. | https://www.venable.com/insights/events/2010/01/renewable-energy-policy-gaining-the-financing-edge |
Can Rural Indiana Keep Up in the Info-Age?
by Robert Yadon, Ph.D.,
and Barry Umansky, J.D.
Successful deployment of statewide broadband service is within reach for Indiana. However, the state must take a proactive, leadership stance to provide the necessary incentives to bring public and private resources together to reach this goal. Without a comprehensive state broadband strategic plan, each region would be left to the costly and time-consuming task of charting its own course independently.
- Within the framework of federal law, and building upon the legislative achievements already made in the state, Indiana can take steps, outlined below, to establish a more meaningful, multifaceted and effective statewide policy to stimulate consumer demand for broadband and to provide a variety of incentives for consumers, businesses and Internet service providers to enjoy, provide and expand high-speed broadband across the state. To that end, here are suggestions for legislative and regulatory action:
- Indiana should authorize and fund a survey of each Economic Development Region to ascertain the level and characteristics of demand and feasibility for broadband services.
- The state should make all state-owned buildings and state-owned lands available for wireless broadband and mobile-phone facility siting and for deployment of fiber, cable and other broadband-capable transport facilities.
- The statewide policy and plan should encourage electric/telecommunications cooperatives to deploy broadband in rural and other areas of the state, so as to expand and improve broadband service and create greater broadband competition.
- The state should offer debt financing, if necessary, to municipalities that can demonstrate using sound financial and technical plans to deploy broadband services so as to expand/improve broadband service and create greater broadband competition.
- The state also should consider, when consistent with reasoned state-budget priorities, state grants and/or capital lease financing to help deploy broadband. Similarly, the state should consider providing state tax credits, loan guarantees, project debt financing and “private use” tax exemptions for broadband infrastructure projects.
Indiana should consider providing state tax credits to consumers and to businesses contributing to the costs of extending broadband access to their locations.
- The Indiana legislature should also consider providing tax and other incentives to consumers and businesses that invest in on-premises and mobile hardware and software to enable their full access to – and their ability to gain full benefits from – broadband. Similarly, Indiana should consider the provision of tax and other incentives to broadband/Internet-related software and “app” developers within the state.
- As part of its statewide plan for broadband adoption/expansion, the Indiana legislature should adopt clear policies and rules that will foster the optimal mix of fiber and wireless broadband systems/technologies to serve particular geographic areas within the state.
- The state should use such an “all of the above” approach also for the deployment of a set of infrastructure paths that also could lead to the state leading the country in creating “all-Internet-Protocol” telecommunications connectivity.
Indiana should create, and provide sufficient state funding for, digital literacy education programs to educate Indiana residents and businesses as to the benefits and uses of broadband Internet.
- Moreover, and consistent with a recommendation in the final report of the Indiana Rural Broadband Working Group – a committee formed by Indiana’s Lieutenant Governor Sue Ellspermann – we strongly urge the state to create a “Rural and Urban Broadband Center.” The center would help educate and guide the state, its counties, municipalities, economic development officials and citizens, as well as potential broadband investors.
Given the economic structure of Indiana, failing to participate fully in promoting and using multiple funding strategies and incentives likely would delay for decades Indiana’s full participation in the information economy and achieving a nation-leading broadband future for the state.
Robert E. Yadon, Ph.D., is director of the Digital Policy Institute (DPI), professor of Information and Communication Sciences at Ball State University and an adjunct scholar of the Indiana Policy Review Foundation. Barry D. Umansky, J.D., is a senior fellow of DPI, professor of Telecommunications at Ball State, and a communications attorney. DPI is an independent digital communications research and policy organization established in 2004.
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You must be logged in to post a comment. | https://inpolicy.org/2015/08/can-rural-indiana-keep-up-in-the-info-age/ |
- As part of the plan, the government plans to spend 314.1 billion UZS ($81 million) of its own money and raise 20.5 trillion UZS ($5.3 billion) from foreign sources to develop hydro, solar and wind power through 2025.
The government is hoping that efficient power use and conversion from fossil fuel to renewables will boost economic competitiveness, raise the standard of living and protect the environment.
- Hydro accounts for 12.7% of all Uzbekistani electricity now. Uzbekistan wants to raise it to 15.8% by 2025
- Uzbekistan will build 42 new hydro plants and modernise 32 more by 2021
- Solar and wind will account for 2.3% and 1.6% of the country’s power by 2025
Action Program on renewable energy development for 2017-2021 adopted on May 2017 to promote private sector investments in renewable energy development, serve as key indicators in this regard.Moreover, Presidential Decree on 23.10.2018 about measures of development providing financial stability of energy sector outlines the following reforms for 2019-2021:
- Increase installed capacity of main TPPs and modernizing them;
- Improving metering infrastructure;
- Modernizing transmission lines of 7.1 thousand km;
- Increasing renewable energy share in production by attracting private sector via Public Private Partnership agreements.
The value of all reform projects that are intended to implement through 2019-2021 is almost $ 5bln. The primary sources of these projects are from Uzbekistan Reconstruction and Development Fund, Government budget and other international donors.Conclusion To conclude, Uzbekistan with its immense renewable potential can meet the country’s all energy demand using only renewable sources of energy. However, hitherto Uzbekistan cannot make use of its potential relying heavily on fossil fuels as a source of energy. This article has shed a light to main barriers that caused Uzbekistan to lag behind from its counterparts in terms of renewable sector developments. Hereafter, recently taken actions to improve the situation and future development plans and perspectives are presented. Uzbekistan has now realized that there is a need to urgent actions to eliminate the above mentioned barriers that hindering the renewables sector from development. It can be said that first steps are already taken by creating the regulator in the market (Ministry of Energy) and unbundling the energy sector into generation, transmission and distribution. Recent Presidential Decrees and Resolutions about Uzbekistan’s future plans on developing renewables sector can serve as a good hint for perspective investors and gives right direction by adding certainty into the market. The recommendations for further developing the renewables sector and eliminating barriers can be:
- In the first place regulator should establish the legal framework stating all market rules and protecting the rights of independent power producers. This in turn, eliminates all market uncertainties;
- Instead of building large infrastructure projects from the government budget, Public Private Partnership agreements can be used to attract foreign investors;
- To decrease initial cost of the technology, the government should pay more attention to produce technologies within the country, as Uzbekistan owns all necessary components of renewable technologies;
- To make the project further attractive regulator should establish incentive programs for both households (feed-in tariffs, net metering, rebates) and large scale power producers (tax incentives, Renewable Energy Credits);
- To increase the qualification of the specialists in cooperation with international organizations (International Energy Agency, World Bank, Asian Development Bank) can be organized several technical assistance, trainings and master classes from highly skilled specialists.
This article was prepared as part of the Giving Voice, Driving Change – from the Borderland to the Steppes Project implemented with the financial support of the Foreign Ministry of Norway. The opinions expressed in the article do not reflect the position of the editorial or donor. | https://cabar.asia/en/barriers-to-renewable-energy-sector-development-in-uzbekistan/ |
It is with great pleasure that we officially announce the first Scenarex Advisory Board. The board is composed of four members, specialists in their field, whom we respect and fully trust. Our four members are, in alphabetical order, Charlaine Bouchard, Bianca Drapeau, Christian Liboiron and Arezki Raab. Even if these experts share the same organizational values as us, we will make sure to provide them with a working environment where they can be impartial in their reflections and strategic suggestions for our organization.
As Scenarex’s human capital strength is technology oriented, the current business environment of our organization called for a strategic strengthening in the area of marketing and sales to bring our products to market. It’s within this context that we established our first advisory committee. The mandate of the Scenarex Advisory Board will be to provide advice and recommendations on matters relating to the marketing of the organization’s products and services.
To consult the curriculum of our members, please visit the "team" page of our Scenarex web site. | https://www.scenarex.ca/en/premier-comite-consultatif/ |
GALLILEO has accompanied local governments for over 10 years, following two major axes:
The evaluation of public policies and of public programs from local to European level
The definition of public policiesGALLILEO also helps key groups to :
Consult local governments (associations, main territorial decision-makers…)
GALLILEO has developed a particular expertise regarding policies of economic development and of substructures, policies of local development and of territorial planning, policies of environmental and sustainable development.
EVALUATION OF PUBLIC POLICIES AND OF PUBLIC PROGRAMS FROM LOCAL TO EUROPEAN LEVEL
Assessing public policies, as our teams do, relies on 4 main convictions:
We verify how relevant initial questions are
- It is important to identify the underlying issues and to possess methods of analysis that can be defined in different evaluation criteria.
There are two aims:
- Identify the criteria
- Identify which elements of the context enable us to determine the validity of those criteria
We explore various methods of collecting data
GALLILEO possesses all the skills and tools that are needed to carry out surveys of the following types : interviews, documentary research, field surveys, a telephone platform to hold quantitative or semi-directive interviews, an online platform.
These methods are complementary and give us a reliable approach and a reliable measurement of evaluation criteria.
We propose strategic insights and make operational recommendations
This evaluation raises strategic issues. GALLILEO’s strength is to get involved in the everyday concerns of its clients and thus transform these strategic insights into operational recommendations that will be easier to implement.
We consider it important to attach dates and figures to our recommendations.
We help development managers to follow the evaluation of these actions over time
GALLILEO gets involved, if development managers accept, in offering indicators to evaluate actions in the long run.
DEFINITION OF PUBLIC POLICIES
GALLILEO contributes to the definition of public policies.
Our starting point is the understanding of the rationale of a public policy.
We also bring our expertise as an experienced assessor. Our past studies have enabled us to pinpoint the weaknesses of numerous public systems, and to show that they can be improved by taking into account the following:
-Global context of a policy or program -Role of the main players concerned by the policy -Putting into perspective what the aim of the program is or what the policy’s expectations are (and not only considering what the structure implementing the policy can already do) -…
To help define your policy, we call upon our expertise in various topics, our double knowledge of both the private and public sectors, our proximity with major local governments and our ability to present our ideas not only in meetings with elected or representative members of different regions, but also in discussion meetings that are open to the public.
GALLILEO surrounds itself with partners and experts when doing so means addressing a question more effectively.
LEADING ACTIONS TO CONSULT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS (ASSOCIATIONS, MAIN DECISION-MAKERS IN A REGION…)
Policy planning with decision-makers of a region or specialists means shared plans of action.
We particularly consult associations and organizations involved in local development but also society as a whole. | http://gallileo.fr/en/services-local-government.php |
It is an honour to get this recognition.
DEOC has been working for more than 10 years to promote disability inclusion and universal design in employment, higher education, accessibility and other development related areas.
People (even friends) have asked me at various times, regarding the work DEOC does.
That’s when I realised that we have not talked much about our work and the challenges we have encountered along the way that have contributed so much to our learning.
I now feel that it is important to disseminate information about the nature of our work so that people may be made aware and so, can gain from our experiences and work with DEOC.
With this recognition conferred upon DEOC we have now gotten the opportunity to do so.
DEOC authored a book in 2007 on employment for the Confederation of Indian Industries called the CII manual which is in use even today.
Some of our clients have even gotten recognition, in terms of awards, for their work on disability inclusion.
In the field of disability, where there are very few professionals/subject matter specialists, DEOC’s role has been crucial in addressing this lack.
We see ourselves as facilitators and as an extended arm of the client we work for.
DEOC is composed of an inclusive team with several years of education and experience in disability.
DEOC is perhaps the only organisation in India that has the capacity to work with a wide range of stakeholders across different disabilities and to bring universal design elements into every aspect of development. The story below will explain the role of DEOC more clearly.
One of the possible reasons that we got this award is for the role played by DEOC in the revision of the National Building Code (NBC) 2016 to include accessibility in all its relevant chapters.
I take this opportunity to share the story behind the revision of the NBC.
The story begins in September 2015 at the National Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (NCRPD) meeting in New Delhi where NCPEDP partners had gathered from all over the country (it was in this forum in 2008, where the idea of having a new law on disability had its genesis and which was finally enacted in 2016).
Here, we (DEOC) conducted a session on Accessibility for the partners where the prevalent standards and the way forward was extensively discussed.
Mr. Arman Ali (who is the ED of Shishu Sarothi) brought up an issue that most architects were just not aware of accessibility standards because these standards were given as an Annexure in the NBC (2005).
Immediately after the meeting, Ms. Rati Misra of NCPEDP did a quick search and found out that the NBC was under revision.
Late Mr. Javed Abidi, the then Honorary Director of NCPEDP, wrote to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) seeking more information about the revision of NBC. BIS replied that the draft chapters were widely circulated for feedback and sent Annexure B, which focuses on accessibility standards, for our feedback.
We (DEOC) did not want to restrict ourselves to just to the Annexure. We went through a few draft chapters and immediately pointed out that the accessibility of persons with disabilities should be included in all relevant chapters and that the universal design approach should be followed in the NBC.
We backed our argument with concrete examples, from a few draft chapters, like Lifts and Plumbing, where accessibility was either not addressed or was addressed in an exclusionary manner.
Based on these concrete examples, Mr. Abidi initiated an advocacy campaign with BIS to include accessibility in an appropriate manner in all relevant parts of the NBC.
At the same time, a media campaign was also started.
This was also the time that the Accessible India Campaign was being launched by the Government of India.
NCPEDP pointed out to Mr. Mukesh Jain, the then Joint Secretary of the Department of Empowerment of People with Disabilities, that if NBC 2016 is not corrected, it would not be possible to ensure that new buildings, the architecture curriculum and the building bylaws incorporate accessibility.
Realising this, he provided his support to NCPEDP in advocacy with BIS (which falls under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs). Multiple meetings were organized with the top officials of BIS.
BIS was adamant stating that it was too late to include accessibility in other chapters and that modifying the Annexure is what we ought to focus on.
To counter this, we at DEOC, i.e. me and Ms. Ruchira Sarin (Principal Architect of DEOC), without wasting any time, started reviewing the chapters of the NBC.
There were 13 parts in the NBC with some parts having several chapters and some chapters were about 300 pages long.
The final deadline for sending in the recommendations was December 2016. Time was of the essence here. So, we requested Ms. Shivani Gupta of Accessibility to be in the team. We devised a strategy. We reviewed those chapters first for which the time was still there to submit the suggestions.
Parallely, NCPEDP was advocating with the BIS (with the support of Disability Department and PMO) to get a suitable extension. They succeeded. We got an extension of three months. We were given time till March 2016 to submit recommendations for all the chapters.
We gave specific recommendations for adding/deleting/modifying the text in a form which would be easy to incorporate in the document.
When NBC 2016 was released in March 2107, we were happy to see that about 80% of our recommendations were included. Most chapters included accessibility and provided suitable cross references to Annexure B of Part 3 which dealt with accessibility standards in detail.
Accessibility standards have been included in 11 out of the 13 Parts of NBC 2016 in Sections such as Integrated approach, administration, lifts, fire and life safety, lighting, electrical installation, air conditioning, acoustics, water supply, solid waste management, sanitation, gas supply, landscape, asset and facility management, glass and glazing, information and communication enabled installations, etc.
The most important recommendations, which are likely to be game changers in the long run, are listed below.
Inclusion of an ‘accessibility and universal design specialist’ in the construction business: In Part Zero, under ‘Team Approach’, where 20 specialists were listed in the working draft of NBC, i.e. architects, civil engineers, electrical engineers, interior designers, security system specialists, acoustics specialists, health, safety and environment specialists, sustainability specialists,etc., we had recommended that, ‘accessibility and universal design specialist’ should be added. This has been done.
Periodic Access Audits: Periodic access audits have been added in NBC in two places (Part Zero and Part 2) based on our recommendations.
The draft chapters of NBC either didn’t have any accessibility standards or followed an exclusionary approach by including phrases such as“lift for the differently abled people” and so on. We got such phrases changed to appropriate ones such as “all lifts open to public shall adhere to accessibility provisions… ”,etc. We also got cross references added so as to link the accessibility standards given in various chapters and in Annexure B of Part 3.
In the Facility and Asset management chapter, we ensured that several provisions such as Training and skilling, the Facility Handbook, user feedback and so on, mention people with disabilities.
Getting accessibility included in the National Building Code is a huge development.
Of course, for the next revision, we need to be involved in the process right from the beginning. Experts in the area of universal design should be part of all the committees that draft the various Parts of NBC so that a universal design approach is truly followed.
The work is not over yet in terms of policy change in the area of built environment… For instance, the building bylaws which govern construction work at the municipality level need to be modified. The Model Building By-Laws (MBBL) of 2016 formulated by Ministry of Urban Development seems to have taken a very different approach regarding accessibility.
One prominent example is that they have differentiated between buildings that need to be accessible for small wheelchairs and buildings that need to be accessible for big wheelchairs. Such an approach is clearly unacceptable.
DEOC has already reviewed the MBBL and made suitable recommendations. NCPEDP had already initiated the dialogue with the MoUD.
It is really sad that Mr. Abidi passed away so suddenly. We hope that NCPEDP and all those working in the area of accessibility take this agenda forward and advocate for changing the bylaws at the local levels so that they are in line with NBC 2016.
It is only then the mandate of The RPWD Act will be achieved. | http://www.deoc.in/view-point/deoc-has-been-awarded-the-ncpedp-mphasis-javed-abidi-public-policy-award-2018/ |
Join Audubon naturalists out in the field for the annual survey of breeding bird populations. Audubon Center in Greenwich will be coordinating teams of birders to count birds in Greenwich, Stamford, and parts of Westchester. Each team will be assigned a territory of habitat to count birds in during the two-day count period: 6 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 8 and 6 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 9.
At 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 9, all teams will gather on the Hawk Watch Lawn at Audubon Center in Greenwich to compile results and enjoy refreshments.
All levels of experience are welcome! For those interested in participating at Audubon Center in Greenwich or joining another count team, contact Ted Gilman at [email protected] or 203-930-1353.
Audubon Center in Greenwich is a vibrant nature education center located at the main 285-acre Audubon sanctuary in Greenwich. We are a part of the Audubon Connecticut state office of the National Audubon Society and Atlantic Flyway, and steward a total of seven sanctuaries in the Greenwich area. Visitors are welcome to enjoy our miles of trails, nature programs, conservation-themed events, and center’s nature store throughout the year.
We support a diverse and inclusive environment, and welcome individuals of all races, physical and mental abilities, sexual orientations, gender identities, ethnicities, and perspectives. We work with families to modify programs for accessibility where possible. | https://greenwich.audubon.org/events/2019-summer-bird-count |
Evaluating the usability of the information architecture of academic library websites
Silvis, Isabel Mariann
;
Bothma, T.J.D. (Theodorus Jan Daniel)
;
De Beer, K.J.W. (Koos)
URI:
http://hdl.handle.net/2263/75479
Date:
2019-09
Abstract:
PURPOSE : The purpose of this paper is to provide an integrated list of heuristics and an information architecture (IA) framework for the heuristic evaluation of the IA of academic library websites as well as an evaluation framework with practical steps on how to conduct the evaluation. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH : A set of 14 heuristics resulted from an integration of existing usability principles from authorities in the field of usability. A review of IA literature resulted in a framework for dividing academic library websites into six dialogue elements. The resulting heuristics were made applicable to academic library websites through the addition of recommendations based on a review of 20 related studies. FINDINGS : This study provides heuristics, a framework and workflow guidelines that can be used by the various evaluators of academic library websites, i.e. library staff, web developers and usability experts, to provide recommendations for improving its usability. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS : The focus of the usability principles is the evaluation of the IA aspects of websites and therefore does not provide insights into accessibility or visual design aspects. ORIGINALITY/VALUE : The main problem that is addressed by this study is that there are no clear guidelines on how to apply existing usability principles for the evaluation of the IA of academic library websites.
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Accessibility Voices, episode 4: Chris Law
Welcome to Accessibility Voices! In this webinar series, our CEO Gian Wild sits down (virtually) with some of the most knowledgeable and influential specialists in the digital accessibility field. In these one-on-one interviews, we’ll get to know how these experts started their unique journeys into accessibility, and where they think the field is headed now.
This fourth episode of Accessibility Voices features Chris Law, founder of Accessibility Track Consulting and Standard Accessibility Reporting as well as the annual conferences: the ICT Accessibility Testing Symposium and the Digital Accessibility Legal Summit.
Resources referenced in this interview
- The Digital Accessibility Legal Summit
- The ICT Accessibility Testing Symposium
- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Section 508 Trusted Tester Process and Certification Program
- Standard Accessibility Reporting, Inc. | https://www.accessibilityoz.com/resources/presentations/accessibility-voices-episode-4-chris-law/ |
Since 1994, Tennessee AgrAbility has assisted over 1000 farmers with disabilities to increase their independence and productivity and continue farming.
How do we help our clients accomplish some their goals? We listen to their stories – what they have done in the past and what they want to do in the future, both short- and long-term goals. Then we gather a group of specialists to evaluate their plans and make suggestions for how to best accomplish those goals. Depending on the situation, we may suggest modifications for equipment and structures, but we may also be involved in long-term development of new enterprises. As you might expect, we sometimes have to modify and refine the plans to find the best solutions.
Tennessee AgrAbility provides individualized assistance through a network of educators and service providers. Some of the services are:
- farm and home assessments to identify accessibility and safety concerns
- health and safety education to reduce secondary injuries
- plan home and worksite adaptations that increase independence and productivity
- link families to sources of financial assistance and peer support networks
- review agricultural enterprise resources and goals
The Tennessee AgrAbility Project is a collaboration of: | https://agrability.tennessee.edu/ |
Case Study: Conducting a Physical Workplace Assessment to Plan for the Future
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and BCLC have a commitment to diversity and inclusion. As part of this commitment, both workplaces initiated physical accessibility audits in their respective workplaces. These audits allowed them to see where there were areas of opportunity to be more physically accessible for their employees and clients.
OBJECTIVE
In constantly seeking feedback from employees, both organizations understood that there were potential areas of improvement within their physical premises.
In conducting a physical assessment, they were keen to understand the following:
- What was working well in the offices, and should therefore be maintained?
- What changes would they need to make to be truly inclusive?
- How could they prepare their workplace for the future?
APPROACH
Each organization took a different approach to the assessment.
BCLC’s initial approach to the assessment was as follows:
- Spoke to a few key leaders to secure buy-in.
- Contacted an organization, Ready Willing Able (RWA), to conduct the assessment.
- RWA engaged with various leaders within the organization to better understand the roles that employees have within the organization.
- BCLC received a report that helped them understand areas of opportunity.
The port’s approach was as follows:
- Solicited and received buy-in from internal partners.
- Contacted an organization that specialized in this field to conduct the audit – Frame & Associates.
- A report was compiled with key recommendations and decisions were made on the priority of these recommendations.
Buy-in from Internal Partners
Prior to commencing the audit, both organizations ensured that relevant stakeholders were in agreement with the objectives and process behind the audit. As an example, the relevant stakeholders for the port authority included: the union, facilities staff, health and safety committee, and the executive team. For BCLC, they ensured that their board and executive team was supporting of their diversity and inclusion program as a whole – which resulted in the assessment as one component.
Choosing a Partner Organization and Conducting the Audit
The port authority chose Frame & Associates to conduct the audit because they had worked with them during their government audit and because they have a long-standing relationship with Frame & Associates on equity matters. Frame & Associates conducted the walk-through of the premises using the government checklist provided to the port authority. This gave both the firm and the port authority a better understanding of the physical layout of the offices to realize areas of opportunity.
Since BCLC had a previous relationship with Ready Willing Able (RWA), they asked RWA to do a physical workplace assessment in both the Vancouver and Kamloops offices. RWA is a national partner of the Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL), the Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorders Alliance (CASDA) and their member organizations. A member of the BCLC team walked the RWA contact through the office, so they could assess the physical space. This walk-through took about 1.5 hours in each office as well as a Casino site visit. RWA was assessing the space physically, while also trying to better understand the business operations of BCLC.
Conversation with Leaders
To aid in RWA’s understanding of BCLC’s operations, during the physical assessment, various leaders throughout the organization shared their insights with RWA. The type of information that RWA was seeking included: what kind of work is being done in each department, what are the expectations of each employee,etc. This not only helped with the physical assessment, but also allowed RWA to help BCLC with their other objective of being a truly inclusive organization.
Key Recommendations & Decisions
The port authority’s walk-through with Frame & Associates noted some work already in progress (automatic door openers, signage) as well as some areas that could be improved (placement of microwaves or supplies). The port authority prioritized these recommendations taking into account budget, immediate needs of current employees and advice from Frame & Associates.
For BCLC, the physical assessment produced a number of recommendations including:
- Building accessibility
- Natural light in the workplace
- Height of desks and workstations
- Accessible washrooms
- Cafeteria microwave location
- Fire alarms being audible and visual
RWA put together a report outlining these recommendations for BCLC’s use. These recommendations will be used to improve their current physical spaces and in the future when as they expand their facilities or undergo renovations.
OUTCOMES
As a result of the audit, both organizations have a better idea of their areas of opportunity. The port has made physical amendments to their current work environments as a result of the recommendations. The port authority also has plans for any variety of accommodation requests that may arise.
BCLC has a list of recommendations to consider as they look at securing more space. They are also going through a more thorough audit with the Rick Hansen foundation to understand and prioritize any current recommendations.
LESSONS LEARNED
Both organizations learned a great deal in the process of this audit. Some of the key lessons learned are captured below.
Be Proactive
The port authority is consistently looking at how to be more proactive in their approach towards accessibility. They learned a lot from the audit and believe they would have benefitted from conducting it earlier on.
But Don’t Try and Over Plan
BCLC found that not trying to pre-plan prior to the assessment was important in ensuring the assessment results were accurate and useable for the organization. They found that organizations don’t know what they don’t know – in other words, the point of an assessment is to make our workplace an inclusive environment where employees bring their authentic selves to work driving innovation, collaboration and ultimately organizational success for all British Columbians.
Get All Levels of the Organization Engaged
BCLC learned that having all parts of the organization engaged is a key part of the success of the assessment, and what comes after it. Engaging leaders within the organization is critical to getting buy-in so each leader understands what is happening, why it’s important, and the intent of the assessment. Having someone from HR or Recruitment involved can also be helpful if the conversations progress from a physical assessment to hiring.
Ensure You Have Support and Resources
The port authority found it extremely beneficial to have relevant stakeholders on board before conducting the audit. This helped with buy-in, budget, and enabling key decisions after the audit was complete. Being realistic about the budgetary implications of physical changes to the space was also important in managing expectations and ensuring the right order to address priorities.
Communicate
The port authority knows it is important for employees to know that accessibility is a priority for the organization. The port authority continues to look for ways to let their teams know what they are doing to make their workplace more accessible and inclusive.
Be Clear About Expectations
It is important for both organizations (BCLC and RWA in this case), to be clear about the expectations in conducting a workplace assessment. This includes what is required, how involved will the auditing organization be after the initial assessment, what kind of report will be produced, etc.
NEXT STEPS
The port authority will continue to make improvements based the information gathered in the audit. They would also like to communicate to their employees to better understand employee needs, and keep the conversation open about what potential barriers employees are facing at work.
BCLC is currently assessing the recommendations made by RWA to see what they can implement on a short and longer-term basis. They are also reviewing the report to see how the recommendations may affect new/additional space that they secure, and any renovations they plan to do. One of their next steps is working with the Rick Hansen foundation on a more thorough assessment, to help them better understand and prioritize opportunities. They will also continue to work with RWA on diversifying their hiring practices. As an organization whose goal is to be a leader in diversity and inclusion by 2022, they know that continuing to improve the accessibility of their physical space is an important part of achieving this.
This case study was provided by the Presidents Group. Find out more at accessibleemployers.ca. | https://www.hrvoice.org/case-study-conducting-a-physical-workplace-assessment-to-plan-for-the-future/ |
Investigators may apply the updated, current, simple, and complex forensic techniques to thoroughly and accurately examine the crime scene. Though the specificity of this work has significantly changed, photographing the location, where a criminal act has occurred, using the recent advanced technologies, remains the main tool in the forensic investigation. The immediate collection of hard evidence, namely blood, fibers, fingerprints, and hair as well as the methods of their analysis, have also developed. The competent authorities and individuals concerned pay special attention to the rapid resolution of offenses taking into consideration crime investigation themes raised by the mass media and TV. No doubt, it is impossible to resolve a criminal act immediately. However, the educational level, experience, skills, and training of criminal justice professionals are the best way to safeguard the communities and prevent crimes.
Keywords: crime scene, criminal justice, evidence
Crime Scene Investigation
Introduction
The initial steps of criminal justice specialists at the crime scene may directly affect the outcome of the investigation. The diligent examination ensures that evidence is thoroughly explored, and witnesses are interrogated. Every investigator meticulously examines a crime scene in order to get real representation of what has happened. Criminologists describe it as a meeting point of legislation, science, and consistency. The paper is dedicated to the tedious process of crime scene investigation, which is an integral part of the work conducted by criminal justice professionals, who document the incidents circumstances and gather the hard evidence that indicates the potential perpetrator and the nature of offense.
Place New Order
The Importance and Responsibility of Investigators
No one can underestimate the importance of crime scene investigation to the criminal justice field. When a criminal act occurs, it undermines public safety and a life of every person (Stevens, 2011). Peoples beliefs that the competent authorities will quickly respond to the offense occurred, can ease fear in the communities. The crimes nature, identification, and conviction of a perpetrator may directly influence the duration of investigation. Therefore, involvement of well-trained and skillful specialists is essential for the justice system and a perfect way toward prevention of criminal acts (Brown, Esbensen, & Geis, 2013). Criminal justice experts are the qualified specialists, who bear responsibility for gathering the hard evidence directly from a scene. Thorough examination enables them to link offenders to the criminal acts committed. These competent authorities have an experience in law enforcement and possess necessary skills. Moreover, they are proficient in conducting research and analyzing the clues detected. Every crime scene investigator properly identifies, collects, and preserves the physical evidence, while other specialists examine fingerprints, ballistics, blood, or fibers. These specialists constantly enrich their knowledge base and abilities through training. In reality, effective realization of this process can be carried out only if personnel possess advanced skills in that help carefully and accurately investigate a crime scene.
The Main Participants of the Process
In order to recognize the importance of clues revealed and reach the desired outcome, an investigator has to follow a set goal and chosen approach that will direct him/her while working. The main objective is to retain evidence that may provide a specialist with trustworthy information thus promoting the course of investigation. The competent authorities reach the scene since it is the only way to preserve clues and get the real presentation of what has happened. Moreover, it is necessary to take into consideration the statement made by the witnesses of the incident and information received from the suspected individuals. It will help to examine the location carefully and objectively. Since every crime scene is unique and specific, there is no certain investigative approach toward its examination (Stevens, 2011).
The policemen are the first to arrive at the place, where a criminal act has been committed. The police officers detain perpetrators and request the medical aid in case if it is needed. They also ensure that unauthorized persons do not penetrate the scene, remove, or damage the hard evidence. Specialized unit examines the location and documents even unimportant details. Public official, including the district attorney, is often invited to help an investigator in obtaining a search warrant to conduct an investigation. If it is a murder, the presence of medical experts is necessary since they identify the preliminary cause of victims or offenders death. Osterburg and Ward (2014) mention that physical evidence may require a thorough analysis that can be conducted only by experts, scientists, and forensic psychologists. The participation of detectives is also important since they consult with investigators and interrogate witnesses to get testimonies.
Meticulous Examination of a Crime Scene
According to Duncan (2014), the main aim of investigation is to expose and gather clues and evidence. The process starts with calling a group of competent authorities, which guarantee the system functions smoothly. The initial task is to make a detour and get a general idea of what has happened. If a person moves or damages the hard evidence, police agents, detectives, and investigators need to capture defects upon arrival. In truth, it is better to keep everything untouched.
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An investigator carefully documents, photographs, and takes video of the crime scene as well as every detail that he/she regards as clue. Only the specialists with gloves can touch all the items found. Then, they have to make sure that the package of evidence is intact on its way toward the crime lab for further examination. Every police officer controls and monitors the main area of investigation (Stevens, 2011). Examination of the location is the long process that requires attention of the competent authorities. They ask strangers to leave the crime scene since it will help to ensure that the examined area is safe, and evidence is preserved. Afterwards, investigators ask the public prosecutors or attorneys to involve in the process since a search warrant may be required. If the judge does not take into consideration the evidence or clues presented, then it can be said that their value is minimal. An investigator always fulfills his/her obligations with a legal document. In this case, it is a search warrant. The right approach chosen by the criminal justice specialists will help them gather the physical evidence without any complications.
Documentation of Evidence Detected at the Crime Scene
Careful documentation of an incident helps to provide a detailed report at the end of the investigation. It will help public prosecutors and other competent authorities to recreate clear picture of what has happened in a proper way. Investigators often use digital camera as the most useful device for capturing the evidence and important finds. The main responsibilities of every investigator are to identify the perpetrator, gather the evidence, and preserve it for the further meticulous analysis and examination in the court. If a criminal justice professional fulfills the tasks step by step, he/she will be able to reconstruct the crime and come to certain conclusions (Li, 2013). The importance stage of gathering evidence takes a long time. The criminal justice professional scrutinizes the scene of the incident searching for clues, important items, and makes notes. If a dead body is detected, the investigators have to start their work from that place. Depending on the conditions and the nature of evidence, various types of data may be collected either at the scene or in the lab.
The Process of Collecting the Physical Evidence
Experts, law enforcement agents, criminal justice professionals, and other competent authorities bear responsibility for safeguarding a crime scene, preserving clues and findings, as well as delivering them for scientific research. The evidence detection directly affects the course of entire investigation and may lead to the immediate and effective resolution of an offense. The implementation of this process depends on the initial steps the specialist takes at the beginning of investigation. In order to document and retain clues in a proper manner, it is vital to apply the recent technology that will help to effectively analyze and accurately interpret the findings recovered. The meaningful and objective approach chosen by the criminal justice professional is a key factor that reflects significance of evidence detected. The goal of physical evidence collection is to reveal and preserve findings that provide the investigation with relevant and reliable data.
Importance of Testimony and Investigators Duties
The crime scene investigation is the only way for experts and specialists to reconstruct the criminal act, preserve the evidence, and make the necessary conclusions. In order to objectively and carefully assess the place of incident, it is important to take into consideration information from the witnesses and statements made by suspected individuals. The competent authority can redirect the course of investigation and pay attention to the evidence that earlier he/she has considered unnecessary. In order to successfully resolve the case with a minimum of efforts, it is crucial to emphasize every single clue and testimony.
Since a crime scene investigator deals with emergency cases, dramatic and tragic events, he/she needs to work long hours using all the skills and experience. The responsibility of criminal justice professionals is huge. The result of investigation directly depends on it. Owing to their job, the experts can apply various updated scientific approaches that will help to promote investigation. The police and civilians can also contribute to the resolution of a criminal act. Their testimony and statements are crucial. Before starting to work in the law enforcement agency, a person, who wants to become a crime scene investigator, has to possess skills and get education and training. Close cooperation with suspects and interviewing witnesses and those present are not related to the duties of these criminal justice professionals. Unlike a detective, an investigator does not persecute or interrogate an individual, who has committed a crime. Every expert in the criminal justice field is responsible for his/her own duties.
Conclusion
After an investigator has finished the report, his/her duties do not end. Moreover, the investigation cannot be considered completed even if the laboratory has examined the important clues and provided conclusion. An integral part of investigation is to inform about the evidence gathered and techniques applied. The crime scene investigation is deservedly described as the tedious process that requires attention, efforts, time, skills, and experience of the competent authorities, who are directly involved in it. Meticulous and careful documentation of a crime scene helps to successfully resolve an offense and convict the perpetrators. | https://supremewritingservice.com/essays/law/crime-scene-investigation.html |
Introduction ITU and TRCSL organized a national workshop on “Greening the Future: Bridging the Standardization Gap on Environmental Sustainability” on 3-4 October 2013, in Colombo, Sri Lanka. ObjectivesThe workshop aimed at raising awareness of the importance and opportunities of using ICT standards to foster green growth and sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region.The sessions of the first day of the workshop presented major contributions made by the ICT sector to the creation of a low carbon economy, to environmental sustainability and to the development of smart sustainable cities.The second day of the workshop was a technical session to provide an overview of how green ICT standards were being developed and how they could be implemented at the national level. This technical session also presented some key ITU-T Recommendations related to ICTs, Environment and Climate Change.Target audienceThe workshop brought together leading specialists in the field from the Asia-Pacific region, from top policy-makers to engineers, designers, planners, government officials, regulators, standards experts and others.
Supported by: | https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/Workshops-and-Seminars/bsg/201310/Pages/default.aspx |
Over the past decades, there has been a sharp increase in the elderly prisoner population in Europe. However, most prisons were built for young detainees who are usually in good health. Infrastructures, services, activities and practices are often not adapted to older detainees. The isolation and physical and mental problems suffered by these detainees require specific care.
How can prisons be adapted to the needs of elderly detainees? How can we prevent their isolation? Few older prisoners are visited by their families, and when they suffer from physical impairments, they often cannot participate in daily activities either. Should a prisoner die in prison or outside? European prisons are all facing these same questions. Guaranteeing the dignity of these prisoners is not only a matter of humanity, but also the right of every detained individual.
"In my work, I have been coming across this category of prisoners. I am concerned about how fragile they are and that the conditions in which they are held are not always appropriate," "Prison administrations have increasingly been acknowledging and trying to address the issue, but tackling the numerous and complex needs of many elderly detainees is not an easy task". Elisa Querci, prison delegate of the ICRC regional delegation in Paris.
How can we better ensure that these prisoners are treated in a dignified way? This article contains insights from experts who attended a workshop* organised by the International Committee of the Red Cross in December 2016. This workshop was an opportunity to discuss recommendations to improve responses to older prisoners' specific needs. These recommendations can be found in the workshop report, available at the end of this article.
At what age are we "elderly"? Do we grow old in the same way if we are in prison? Experts distinguish between "biological" and "chronological" age. "If someone is 65, this doesn't tell us everything about their condition," underlines Sonja Snacken, Criminology Professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium. Certainly, our chronological age is not enough when it comes to determining both our physical and mental health. Nevertheless, given their backgrounds, and specific conditions and needs in detention, prisoners might reasonably be considered "elderly" from the age of 50.
Obviously, the older we are the less healthy we become. Depending on the individual, old age has different repercussions, such as mobility or eyesight loss, the development of chronic diseases, cancer or even psychological issues. Yet in certain prisons, medical services are based on the emergency service model and do not therefore provide health promotion or the necessary resources to treat severe pathologies such as chronic illnesses or senile dementia (see video).
Furthermore, imprisonment can accelerate the ageing process. It is thought that on average, an individual detained in prison is biologically 10 years older than a person of the same age living outside. Moreover, some prisoners may suffer from pre-existing health issues, especially linked to their former lifestyle, for instance to do with narcotics, alcohol or tobacco abuse and overall limited access to preventive or curative medical care.
Prisons also face the delicate issue of the death of an elderly prisoner. How can we ensure a prisoner dies in a dignified way? And should they die in prison or outside? "This issue is not only legal but medical and ethical," underlines Elisa Querci. "Prison administrations, as well as health-care providers and other actors working in detention, are concerned by these questions."
Family members growing older, broken family links, geographical separation, many things contribute to the isolation of older prisoners. As regards family relationships, M. Saidou Guindo faces a particular challenge. He is the detention director at the UN Detention Facility in Arusha, which is maintained by the MICT (Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals). Those sentenced by the ICTR (International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda) have committed extremely serious crimes and are serving their sentences far from their families and countries. Nevertheless, whatever the degree of severity of the crimes perpetrated by a detainee, he or she has the right to remain in contact with their family. How can we sustain the preservation of family ties in this context?
Many Western prisons were not designed to accommodate elderly detainees and meet their needs in terms of health and activities.
Activities were also designed for younger prisoners, which may result in exclusion, isolation and idleness of older prisoners. "Examples of activities set up in prisons are sports or education, but of course if you're 80..." stresses Sonja Snacken, Criminology Professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium. "We need to imagine other kinds of activities for older detainees, but also consider their reintegration, life after prison. If you don't have a family anymore and are not capable of working, and people expect you to have your own network and income when you come out of prison, then it is definitely tougher than for young people".
Not assisting these elderly detainees has a negative impact on both their physical and psychological well-being. And in a prison environment, this may put them at risk from younger prisoners. "One may think that protecting vulnerable individuals in such a controlled environment as a prison is easy," states Eamon O'Moore, National Lead Health & Justice Team, Public Health England. "But, in reality, ensuring their protection is difficult, as they are a minority in prisons, and in comparison to the daily problems and constraints of the overall detained population... This issue is actually neglected".
"They are like forgotten prisoners. As discussed during the (ICRC) workshop, they are not particularly troublesome detainees for the monitoring staff. As elderly people don't necessarily express themselves, their problems will not always be detected and therefore addressed". Anne-Sophie Bonnet, in charge of external relations of the CGLPL (Contrôleur général des lieux de privation de liberté – The General Inspector of Confinement Centres).
In light of the increase in the elderly prisoner population, prison administrations have to adapt their services to address the specific needs of older detainees, guarantee their dignity and also anticipate their integration in society once out of prison.
Some prison administrations are already looking for solutions. But many challenges remain, as meeting the needs of older prisoners requires significant adaptation of the penitentiary system as a whole, for example, as regards access to healthcare, and a range of other services and activities, and even the structure itself. According to Eamon O'Moore, National Lead Health & Justice Team, Public Health England, the ideal solution is to address all these issues globally.
By means of the Geneva Conventions, the International Committee of the Red Cross was given the mandate to visit prisoners of war and civilian internees during times of conflict. Nowadays, the ICRC visits people deprived of their freedom in over 96 countries and territories. In 2017 over 940,000 prisoners benefitted from ICRC visits in 1,437 places of detention. The purpose of these visits is to ensure detainees receive dignified treatment in line with national and international norms and standards.
Council of Europe Member States also have to implement the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights concerning prisoners' rights in their States. These decisions are not binding on other countries, yet they can and should influence policy changes. "If for instance there is a case in one country (...) for which the Court maintains that an individual suffering from a certain health issue should not be kept in prison, this decision also should be into taken into consideration by the other countries," explains Sonja Snacken. "We have witnessed the European Court strengthening detainee rights protection over the last 20 years, often under the influence of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, which visits detention premises".
Prisoners have rights, and the situation involving elderly individuals reveals shortcomings in the prison systems of many countries. The goal of the ICRC workshop was to gather together the highest possible number of stakeholders concerned by this issue, in order to share practical recommendations to improve the living conditions of elderly prisoners. "The ICRC has long experience in the field of detention and it is important that it can act as facilitator, bringing together experts, organisations and prison authorities to facilitate reflection," states Elisa Querci.
"It is obvious that some recommendations – which come from the ICRC but are based on the experience of experts and administrative staff of several countries – will be useful to us in formulating the messages we want to convey to the Ministries of Justice and Health in France." Anne-Sophie Bonnet, in charge of external relations of the CGLPL (Contrôleur général des lieux de privation de liberté – The General Inspector of Confinement Centres).
Older adults pose a challenge for many criminal justice professionals, not only those working in detention. For example, during an arrest, certain age-related medical conditions, such as sensory impairments or dementia may make it difficult for an older person to comply with police officers' orders. Similarly, for police officers it may be difficult to tell when the problem is criminal or health related. "Training will help them obtain the capacity of thinking proactively about the best way to manage an older person and to seek medical attention for them when needed," underlines Dr Brie Williams, Director of the Criminal Justice & Health Program and of the Criminal Justice and Aging Project of Tideswell at UCSF, USA. She argues that ensuring detection and proper management of "older" detainees' vulnerabilities requires adapting policies and practices across criminal justice systems - not only throughout detention and reintegration but also during arrest and adjudication.
"Medical conditions may also make it difficult for older adults to participate in their own defence and adjudication. It is therefore essential for legal professionals to recognize and respond to cognitive impairment and dementia". This would help, for example, to interrupt the cycle of repeated arrests or would favour diversion from the criminal justice system via treatment-based alternatives to incarceration.
It is therefore important to develop and deliver targeted geriatrics training for several professional groups, including police officers, attorneys, judges, correctional staff and probation officers, as well as prison clinicians.
This report summarises the proceedings of the two-day meeting the ICRC organised in December 2016 on the needs of older prisoners. The meeting saw the participation of experts with practical experience of legal, ethical, health-care and management issues concerning older detainees. The experts’ presentations and the plenary discussions, as well as a number of recommendations that emerged, are reported in detail.
This booklet is intended to help States and other stakeholders to improve conditions for older detainees and detention-facility staff alike. This booklet draws on the ICRC’s own experience in the field, presentations given at the round-table discussed above and other documentary resources.
This article, published in the International Review of the Red Cross, describes some of the challenges facing correctional systems tasked with providing health care to older adults, highlights some strategies to improve their medical care and identifies areas in need of reform. It draws principally on research and examples from the United States to offer insights and recommendations that may also be considered in other systems. | http://hdtse.fr/detention/ageing-in-prison.php |
When teachers have access to professional development that inspires them, they find new ways to make science come alive for their students. Through networking with peers, field experiences and more, teachers gain insights and new techniques to bring home to their classrooms.
In northeastern Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum continues to offer an innovative teacher professional development program supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) B-WET grant program, which stands for Bay Watershed Education and Training.
B-WET encourages experiential learning for K-12 students, with the goal of increasing understanding and stewardship of local watersheds and ecosystems. NOAA is also the administrative home of the national Sea Grant program, which includes Wisconsin Sea Grant and 32 other state-level programs.
Through the efforts of Fisheries Specialist Titus Seilheimer, Wisconsin Sea Grant continues to share its expertise with the B-WET program run by the Wisconsin Maritime Museum. Seilheimer first became involved about three years ago.
He provides content expertise and helps run field experiences for the teachers. “Since I work in aquatic ecology, and I work with fish, my role has been to provide that ecological and scientific context to the overall program,” said Seilheimer.
This has also helped Seilheimer build relationships with area teachers, who often invite him back to their classrooms. In April, he was involved in a beach cleanup along Lake Michigan in Two Rivers. The teacher in charge was involved in the B-WET program, and her sixth-graders had identified marine debris and beach litter as an issue they wanted to work on.
A beach cleanup can be a great opportunity to teach watershed concepts, said Seilheimer, such as how stormwater outflow can transfer debris like cigarette butts from the streets to the beach.
A new focus on accessibility and inclusion
This year, the Maritime Museum’s B-WET teacher program is continuing, adding a new focus on students with disabilities (physical, emotional or cognitive). In addition to experiences during which the teachers work mostly with each other and content experts, teachers and their students will go on inclusive field trips.
Twenty teachers from the previous B-WET grant in 2016 will transition into the role of mentor teachers, working with newly recruited teachers.
Given the focus on accessibility and inclusion in this year’s program, the new teachers will either be in special education or teaching in classrooms that have a diverse array of student abilities.
Said Abigail Diaz, director of education and public programs at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum and the B-WET principal investigator, the inclusion of students with disabilities fills a little-addressed gap in the world of environmental education.
“This is the first B-WET grant that focuses on accessibility, and I’m really glad that NOAA is prioritizing accessibility. Sometimes people with disabilities get overlooked in environmental issues because the environment seems like it’s inaccessible to them. I’m thrilled we’ve been given this funding so we can help empower young people, because they have a voice—no matter their ability level—to be stewards of our environment,” Diaz said.
Diaz hopes that this accessibility effort can be replicated in other places. “It’s not difficult to create accessible and inclusive programs, but it can be daunting to start. I understand that. Yet I hope we can spread the good word—it just pays you back tenfold,” said Diaz.
Teachers who are interested in getting involved should contact Diaz at the museum. New teachers will be recruited until July.
Diaz is looking forward to another productive year for the B-WET program, as well as joining forces with Seilheimer again. “Other than being just the coolest guy, he knows everything,” she laughed. “He’s so great with both kids and adults, and his passion for Great Lakes ecology and fish is just infectious. This project wouldn’t be possible without having somebody like Titus involved.”
Other partners include Woodland Dunes Nature Center, Michigan Sea Grant, the Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership, and the Museum of Science and Industry Chicago. | https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/sea-grant-fisheries-specialist-lends-helping-hand-with-teacher-professional-development-program/ |
Our client, an environmentally friendly, public sector organization is looking for an Operations Supervisor to join their team for an exciting 12 month contract. This is a hybrid role that will involve 50% working-from-home and 50% site visits.
If you feel you are a self motivated, detail-driven team player who enjoys building great relationships this could be the right move for you!
This position provides field oversight to key receiving facilities and functions within the Clients network to ensure that operational issues are brought forward and managed expeditiously and cooperatively between the respective teams. This position was developed and implemented to positively affect supply chain results for the overall network.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Oversee a reverse supply chain in the field to ensure sufficient capacity to collect and process materials in order to meet program plan targets.
- Employ standards, scorecards and codes of conduct for contracted collectors and oversee their implementation
- Manage and build relationships with supply chain service providers and provide in-field training for collectors on established policies and practices.
- Work with other field services specialists, third party auditors, and other temporary field staff as needed for the oversight of collection and post-collection material flow in the field.
- Gather and analyze in-field best practices and make recommendations on how these best practices can be incorporated into the company program.
- Work closely with the Manager, Collection Quality and Development prior to initiating or executing changes that impact the collection and post-collection network and related commercial arrangements to ensure that the terms and conditions for change in the collector agreements are followed.
- Conduct public outreach on an occasional basis to ensure understanding of the company program
Qualifications and Experience
- Post-secondary education related to environmental studies, sustainability, supply chain, operations,
- engineering, related disciplines is beneficial but not necessary.
- Ability to conduct detailed analysis and provide summaries and recommendations
- Knowledge of waste management, materials management, commodity markets, and logistics or related operational business activities.
- Excellent organizational skills and ability to effectively create and implement project plans
- 5 years’ work experience in operational optimization, waste management, logistics contracting or related roles is beneficial but not necessary.
This contract position will be eligible for 15 days paid vacation, and 12 paid absence days (available to employees for things like medical appointments, sick days,moving days, personal days, etc.). Apply today for immediate consideration!
We’re an equal opportunities employer committed to increasing diversity and inclusion in today’s workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Minorities, women, LGBTQ candidates, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. If you require an accommodation, please review our accessibility policy and reach out to our accessibility officer with any questions.
Merci de l’intérêt que vous manifestez pour ce poste. La description du poste nous a été fournie en anglais par notre client. Si vous souhaitez passer l’entrevue avec nous en français ou fournir votre CV en français, nous vous confierons à une personne de notre équipe qui parle français. | https://portal.altisrecruitment.com/jobad?jobid=48605-Operations-Supervisor---Hybrid-Opportunity |
The Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI) in partnership with the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) is set to host a forum to transform agri-food systems through agri-innovation.
To be held virtually on 19-20 April 2022, the forum will discuss inclusive and innovative financing models that can impact on the scalability of farming and agribusiness ventures, market accessibility through effective platforms, and digital technology integration in agricultural production.
Experts from different sectors will be leading the two-day forum proper to gather insights from the participants on the conditions that should be in place to ignite changes in the agri-food systems.
Through these thematic sessions, PSFI and SEARCA will determine actions and recommendations on identified challenges discussed in the various themes.
“The forum will serve as a portal for opportunities to support the current generation of farmers and the youth as key enablers in driving agri-innovation,” said Mr. Sebastian C. Quiñones, Jr., PSFI Executive Director.
PSFI and SEARCA will bring together participants from local government units, farmer-entrepreneurs, farmer groups, academe, non-government organizations, and other farming organizations in the Philippines.
Echoing the words of Mr. Quiñones, Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, SEARCA Director, said “with the complexity of our challenges in agriculture and rural development, what we need are partnerships to accelerate transformation through agricultural innovation.”
Last July 2020, SEARCA and PSFI inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to partner on areas of common interest such as education, training, and research.
PSFI is a non-government organization and the social arm of the Shell companies in the Philippines.
To register for the event, please kindly click the link below: | https://www.searca.org/news/searca-psfi-hold-forum-agri-innovation |
Ventilation cleaning industry experts and enforcement officers from Westminster City Council joined forces to tackle the risk of commercial kitchen fires at a recent conference.
Professionals from the National Association of Air Duct Specialists UK (NAADUK) shared their knowledge with the officers who inspect and enforce regulations across food establishments.
During a day-long seminar, Environmental Health Officers from Westminster City Council worked with NAADUK representatives to gain insight into kitchen ventilation systems and how they should be cleaned.
Peter Reid, president of NAADUK, said: “It was a wonderful opportunity of collaboration between experts in the industry and enforcement officers.”
He added: “NAADUK were able to provide plenty of information to help the officers go about their daily inspections of food establishments, such as restaurants, cafes and fast food retailers, and ensure the owners are upholding the right industry standards.”
Meanwhile, CEDA gave a presentation on wood burning pizza ovens and their potential risks.
Regina MacHale, senior practitioner of the Health and Safety Team, Licensing and Regulatory Services at Westminster City Council, attended the seminar.
She said: “It was interesting to hear from the different speakers who were very professional and experts in their field. They gave us some good insights into issues such as accessibility to ventilation ducting, how it should be cleaned and the correct reports that should be provided.”
Following the event, the officers were given CPD certificates to show their continued development and knowledge. | https://www.naaduk.co.uk/ventilation-cleaning-industry-experts-and-enforcement-officers-from-westminster-city-council-joined-forces-to-tackle-the-risk-of-commercial-kitchen-fires-at-a-recent-conference/ |
From the threat of attacks against physical infrastructure to cyberterrorism and “hacktivists,” our nation is facing some of the most complex and challenging security issues in its history. These threats require an approach to national security that is comprehensive, dynamic and decisive.
Leading experts in the fields of electronic and physical security technology as well as counter- and anti-terrorism will discuss some of these approaches at the first annual Panasonic Federal Security Symposium taking place September 12 at The Army and Navy Club in Farragut Square in Washington, DC. The free event is designed to be a forum for professionals in the field to share insights on current and emerging security threats, applicable solutions, best practices, and other issues facing federal security professionals and system integrators responsible for securing our nation’s most critical assets in today’s challenging global environment.
Topics will include:
- Counter- and anti-terrorism
- Law enforcement mobility information technology
- Supply chain security
- Physical Security Information Management (PSIM)
- Critical infrastructure protection
- Evidentiary video and video analytics
- Physical and cyber security challenges
- New electronic security technologies and best practices
Interested in speaking? We are looking for educational submissions from industry experts, federal and private security analysts, specialists, researchers and law enforcement professionals who can speak to current and emerging issues in the field of electronic and physical security technology and counter- and anti-terrorism.
Click here for more information on submitting an abstract. Priority will be given to presentations with intermediate to advanced levels of content. The deadline for submissions is August 1. | http://www.panasonicforbusiness.com/2013/07/panasonic-to-host-symposium/ |
This project was a trainee grant sponsored by Easter Seals Project Action (Accessible Community Transportation in Our Nation) and the Association of University Centers on Disabilities. The purpose of the Mind the Gap study was to identify the barriers that people with physical disabilities experience when riding trains and to use that information to develop a fact sheet for potential train riders in an effort to increase ridership and community access. The project emphasized three primary areas of concern: (1) the gap between the transit train and platform and how the gap affects both boarding and deboarding, (2) the accessibility issues both on the train and in the immediate pedestrian environment of the train station, and (3) how customer to customer assistance occurs and its importance in the boarding and deboarding process.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- A literature review, focus group, and field observations were conducted to gather information.
- A tip sheet for first time train users was developed and disseminated.
- A final data report was developed and disseminated.
- The project was presented at the APHA conference in 2007. | https://uconnucedd.org/leadership-and-community-support-projects/mind-the-gap/ |
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| Task Force | Disclaimer Statement | Download |
In an effort to proactively address emerging risks associated with changes in healthcare delivery, the Academic Medical Center Patient Safety Organization (AMC PSO) convened the Interventional Radiology Safety Task Force to arrive at a set of literature-supported consensus-based guidelines for patient safety considerations for Interventional Radiology procedures.
With advancements in technology and minimally invasive approaches to interventional procedures, procedural areas such as interventional radiology suites, cardiac catheterization labs and endoscopy units effectively
function as satellite operating rooms. Opportunities exist to align and standardize practice to reflect this evolution.
The Task Force began with a review of the latest literature, scientific evidence, guidance documents and opinion statements from relevant sources. Further insights were gathered from AMC PSO member subject matter experts from Interventional Radiology, Anesthesiology, Nursing, medical trainees, risk management, and patient safety.
What follows is a document that reflects the aim, mission and consensus opinion of the Task Force. It offers guidance for patient safety experts in their efforts to provide the safest possible care to patients.
The recommendations for the Patient Safety Framework for Mitigating Risk in Interventional Radiology were developed under the auspices of the Academic Medical Center Patient Safety Organization (AMC PSO) Interventional Radiology Safety Task Force. These consensus recommendations are for informational purposes only and should not be construed or relied upon as a standard of care.
The AMC PSO recommends institutions review these guidelines and accept, modify or reject these recommendations based on their own resources and patient populations. Additionally, institutions should continue to review and modify these recommendations as the field continues to evolve. | https://www.rmf.harvard.edu/Clinician-Resources/Guidelines-Algorithms/2018/IR-Guideline-AMC-PSO |
Our world’s constant digital evolution is making the use of computers a necessity in our daily lives. But accessing the incredible amount of information and services the web offers is not easy for all of us. Websites, software and digital tools have very often been designed and developed without consideration for people with disabilities, which exclude them for being part of this amazing progress.
While a lot of professional are interested in the topic of making technology accessible and usable by persons with disabilities, the reality is that they often do not know how or where to start.
To help them with their projects, a day has been dedicated to Global Accessibility Awareness (GAAD), to allow experts in the field to provide useful resources and information on global and local regulations, share best practices and listen to concerns and expectations.
On the occasion of GAAD 2014, OpenConcept Consulting Inc. and HUB Ottawa are proud to invite you to a lunch talk on Thursday, May 15. The event will gather accessibility experts and digital professionals that focus on digital accessibility.
Topic: Digital Accessibility, what it’s all about.
- What is Accessibility, and why it is so important?
- What are the main Accessibility regulations in Canada and Ontario?
- How do you know if your website is accessible? Tools and Resources.
- Website development software and Accessibility – what we’ve been up to with Drupal (and why).
OpenConcept Consulting Inc. is an open-source web design team of experts specializing in the Drupal CMS. We are deep believers in the Internet as a tool for social change, and have been advocating for open-source for years, building our work on a philosophy of transparency, confidence and community. | https://www.neads.ca/en/about/media/index.php?id=160 |
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Below are some recommendations based on UDL Quick Tips by the ACCESS Project. In addition, consider reviewing this primer on Universal Design of Instruction by the University of Washington's DO-IT Center.
Multiple Means of Engagement
- When establishing goals and objectives, begin by making a list of the knowledge, skills, and (if applicable) attitudes you want your students to achieve.
- Present information in multiple formats, including text, graphics, audio, and video.
- Whenever possible, tie new concepts to prior knowledge.
- Develop assessments directly from the objectives, even before designing course content.
Multiple Means of Representation
- Become familiar with student resources on campus, including DSPS, Student Success Programs, and others.
- Ensure that examples and content used in class are relevant to people from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
- Create a welcoming class environment. Learn students' names, if possible, and use their names when calling on them.
- When applicable, have students explore the meaning and value of their learning experiences to them-selves and to society.
Multiple Means of Action & Expression
- Communicate high expectations for all students, while expressing your willingness to make “appropriate accommodations” for students with disabilities.
- Consider accepting alternative project formats: oral presentations, videos, newspaper articles, photo essays, radio documentaries, community research, web publications, etc.
- Emphasize time on task. Create assignments that require students to practice recalling and utilizing infor-mation. Brain research confirms the adage “Practice makes perfect.”
- Give prompt, ongoing, and instructive feedback to support learning and self-assessment.
California Association of Post-Secondary Education and Disability (CAPED)
CAPED promotes the full and effective participation of individuals with disabilities in all aspects of California postsecondary education. We advocate and facilitate equal educational opportunity through appropriate support services, curricula, instruction, policies and funding allocations. We work to eliminate discrimination against people with disabilities, and to promote their independence, growth, productivity, and equality.
Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology (DO-IT)
The DO-IT Center at the University of Washington developed The Faculty Room as a space for faculty and administrators at postsecondary institutions to learn about how to create on-site and online courses that maximize the learning of all students, including those with disabilities.
Universal Design for Learning Implementation & Research Network (UDL-IRN)
The Universal Design for Learning Implementation and Research Network (UDL-IRN) is a grassroots organization that supports the scaled implementation and research related to Universal Design for Learning. Through collaboration, we support and promote the identification and development of models, tools, research, and practices designed to foster effective UDL implementation in educational environments. We encourage and welcome participation in these discussions.
Consult the following directory hosted by Vitalsource for a selection of "born accessible" textbooks which are certified to meet accessibility standards.
An additional way to increase equity and improve access is by incorporating Open Educational Resources (OER) in your class. Cuesta Library faculty has dedicated Specialists to support the adoption of OER and can advise how to take universal design and accessibility into account when researching options for your curriculum.
One example of OER which strives to meet accessibility standards is the directory of OER textbooks, including for STEM subjects, published by Pressbooks. Many of the publications available on this platform are not only available to be read online, but also ready for import into Canvas or available for download in a variety of offline formats.
If you are considering a textbook for adoption and have questions about accessibility please feel free to reach out to our Alternate Media Facilitator, [email protected]. Alternatively, to ensure the materials you've created are as accessible as possible, consider referencing this Checklist for Accessibility before and after authoring electronic content.
To meet the needs of qualified students with disabilities, colleges must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act using academic adjustments and auxiliary aids.
Enforcement of these federal non-discrimination laws is provided by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR), as well as through lawsuits filed directly in federal court.
To review a database of OCR resolution documents illustrating the breadth and depth of civil rights protections available to qualified students with disabilities, please visit the Office for Civil Rights Recent Resolution Search page. | https://www.cuesta.edu/student/studentservices/dsps/dsps_faculty/faculty-resources.html |
Festival “InclusiON” took place in Kharkov, it was dedicated to a barrier-free environment. Specialists of the Office for the rights of persons with disabilities became experts at several events in the frames of the festival.
Inspired by the Belarusian Accessibility Week, a festival with the similar goals, which had been held in Belarus for the 5th time, civic activists from Kharkov had decided to organize the same event in their city. “InclusiON” is the first attempt to join civic initiatives, state bodies, mass-media and activists interested in the topic.
The festival has started with a press-conference at which the organizers bravely said that they were going to make the event an annual one. Why Kharkov?
- The answer is very simple – we live in this city and want to do something for it – says one of the organizers of the fest the president of Kharkov oblast foundation “Public Alternative”, the head of the coordinative council of Coalition against discrimination in Ukraine Maria Yasenovskaya. – Yes, we could have started from the capital, but it is enough to do everything just for Kiev, let’s do something here for us.
We should mention that almost 2 million people live in Kharkov that is why the event shouldn’t be considered as a local one. The organizers many times had stated that the fest is dedicated not only to a barrier-free environment for persons with disabilities, the topic is much wider.
- Every one of us once in his life was in a situation of a limited mobility – explains a member of the board of Kharkov oblast foundation “Public Alternative” Victoria Babiy. – People carrying heavy bags, parents with strollers, pregnant women, elderly people and people in cast – they all are people with a limited mobility.
It should be mentioned that the Belarusian fest also wasn’t limited by disability topic. Ecological, youth and HR defence organizations traditionally join the Accessibility Week in Minsk. We want to make our cities and countries comfortable for all people what is presented in the philosophy of universal design. By the way, the universal design topic was raised in Kharkov as well. The coordinator of the Office for the rights of persons with disabilities Sergey Drozdovsky held two lectures for students-architects and activists who were interested in using possibilities of universal design in their city.
At the same time the expert reminds that physical accessibility is not the only goal of our events.
Accessibility is not just a physical absence of some barriers and the presence of ramps. First of all, it is to what degree every human right is accessible for a person with disability. Every person should have a possibility to use his/her rights without any humiliation and contempt for human dignity.
Specially for the fest the organizers translated a Belarusian book “Disability etiquette” into the Ukrainian language and presented it in the museum of literature.
Belarusian experts several times had participated in shows of Kharkov city and oblast TV. Unfortunately we can’t say the same about participation in TV-shows in Belarus.
The festival ended in a city quest and young people with disabilities took part in it.
Several times we have been asked to compare accessibility of Minsk and Kharkov:
- These cities are similar in some features, - answers Sergey Drozdovsky. – There are places where you can see that people thought how to make a street or a building an accessible one but there is no system approach in the both cities.
The expert mentioned that there are, for example, accessible buildings but it is difficult to get to them by public transport. Or at first sight you think that a building is accessible but in reality a ramp was built “for beauty” and cannot be used.
Openness unites Belarusian and Ukrainian civic activists. We are open for cooperation. Belarusian Accessibility week traditionally takes place in the end of April – the Beginning of May. Come join us!
Festival “InclusiON” was held in the frames of the campaign “HR defenders of Belarus and Ukraine together for protection of public interests”. | https://www.disright.org/en/news/following-offices-experience-accessibility-festival-took-place-kharkov |
Since the foundation of ITech Consult AG in 1997, we have continually extended our network of freelance computer experts. Today, we can fall back on around 20,000 qualified IT specialists (developers, system experts, project managers, support technicians and more). Therefore, ITech Consult is now in a position to provide clients with IT professionals who have the required profiles – within as little as 48 hours.
Numerous prestigious organisations such as Roche Diagnostics, UBS, Swisscom, Novartis or Swiss Re, as well as several federal authorities in Switzerland, count on the services provided by ITech Consult AG. You can find further references under references from our Clients.
Freelance IT specialists benefit from our comprehensive service offering, too – from job evaluation and support in the application phase through to all administrative contacts with the client as part of the assignment.
In 2011, ITech Consult achieved a turnover of 20 million Swiss Francs. The company employs a total of 20 internal members of staff, all with long experience in the field of recruiting IT experts on behalf of our clients. | https://www.itcag.com/chen/about-us/facts/ |
The Research Integration Center (RIC) – one of four components of the George H.W. Bush Combat Development Complex (BCDC) – will be the headquarters for the BCDC. The RIC will be complete and fully operational in August 2021. Ground was broken for the RIC on Oct. 12, 2019, and construction is well underway.
The BCDC’s RIC will be the intellectual hub for innovation, where researchers and other experts from industry, government, academia and the military gather to collaborate on emerging technologies.
The three-story facility is where data will be collected, stored and curated for real-time and after-action analyses.
The heart of the facility will be a command center to direct, observe and evaluate the testing underway anywhere in the BCDC in real time. It will feature a wall-sized display of video feeds, thermal imagery, data streams, analytics and map overlays of whatever is being tested. This visual presentation can speed test insights and help identify testing article or experimentation design changes.
The facility will have offices for research teams and include U.S. Army personnel, laboratories, a machine shop and high-tech makerspaces for product development.
Specialists will manage the collection, storage, analysis and sharing of data with the military and others. Another group of experts will evaluate the cybersecurity resilience of everything being tested.
Finally, a team of simulation environment creators will supplement real-world experiments with virtual testing, which helps validate results through repetition and puts results in broader context.
Testing at the BCDC is comparable and shareable with testing at other U.S. facilities, and will allow the BCDC to participate in testing at other facilities. | https://bcdc.tamus.edu/2020/06/18/construction-is-underway-on-the-research-integration-center/ |
Jaskirat Singh from Codeuino volunteered as a mentor for GSOC the past two years, and mentioned that CB is probably eligible to apply as an org, if we wanted to.
https://google.github.io/gsocguides/mentor/org-application#whats-on-the-application
Applications open January 15, 2019, and we’d need:
- to apply
- decide if we want to propose any projects for students
- figure out who wants to mentor a student during the summer (4-5 hours per week expected, I think)
Questions we’ll have to answer:
The questions vary from year to year, but will be similar to: Why does your org want to participate in GSoC? How many potential mentors have agreed to mentor this year? How will you keep mentors engaged with their students? How will you help your students stay on schedule to complete their projects? How will you get your students involved in your community during GSoC? How will you keep students involved with your community after GSoC? Has your org been accepted as a mentor org in GSoC? What year was your project started? Where does your source code live? You’ll also be asked to complete a profile for your organization including the following: Organization name Short description Long description Logo Primary open source license Contact information Organization website Social media links #Tags for technology and topics Organization specific application information
Creating this post as a placeholder. | https://forum.codebuddies.org/t/to-revisit-google-summer-of-code/151 |
Sample USCIS Follow-Up Questions after H-1B Site VisitPosted by Murali Bashyam on Feb 27, 2011 in H1B Visas, News | 0 comments
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Verification and Documentation Committee recently received an example of follow-up questions posed by USCIS officer following an H-1B site visit. In the example, the officer is requesting information from the employer to potentially assess compliance with the Neufeld H-1B Employer-Employee Relationship Memorandum.
The example is as follows:
As I mentioned during our telephone conversation today I am an officer with US Citizenship and Immigration Services. On September 14th, 2010, USCIS attempted to conduct a site visit at _________________ . Specifically the Site Inspector was attempting to verify the employment of __________________ . Unfortunately, the site visit was not successful. I would very much appreciate your assistance in verifying the employment of _________________ .
Specifically I would like to know:
1) The start date of __________ ‘s employment with your organization;
2) The specific geographic location and physical address ______________________ is working at;
3) The current client that ___________________ is assigned to. Please also provide the start date of __________________ ‘s employment with that client, as well as contact information for a representative of that end client. If the end client is not the direct client of your organization, please indicate that, as well as the sub vendor your organization is contracted with. In regard to that employment please also address the following questions:
a) How is _____________ supervised? Is such supervision off-site or on-site?
b) If the supervision is off-site, how do you maintain such supervision?
c) Who controls the work of __________ on a day-to-day basis?
d) What tools or instrumentalities needed for _______________ to perform the duties of employment are provided by your organization?
e) Who evaluates the work-product of ___________________ ?
4) The specific job duties that _______________ is performing;
Feel free to contact me at the number below, or via email, if you have any questions.
Given the expanded focus of the site visits, employers should be prepared to answer questions related to the ‘right to control’ their H-1B foreign employees.
To get more information on the Neufeld Memo regarding the employer-employee relationship, please click HERE.
We will post additional information at www.bashyamshah.com when it becomes available. | http://www.bashyamshah.com/blog/2011/02/27/sample-uscis-follow-up-questions-after-h-1b-site-visit/ |
These two passages are a good illustration of what accountants refer to as “a proper segregation of duties”. What makes accountants breathe easier is for their clients to distribute bookkeeping and administrative tasks to as many people as possible. The passage from 2 Kings tells us that the royal secretary and the high priest came together and counted the money and placed the funds in bags. Although only two individuals are mentioned, it would be safe to assume there were probably more. Of the two mentioned, one represented the king, and the other the priesthood. This appears to be an ancient version of segregation of duties and checks and balances.
Many churches need to take this practice to heart. Unfortunately, often for reasons outside of their control, churches and pastors don’t employ this procedure. Often because of expediency or lack of funds, one person will be given all of the financial tasks – from start to finish. As long as the person is honest there is usually no problem. But, other times…
Key: Pastors should know enough of the details of their church organization to make sure that their church is using Jehoiada’s model. Churches should appoint teller teams to count the money. The teams should be made up of multiple members who serve in rotating terms. Also, the business office tasks should be split between as many individuals as possible. For example, employees who assist in counting the offerings should not be involved in posting tithing information to individual member giving records. Also, individuals who prepare and write checks should not have check signing authority or be in charge of mailing the bills. Because of budget constraints and the cost of employee benefits, many churches are beginning to address this problem by outsourcing some office tasks to professional organizations.
Segregation of duties should not be limited to bookkeeping tasks but should also extend to church management and organization as well. A church should employ a team concept for crucial duties such as the setting of compensation for church staff, budget development, and long-range planning.
The verse from 2 Chronicles reminded me of a simple test I advise my clients to apply to themselves to determine, on a surface level at least, if they have any weaknesses in their organizations. Notice that the passage states that the chest was transported by the Levites – plural. Key: Counsel I have given to many pastors and business administrators is to look closely at how money flows into and out of their church. As they review their procedures, I advise them to make a list of who is involved in the process. The ultimate question I instruct them to answer is this: “Is the church’s money ever in the possession of one individual, no matter how short a period.” (I have knowledge of one situation in which the funds were in one individual’s possession for no more than thirty seconds. Unfortunately that was all the time needed!)
Every Sunday morning, in churches across the nation, money is being transported from the sanctuary to the counting room, from the counting room to the safe, and from the church to the bank by sole individuals. This is a threat to the church. But, it is also a threat to the carriers. It only takes a few seconds for a thief to swoop in, grab what’s needed, and soar off. The best defense is to devise a system where the funds are never, even for the shortest of moments, in the possession of one individual. In doing this, the church should include all funds, special events, program fees etc., as well as the Sunday offering.
Verne Hargrave is the Church and Ministry partner at PSK LLP and author of the book, Weeds in the Garden. | https://www.pskcpa.com/news/there-is-strength-in-numbers/ |
Based on recent jobs postings on Zippia, the average salary in the U.S. for a Project Consultant is $86,654 per year or $42 per hour. The highest paying Project Consultant jobs have a salary over $126,000 per year while the lowest paying Project Consultant jobs pay $59,000 per year
Project managers oversee a specific project related to the organization's business. They manage the whole project from inception to evaluation. They initiate planning with involved departments, follow-through on the plans, ensure smooth execution of the plans, and evaluate the project for further improvements should these be needed. In line with this, project managers also ensure that the project is cost-efficient and well within the budget. They also manage the different work teams involved in the project and ensure that things are running smoothly on this aspect as well.
Consultants are individuals who were tapped by a company or an organization to work on a specific activity, depending on their field of expertise. They act as guides for the organization in undertaking projects that are related to their field. Consultants would usually assist organizations in planning, often giving advice when the need arises. They would, at times, take the lead in activities that involve data gathering and interpretation of data gathering results so that they can provide solid recommendations on actions that the organization may undertake. They may also guide the organization in implementing any changes brought about by their consultancy and in evaluating the effectiveness of the changes.
Managers are responsible for a specific department, function, or employee group. They oversee their assigned departments and all the employees under the department. Managers are responsible that the department they are handling is functioning well. They set the department goals and the steps they must take to achieve the goals. They are also in charge of assessing the performance of their departments and their employees. Additionally, managers are responsible for interviewing prospective candidates for department vacancies and assessing their fit to the needs of the department. Managers also set the general working environment in the department, and they are expected to ensure that their employees remain motivated.
Senior consultants are individual contributors whose services are tapped by the organization for guidance on specific projects. They are experienced experts in a particular field that the company operates in or would like to have projects in. They are given primers on specific projects, and they comment on the feasibility of the undertaking. Once the task is deemed feasible, senior consultants act as guides throughout the project's planning and initial implementation stages. They provide their expert opinion to ensure the success of the project.
A project analyst is responsible for overseeing the development of new projects upon completion of data gathering. A project analyst must provide plans and design the project to its full potential. For this, it is essential to conduct extensive research and coordinate with all staff and departments involved through regular reports and various forms of communication. Furthermore, a project analyst must devise strategies to improve particular projects for it to succeed and achieve better results, all in adherence to the company policies and regulations. | https://www.zippia.com/project-consultant-jobs/jobs/ |
On July 8, 2016 ECA Consultancy in the consortium with the Public Fund "Global Development" (from Armenia) and with Public Association "Issyk-KL Sabati" (KyrgyzRepublic) was awarded the contract to implement the project “Sector Support for Education Reform (SSER) Project / Improved Management and Accountability of School Resources/Trainings For School Directors” to be funded by the International Development Association (World Bank). The project implementation began on July of this year.
In the execution of the project tasks ECA Consultancy as a leader of the Consortium will develop the overall concept, training plan and training modules, the appropriate manuals for the public school principals on how to use the training modules for the regional educational institutions who are involved in the education management process in the regions. The given training modules will be based on practical detailed issues of application of existing normative and legal acts as well as on the detailed processes of school management and they will cover the following topics:
- Elaboration of the school development plans,
- Management in public school
- Financial management in the public school,
- Normative funding (per capita) in the school,
- Involvement of communities (parents, civil society, local government bodies) in the processes of school management,
- Application of school reporting cards as an instrument of accountability,
- Organization of activities of boards of Trustees,
- Organization and conducting of budget hearings.
On the basis of these training modules the following materials will be developed:
- Power Point presentations on topics mentioned above,
- Materials and forms for practical training,
- Templates of school development plans, cards of school reports,
- Manual on the use of these modules.
After the preparation of training modules and all needed information 20 professional trainers will be selected and trained who in turn during a year will conduct 88 trainings for 2198 Directors of Public Schools in all regions of the Kyrgyz Republic. | http://eca.kg/news/en/principals-schools-have-be-trained-well |
What Is Project Management?
We encounter projects everywhere: house cleaning, garden party, relocation, or a wedding – depending on the complexity, we sometimes have to organize and coordinate more, sometimes less. And now let’s imagine putting on a festival for several thousand people or building a skyscraper. Phew!
“A little organization” is no longer enough here because a failure can also have serious (financial) consequences. Organizing the whole project is extremely important. In this context, the term project management comes into play.
The following article will show you the essential topics from this broad area in a compact project management guide.
The Nine Areas of Project Management
But take it slow. As already briefly mentioned, the tasks in project management go quite far. For this reason, the Project Management Institute has divided the term into nine sub-disciplines. It is an extensive topic, from the project management basics to the details.
Integration Management
This sub-area is primarily about defining suitable processes necessary for good coordination and integration of the project. Specifically, one deals with the project plan development and implementation and possible changes in this area.
Scope Management
“Is the project going in the right direction?” This is the central question in this sub-discipline. Accordingly, the performance progress must be consistently checked and controlled. This includes project initiation, definition, verification, and monitoring of performance.
Time Management
Time – is always an essential factor. Especially when it’s tight, time management must keep an eye on the time, i.e., all-time restrictions and deadlines of the project. This area belongs to the schedule, the determination of process sequences, process duration estimation, schedule development, and monitoring. Schedule templates are helpful here, as they save time, especially in recurring projects.
Cost Management
Of course, finances also play an essential role in a large project, and these resources should be used as efficiently as possible. Maximum effectiveness with minimum effort – that is the goal. Accordingly, resources must be planned, costs estimated, the budget distributed, and finally, the use of financial resources in project management must be monitored.
Quality Management
In projects, there is usually a customer with specific requirements for his product. And even if it doesn’t, a house shouldn’t crack after ten years. There are various quality requirements that quality management must take care of, and it deals with quality planning, assurance, and control.
Human Resources Management
In addition to time resources, capacity planning in project management also deals with human resources – i.e., the employees.
- Who does which tasks?
- How long does it take him?
- Can he complete the job in the given time and with his existing skills?
- Who should/must he work with?
- Do we have enough staff for the project?
In project organization, personnel acquisition, and team development, personnel management faces these questions.
Team development and the topic of team building are critical points.
Communication Management
This sub-area is about project communication – whether with employees, project managers, or people outside the company. Communication management collects, defines, and disseminates all information related to the project.
Risk Management
A complex project always involves risks. If a delivery is delayed, production is delayed, and deadlines cannot be met, which has further consequences. For this reason, risk management deals with risk identification and assessment and the development of measures to track and assess risks.
Procurement Management
One cannot work without specific means. Therefore, procurement management provides all the goods and services required by making preparations for purchasing, obtaining offers, selecting suppliers, and being responsible for drawing up contracts and ensuring fulfillment.
The Five Phases Of a Project
Another essential part of project management basics is the phases that a project goes through. A project can generally be divided into five project management phases with different tasks – the stages are visualized in the project phase model.
Start Phase
At the start of the project (also: preparation ), all the basics of the project are clarified: e.g., framework conditions, content, duration, costs, and effort.
No concrete decisions have yet been made regarding implementation. Primary concrete goals should always be right initially, and an exact formulation of goals is fundamental. The project plan, project profile, project environment analysis, and SWOT analysis are helpful here.
Planning
It becomes concrete in the planning. Depending on the nature of the project – own, commissioned, everyday, innovative – the analysis plays an essential role in this phase. Here it is also important to distribute tasks, create a schedule, and decide which project organization – such as the matrix organization – the work will take place. The essential data are noted in the project order.
Execution
The implementation then involves the performance of the planning in concrete measures, the processing of the tasks, and the cooperation of the project team.
Steering
This is followed by project control in the fourth phase, control. This includes, among other things, the TARGET-ACTUAL comparison, the overview of project progress and status, as well as problem identification. Transparent and regular communication is essential here to evaluate all information and data.
Diploma
In the end, there is a summary, evaluation, and learning: How did the project go? What went well? What can we do better next time? If necessary, the results can also be compared with similar projects.
Also Read: Understand What Is Involved In Construction Project Management
Common Project Management Methods
But how exactly do you approach a project like this? In addition to the project management basics, various procedures and methods can be found in practice. If you look at the nine sub-disciplines again, project management is a cross-sectional task. For this reason, methods from different areas are used to help.
Project Management Combines Many Disciplines.
Project management requires a sum of disciplines and tasks from other, specific areas. These include
- Analyze and develop ideas
- Plan and calculate
- Control and steer
- Lead employees and teams
- reporting and documenting
- develop strategies
Roles In Project Management
A project is always teamwork and is, therefore (almost) never carried out by a single person. “Inside” and “outside” projects different roles with different functions taking their place.
- Client/customer: Initiator and supreme decision-making authority
- Project Manager: Expert in planning and organization, has overall responsibility
- Project manager: Head of the project team, coordinates team members and is involved in content
- Project staff: Do technical work
- Stakeholders: people/groups affected by or interested in the project
Necessary Skills In Leadership
People carry out management in the sense of corporate governance. These – often referred to as project managers or project managers – should have specific skills to manage a project optimally. In addition to professional and methodical skills, social and personal skills are required, as in any other management profession :
- Communicative Skills
- problem-solving orientation
- leadership skills
- initiative
- Entrepreneurial thinking
- teamwork
- empathy
- critical ability
- willingness to perform
- flexibility
Of course, these skills are not quite enough, and it would help if you also had a project manager.
Success Factors – That Is What Matters.
Berlin Airport BER, Stuttgart 21, Practice shows: that the rate of failed projects should not be underestimated. Since 1994, the Standish Group has examined not only a “failure” rate with its CHAOS Report but also success and failure factors in project management.
Goal Setting
Every project should have a clear goal that, when achieved, also has added value for the company. It is also essential that the goal is set from the beginning and, if so, then not changed too often. SMART goals help with a precise formulation.
Definition of Critical Values
Milestones are essential in order not to lose sight of the big goal. Clear deadlines and budgets, for example, help to stay on schedule and counteract obstacles and minimize the risk of an overall project failure.
Management Level
The support of the company management is necessary for a project. In general, all important people and groups should be behind the project.
Infrastructure
In connection with the support of the management, a project needs good infrastructure. Relevant resources, equipment, and premises are required to use the potential of those involved and complete the project.
Of course, many other factors can determine the success or failure of a project. But the most crucial thing is structured management. If this is in place, you can react to problems much more controlled. The risk of failure is minimized. This brings us to another criterion: the human success factor. | https://www.techreviewscorner.com/project-management-%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8Ba-comprehensive-overview/ |
The role of a business analyst (BA) is to act as a bridge between the company’s information technology and business departments. In simpler words, the BA assesses the organization’s business needs, how it can integrate with technology and facilitate these solutions to the stakeholders.
Because the BA has to deal with a wide spectrum of stakeholders, their skill sets include a mix of soft and technical skills. To showcase your competence as a leader and to take calculated risks between the project team and the management, be prepared to answer the interview questions for the position of a BA.
In this article, we have shared the top 21 commonly asked business analyst interview questions with the most suitable answers to each of them. These questions by recruiters and BA experts make your pre-interview preparation easier.
That's simple! The business analyst is the one who analyzes the business of an organization. Their role is to find out the business requirements and gap areas within the organization, predict future issues that may arise and suggest appropriate solutions for the same (e.g. how to improve the quality of product or services).
The role of a BA varies from project to project, business to business, and even industry to industry. A BA's job is not limited to IT projects and can extend to other areas of the business such as marketing, finance and sales.
First of all, the BA should get a document signed by the relevant party that after a specific date, no changes to the requirements will be accepted.
After that, they will identify the changes, evaluate their impact on the project, assess the resources available for implementing them, and check whether the proposed measures affect functional documents, coding or testing in a project.
The tools they must be well-versed to use, in this regard include Microsoft Office, Rational tools and ERP systems.
The list is pretty long, but major documents are Functional Specification document, Technical Specification document, Business requirement document, Use case diagram and Requirement Traceability Matrix, among others.
It is the process of measuring the quality of an organization's products, policies and procedures against that of other companies or the industry standards. Benchmarking is used to measure an organization's competency and identify areas of improvement based on what other similar businesses are doing in the market and achieving their goals.
It is not part of a BA's job to organize project team meetings, track a project's risks and issues, or be involved in functions such as coding, testing and programming.
If there is a problematic stakeholder on the project team, the BA should identify them, politely hear out their objections and answer diplomatically.
They should also try to have a one-on-one meeting with the stakeholder to understand precisely what they are not comfortable with, to arrive at an agreeable decision mutually.
It is also essential for the BA to continuously and tactfully keep difficult stakeholders engaged and to assure them that their contributions are valued in the project.
Some of the diagrams that a BA should be aware of include:
Kano Analysis is a powerful technique used to identify the end-user requirements for a new product. It deals with the needs of the end consumers of the product. The main attributes studied in this technique include threshold attributes (what a customer expects), performance attributes (what adds extra enjoyment to using the product) and excitement attributes (what a customer does not know about but is excited to discover).
The core competencies are analytical thinking and decision-making, business process management, technical and soft skills, business and industry knowledge, and.
Since a BA acts as a link between the organization's IT and business activities, they should possess excellent problem-solving and negotiation skills. Given the operational nature of the role, a BA needs to have business and industry knowledge as well as the capability to think analytically and manage business processes efficiently.
The steps involved in the business analysis process flow include gathering vital information, identifying the key stakeholders and the business objective, determining the available options/resources, defining the scope and delivery plan, outlining the requirements for a project, and implementing the changes and then evaluating their performance.
CATWOE stands for Customers, Actors, Transformation process, Worldview, Owners, and Environmental constraints. The acronym helps in making business decisions ahead of time. It also includes analyzing how these new processes or changes will affect the end customers.
CATWOE makes the users answer questions like, "Who has ownership of the business?" and "What environmental impact can be seen because of the new changes?"
RTM is a type of technique that records all the requirements stated by a client. The purpose of RTM is to ensure that all of those requirements are met.
In requirement gathering, each step involves specific tasks to perform, principles to follow and documents to produce. The steps include collecting background information, identifying stakeholders, discovering business objectives, evaluating options, defining scope, creating a business analyst delivery plan, defining project requirements, supporting implementation through SDLC and evaluating value added by project.
The elicitation is a requirement gathering practice involving several techniques such as:
SRS is a set of documents that outline the features of a system or software application. It provides a high-level idea of the system and its functionality. The critical elements of SRS include the scope of work, functional requirements, non-functional requirements, dependencies, data model, assumptions, constraints and acceptance criteria.
A use case is an integral part of the software modelling technique. It is a diagrammatic representation of a system that describes how someone can use the system to accomplish a goal.
The steps involved in designing a use case include identifying the users of a system and creating a profile for each category of them; defining the essential goals associated with each group, creating the use cases for each goal based on a user template, and structuring, and reviewing and validating the use cases.
Scope creep, or requirement creep refers to unplanned deviations or changes in a project's scope within the same resource range. It is often a result of poor communication. It can be avoided by clearly documenting the project scope, following suitable change management methods, intimating the effects of changes to all the parties in advance and properly documenting all new requirements in the project log.
UML, or Unified Modelling Language, is an industry-standard used for documenting, constructing and visualizing the different parts in a system. It is used mostly for software development, but also for describing job roles, business processes and organizational functions.
Some of the critical diagrams that business analysts use in UML modelling include state diagrams, class diagrams and use cases.
Process design is a technique that helps businesses to analyze challenges and find practical solutions for them. It involves the creation of workflows to get the best possible outcome in the shortest possible time in a project.
The essential qualities of an Agile BA include collaborating with product owners and developers to elicit requirements, iteratively doing requirement elicitation, developing realistic functional requirements, and making requirement specifications as lightweight as possible.
An Agile BA also has technical soundness and awareness of agile terminology with a strong focus on the just-enough project requirement and test criteria.
Some of the essential agile metrics include velocity, work priority, sprint burndown matrix, work category allocation, cumulative flow diagram, defect removal awareness, business value delivered, time coverage and defect resolution time.
Any employer will judge your listening skills and your ability to respond to questions. Hopefully, the list, as mentioned above, will help you brush up the basics and make you more confident for the interview. Good luck! | https://www.greycampus.com/blog/others/top-21-business-analyst-interview-questions-and-answers |
Attackers Don’t Examine Market Size When Deciding Whether or Not to Target an Organization or a Person
Recently, on a trip to visit potential customers in one of Europe’s smaller markets, I ran into a recurring theme. When I speak to any audience about security, including potential customers of course, I tend to focus on concepts and ideas, rather than specific products and services. Choosing the components of a solution is important, but can only be done once an approach is well understood. This comes much later in the discussion. Not surprisingly, most people prefer this approach, particularly when they are able to map between the concepts and ideas and the specific problems and challenges they face.
As you can imagine, one of the concepts I often discuss is the identification, prioritization, and mitigation of risk. As I’ve discussed previously, this is one of the most critical components of a mature and successful security program. This particular trip was no different from most others in that I broached this particular topic with nearly everyone I met with. What was different on this trip, however, was one response I received repeatedly: “We are in a small market. No one will attack us.” This surprised me quite a bit.
Indeed, I have heard this line of reasoning many times in the past. What surprised me was not that people would be inclined to think this way, but that they would be inclined to think this way in 2017. It is surprising given how interconnected the world is, how we’ve repeatedly seen that no target is too small or too remote for the motivated attacker, and how organizations that do not come to terms with this reality ultimately pay for it, sometimes dearly.
Sadly, market size isn’t the only way in which people lure themselves into a false sense of security. Let’s take a look at a few of the different ways in which people convince themselves that they do not need to understand the threat landscape they face and mitigate the risk it presents them with.
Organizational Size
Some people, organizations, and boards seem to think that if their organization is under a certain threshold (either employee-wise or revenue-wise), then the organization can simply fly under the attacker radar. This line of reasoning is reminiscent of the old “security by obscurity” way of thinking. As experienced security professionals know, this is a dangerous way of thinking that generally winds up producing disastrous results.
Attackers have shown time and time again that they care about one thing and one thing only: the location of the prize they are after. It doesn’t matter if that prize is money, information, disruption, or any of the other ends that motivate attackers. If an organization has what the attackers are after, they will go after it. It doesn’t matter if the organization has 10 employees or 10,000 employees.
Geographic Isolation
There is a somewhat natural tendency to feel safe and secure due to geographic isolation. If we look at the history of kinetic wars and the kinetic battlefield, it is easy to understand why this is the case. But this sense of security does not and should not translate to the virtual world.
Whereas to commit a physical crime in a given city, I generally need to be in that city, this is obviously not the case in the virtual world. I can sit on one side of the world and commit cybercrime on the other side of the world. Similarly, I can just as easily attack targets in places that may be geographically isolated as I can attack places that may be just around the corner from me. Unfortunately, there is really nowhere to hide in the virtual world.
Language Barriers
There are many languages that a relatively small number of people speak. In the countries that speak these languages, people may be inclined to think that they are not at risk. For example, people may think that because all intellectual property, customer data, employee data, or other sensitive data is written in a language that is not widely spoken, then no one will ever be able to target, navigate to, and exfiltrate that data. This is another type of “security by obscurity” that is a dangerous way of thinking. Unfortunately for those native speakers, this could not be farther from the truth. Attackers have shown tremendous creativity and resourcefulness when it comes to gaining access to the information they are after, regardless of the language it is written in and how many people speak that language.
Market Size
As I mentioned above, being in a smaller market does not protect an organization from attack. No matter how small the market, there will still be people, organizations, and information that attackers will want to target. To be quite frank, it doesn’t much matter where information resides nowadays. The fact that it exists in an interconnected world puts it at risk. Attackers do not examine market size when deciding whether or not to target an organization or a person that has a specific piece of information they are after. They simply go after it.
My purpose in this piece isn’t to cause panic or present a doom and gloom scenario. Rather, I’m hoping that the clever reader will see in this piece an opportunity to help educate management, executives, the board, and others of the need to approach security strategically, regardless of organization size, geographic location, spoken language, or market size. Any of the points I’ve raised above can be countered and mitigated by approaching security as a risk mitigation exercise complete with a robust security operations and incident response capability. No one should rely on security by obscurity and expect to fly under the radar of the modern attacker. It’s just too risky. | https://www.securityweek.com/hiding-plain-sight-why-your-organization-cant-rely-security-obscurity/ |
Baptists also believe in the autonomy of the local church. No denominational officials dictate what local churches do. However, Baptist churches do associate with other Baptists churches to be better able to perform such tasks as world mission.
The New Testament does not lay down rules as to how churches are to be governed. There are offices mentioned such as pastors, elders, deacons and evangelists and there are qualifications given for those who hold these offices, but there is no specific church explicitly stated.
Unfortunately, many Baptist churches only maintain the illusion of congregational government. Nominating committees choose who will fulfill the offices in the church and the congregational merely votes to ratify these choices. Then these officers then choose the nominating committee for the next year and so the cycle goes. Many people in the church are not involved at all in the decisions that are made. Attendance at business meetings is remarkably low.
Question: Why are so few people involved in the work of the local church? | http://blog.pastorpaulpoet.com/2014/07/6.html |
EMR Integration projects are often the bane of many clinicians and practice managers/administrators.
Often there are concerns that Information Technology staff or contractors essentially hijack the EMR integration project and control both its goals and implementations despite the fact that most EHR integration projects – especially those relevant to clinicians and staff – are original envisioned by non-IT users.
There are even some administrators that prefer to let IT staff dictate such EHR integration projects as it removes the need for difficult decision making and some honestly believe that IT is best equipped to make decisions regarding the project.
As with most EHR integration projects, however, this is not necessarily the case. If one were to need a decision about specific technical items within the project – e.g., what connection mechanism (such as through secure file transfer or via a secure web service or API) – then it is likely that the best decisions are made within IT.
If, however, there are needs elsewhere, it is likely that the best answer for the organization is to keep a multi-stakeholder team on standby to provider overall direction for the integration project and to advise on specific issues.
EMR integration projects are NOT IT projects
It is important to remember that integration projects are not IT projects; rather they are automation projects that are designed to increase productivity.
Sure, their integration means, however, are through information technology teams.
However, allowing IT to control the fate of an integration project would be akin to a large retailer allowing trucking firms to dictate which products it carried in stores. IT is a means to achieving a specific administrative end.
To that end, it is important for organizations undertaking integration projects to determine who the stakeholders are.
Typical stakeholders in an EMR integration project
Let’s assume that one is undertaking a project to integrate EMR data amongst two different organizations – such a project may be initiated because a clinic is now affiliated with a specific clinical network and data is needed to more efficiently affect transitions of care, or to provide benchmarking for population health management, or to provide adequate data for payer reporting.
Clinical staff
In such cases, those leading the project ought to strongly consider involving clinical personnel in order to establish trust in the data being transferred and measured (from the point of being sent from the originating system to being received, processed, and calculated by the destination system).
Why? Because it is clinicians who are likely being measured as a result of such EMR integrations and their support is paramount to success.
Administrative staff and quality assurance personnel
In addition administrative/quality assurance personnel are needed to ensure that data is being sent and processed at the correct intervals, that the data is sufficient for the administrative and data purposes envisioned, and the project’s work fits within the respective organization’s overall strategic goals
IT staff
IT personnel ought to be involved so that the work of the project can fit into overall IT planning and to ensure that proper maintenance and possible scalability concerns are addressed prior to a project going live
The final customer (that is actually going to use the system)
Finally, to the extent possible, one ought include the ultimate customer in the project – or at least check-in with the customer frequently. Their support and buy-in is important as the project was originally envisioned to meet a requirement they were placing on the organizations (this is true even if the customer is internal).
How to determine who the stakeholders are
At its simplest level, the clearest way to determine who ought to be included as a stakeholder is to diagram the processes involved and also to determine the processes both prior to, during, and after the integration that are impacted by the integration itself.
In essence, figuring out dynamically the individuals and work processes impacted by the integration project and to keep them involved as stakeholders from the origination of the project will greatly assist – but certainly not guarantee – more buy-in from end users.
Nor would it better ensure project success, and provide different perspectives on the project and its impacts.
This latter point is especially important as it may allow one specific project to be leveraged for multiple users and to, in effect, compound the benefits from the project.
The EMR interface project described above, for example, may also be partially used to connect the clinic to a health information exchange – as data is already being extracted in a given format – and leveraging part of the integration for another end can more save time and money later (in this case, if one were to send data to the clinical network in a CCD format, that same CCD may be sent to a health information exchange especially if there is an integration or interface engine involved in the original data integration project.
This would save the practice from having to both wait on and to purchase, from the EMR vendor, another CCD interface).
Risk mitigation in such EMR integration projects
Data integration projects are often going to be headaches for organizations – they can be overly complex, the technology is not as efficient and readily accessible as it ought to be (especially when compared to other industries), and there will be competing demands for resources and interests within an organization.
That said, risk mitigation is possible through the simple exercise of mapping out who will be impacted and what processes will be impacted – both directly and indirectly – and including such individuals in the decision-making process for the project.
For the IT teams at organizations, while it may seem to be a step back from directly leading projects, more successful projects, through the involvement and input from multiple stakeholder groups, will build more trust in the IT staff’s ability to complete projects and to deliver on customer requirements while, at the same time, taking some of the decision-making load of IT’s back.
Despite some additional upfront work, such a multi-stakeholder model for integration projects is apt to deliver strong dividends to organizations of all sizes. | https://nisostech.com/the-various-stakeholders-in-a-healthcare-integration-project/ |
Many companies use simulation to virtually test manufacturing methods, optimize production lines, and create competitive differentiation. Effective simulation reduces time and costs that would typically be driven by physically testing a manufacturing system. Using plant and process simulation, manufacturers can quickly iterate design changes to overcome any problems found during the simulation exercise.
Most manufacturing executives know that simulation is a requirement for success. Still, fewer than half of them believe that their simulation capabilities are effective enough to drive the changes their business needs. Part of the challenge in integrating simulation into an organization is that it requires gathering information that involve stakeholders across departments, vendors, and disciplines and forces alignment and clarity that teams assume they have but realize during the project they don’t.
Successful simulation projects require manufacturers to identify the goals they are trying to accomplish through simulation, determine how they will find the information they need to make the project effective, and establish clear metrics for success. Without addressing these three issues, manufacturing leaders will struggle to achieve the results they want and are susceptible to scope creep.
What Am I Trying to Do?
Once you have decided to start a simulation project, the next question is who needs to be involved in making the project successful? Every project needs a set of stakeholders who can define the project's expectations, set the scope, and ensure compliance throughout the organization. The leaders need to start by asking the right questions:
- What is the goal of the project?
- Who are the key stakeholders that we need to include?
- Has anyone else in the organization undertaken this type of project?
- What kind of tools will help us drive success?
As the simulation team works to identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and process gaps, it's also tasked with ensuring the project stays aligned with its original intent to avoid scope creep. The critical consideration here is defining the expected results, including reduced costs, improved workflows, and better scheduling. Starting with a list of upfront targets helps team leaders identify specific KPI's that they hope to achieve before the project begins.
What Data Do I need to Collect?
Like any technology project, simulation software requires working with high-quality data. Data evaluation can include plant data and process data. Plant and process simulation software involves movement simulations, bottleneck analysis, evaluating the sequence of operations on the shop floor, human and robot interaction, and ergonomics for employees.
The key to knowing what data to collect goes back to understanding what you're trying to solve. Leaders will need to examine the project’s KPIs and measures of success, then work with specific departments to pull the information required to meet those targets. The requisite information is spread across the organization, so it will be incumbent on the team leaders to work with key stakeholders to gather it. The data-gathering project will likely be the longest part of your simulation initiative.
How Do I Know if the Technology Worked?
Simulation provides you with a virtual view of the factory floor and the machine requirements. At the end of a completed project, the simulation should set new benchmarks for the production line. The measures could be as easy as reducing wait times for goods that are not currently in use. It could also be eliminating unnecessary movement from employees on the shop floor. Or it could be removing unnecessarily complex processes and improving communication across departments.
The most crucial measure of success is whether the project met or exceeded its pre-stated goals? After identifying KPIs, were you able to make meaningful improvements?
As labor and equipment costs rise, driving efficiencies from product lines becomes crucial in squeezing out money that goes directly to the bottom line. Manufacturers and their customers turn to simulation projects to identify problems during production, reduce scrap, and decrease defects. Manufacturing executives have recognized the need to use simulation as a cost-effective way to optimize production lines. But a poorly run simulation project has the potential to harm the organization.
Successful simulation projects begin with conversations that identify stakeholders, determine the project’s parameters, and set realistic project results.
Paul’s Baldassari is the Executive Vice President of Strategic Programs and Asset Management at Flex. | https://www.ien.com/advanced-manufacturing/blog/21497227/three-key-questions-before-starting-a-simulation-project |
Laurie Winger is Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer at CUNA Mutual Group.
No one likes being limited by a budget, but nearly every person and organization has one. In the absence of unlimited capital, the separation between business planning and finance can end up seriously hurting an organization in the long run.
In the past, finance departments were viewed as strictly a budgeting entity and often kept at an arm’s length during strategy discussions, leaving teams squeezing initiatives into preapproved budgets without proper discussions around the constraints. Using a dedicated business finance team, you can make a concerted effort to make sure your finance department is continuously engaging with business partners and is part of the conversation about where the business is heading, rather than being brought in for specific needs or tasks.
This business finance team is charged with connecting the traditional finance department with the different business development and customer experience teams across the company. Creating lines of communication between the finance team and other departments has helped us operate more cohesively. Dedicated teams that have deep and specific product line knowledge have provided insights into activities such as optimizing marketing processes to target higher-value customers and identifying inconsistencies in external partner processes that have led to multimillion-dollar true-ups.
Although the shape of a business finance team can look different in every organization, for CUNA Mutual, our team members are centralized within the finance department and are also given a specialization. Each business area has a team comprised of a senior manager and a combination of senior and junior financial analysts. The business finance team also has a team to support our shared service areas, which is staffed with more junior financial analysts.
Each team member works very closely with the group they support; they are keenly aware of the specific factors driving the part of the business they are involved with and are a permanent part of strategy development and execution discussions. They are a “jack of all trades” focused on building the relationship and asking the right questions but skilled in the many different elements of finance.
Regular conversations between business development team members and finance ensure that budgets are met and that budgets are allocated in a way that best fits the needs of initiatives. Accurate financial planning requires a deep understanding of the way a business is operating, what is working and what isn’t working. When these departments work in unity, processes are more efficient and companies save money, time and frustration.
At our organization, capitalizing on these efficiencies has allowed us to make improvements, such as accelerating our speed to market of new products and using cost models to improve contract negotiations with our business partners. The relationship between the business finance team and the rest of the organization has ensured that the accounting, treasury and tax teams are aware of developments across the business.
They are aligned with the priorities of the business and able to perform due diligence when necessary. In the past, these teams were often engaged late in the game, causing delays and stress leading up to product rollout or contract signing.
When finance is not involved from the beginning, there is a complete breakdown in the support model. If business finance teams are not given a seat at the table, they must play catch-up, creating inefficiencies and introducing potentially inaccurate assumptions into financial plans.
Involving the finance department throughout the entirety of the business development conversation has the potential to make or break the bottom line of an organization. A business finance department can ensure that you continue establishing practices like these that promote alignment between business and finance, paving the way for enhanced growth down the road.
The information provided here is not investment, tax or financial advice. You should consult with a licensed professional for advice concerning your specific situation.
Forbes Finance Council is an invitation-only organization for executives in successful accounting, financial planning and wealth management firms. Do I qualify? | https://growlerusaphoenix.com/the-importance-of-incorporating-finance-into-the-business-conversation-immediately.html |
The research primarily focuses on the need of Project Management education and skills among the information and communication technologies’ undergraduates who the driving factor of an organization’s growth in terms of project success. Although the world is evolving towards the specific skill set but when it comes to hiring every organization looks for a wide horizon of skills in the applicant. The research will look what point does the ICT undergraduates hold on to with respect to having project management skills along with their technical knowledge in IT. On the second note it also tends to analyse the professional view on the value of project management in Information and Communication Technologies industry and the impact that project management education at an undergraduate level would have in techno-based companies. The document shall explore each and every aspect of the research question in detailed depth and will outline the perspectives of the population consisting of working professionals and undergraduate students. This research tends to see the importance project management holds in the ICT industry under what scenarios would it be beneficial for the students to learn it at an early stage to benefit the organisation and themselves in a long term. | https://esource.dbs.ie/handle/10788/3529 |
Understanding how background music affects memory is essential to determine the best conditions in which we learn and retrieve information. Empirically, it has been shown that what is learned in one context is best retrieved in the same context resulting in context-dependent memory (CDM). A narrower focus known as music-dependent memory has been a driving force in recent CDM studies. Dimensions of music that have induced music-dependent memory include tempo and tonality (e.g., Balch & Lewis, 1996; Balch, Bowman, & Mohler, 1992; Mead & Ball, 2007). In this study, an additional aspect of music, volume, was manipulated to attempt to induce a CDM effect. Music was played in two different contexts [low volume (LV) and high volume (HV)] to create separate learning and retrieval contexts. Participants were placed into one of four groups (LV-LV, HV-HV, LV-HV, and HV-LV). The LV-HV group, for example, experienced low volume (LV) music during encoding and high volume (HV) music during retrieval. This group was one of two mismatched groups (LV-HV and HV-LV). Two groups were matched groups in which both encoding and retrieval will have matched music conditions (LV-LV and HV-HV). No CDM effect was found in the present study. In other words, participants in the matched group did not recall any more or less than participants placed in the mismatched group. Participants were surveyed on their mood throughout encoding and retrieval to determine whether volume acts as a mediator to influence mood-dependent memory. Although participants experienced greater pleasantness during encoding and greater arousal during retrieval, it was not dependent on volume contexts. An additional aim of this study was to explore whether individuals' experience with listening to music while studying affected recall, particularly CDM. In this study, it was found that the belief that one studies better with music did not result in higher or lower recall scores compared to those who do not prefer to listen to music while studying.
Advisor
Lacy Krueger
Subject Categories
Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Recommended Citation
Relph, Stacey Elizabeth, "Music Volume Effects on Context-Dependent Memory" (2014). Electronic Theses & Dissertations. 606. | https://digitalcommons.tamuc.edu/etd/606/ |
We regularly write about the powerful impact music has on body and mind, and here’s a reprise. Two new studies verify that music can play a powerful role in mood control. The studies come from opposite ends of the spectrum. The first found that uplifting music improves mood, and the second found that sad music comforts people suffering from a broken heart. In other words, there’s room for music of many tones in your collection.
In the first new study, participants set out to deliberately improve their mood using music as an aid.1 Nauert, Rick.” Upbeat Music Helps Improve Mood.” 16 May 2013. PsychCentral. 16 May 2013. http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/05/16/upbeat-music-helps-improve-mood/54898.html The study asked 167 students from the University of Missouri to set their minds to getting happier.2 Abrams, Lindsey. “Study: Happiness Comes Easier With Upbeat Music.” 16 May 2013. The Atlantic. 16 May 2013. http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/05/study-happiness-comes-easier-with-upbeat-music/275890/ Then, the students listened either to the dissonant, somber music of Igor Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring for 12 minutes, or to the far more chipper music of Aaron Copland’s “Rodeo.” A control group also listened to “Rodeo,” but without setting the intent to get cheerier.
After listening, the participants rated their happiness level on a scale of 1 to 15. The passive listeners who hadn’t set a goal didn’t improve their mood in spite of the upbeat music, and neither did the Stravinsky contingent. But those who listened to the Copeland composition with intent improved significantly. The same results were found over the long-term. Subjects listened to the upbeat music every day for two weeks during lab sessions, and again the researchers found that those who concentrated on improving overall happiness did indeed achieve that goal compared to the control group.
Earlier studies have shown that music can improve mood, but what’s unique here is the finding that the magic happens more effectively when there’s an intention to improve mood, combined with the right type of music. Both elements are necessary; intention alone won’t work if it’s the wrong music. In fact, an earlier study (2003) in which participants listened to music while trying to get happy had the reverse effect. The subjects felt worse after the music session than they did before. What were they listening to? Stravinsky’s Rites of Spring.
But what if someone feels angry or blue and isn’t ready to get happy? Can joyful music make a difference? In fact, the second study determined that people who suffer from hurt feelings or problems in love respond to music that reflects their sadness rather than to music intended to cheer them up. Apparently, when one has heartache, music takes the place of a friend. Sad music makes the subject feel empathized with, as the music mirrors back the subject’s mood. This raises the question of whether the maxim “misery loves company” plays a role. In other words, if intention matters in terms of how music affects us, is our unconscious intention when we feel heartbreak to commiserate rather than to get lifted out of the doldrums, and does the right music simply amplify that intention? Then again, Jon Barron talks about a young woman he knew years ago who listened to Joni Mitchell songs for hours on end whenever she felt romantically disappointed. And by the end of a single day, after listening over and over to songs of “circle games” and “urges for going,” she was downright psychotic. Perhaps she’s the proverbial exception that proves the rule. Or perhaps her intention was wrong.
On the other hand, if one feels frustrated because of something non-personal–a car problem, for instance–happy music actually can help, and sad music doesn’t appeal.
Putting all this together, assuming we believe the studies, the picture looks like this. People who want to get happy and who aren’t in bad shape to start with would do well to listen to dance music or something similarly elated while setting a happy intention. Those who are blue from heartbreak should listen to something sad until they feel well enough to flip over to the happy intention routine–with the exception of my Jon Barron’s old acquaintance. And nobody should listen to chaotic, discordant music, unless they don’t care about improving mood.
A few years ago, we reported on a study that found that teens who spent the most time listening to music had an eight times higher chance of being depressed compared to the teens who listened to the least music. Since the study didn’t specify what type of music the kids listened to, we can only assume they listened to typical teen stuff–rap, hip hop, and rock. The question left unanswered is whether hard-edged music, when listened to over time, leads to depression more than other types of music do.
Research looking at how different types of music affect mood differently has found that the best results in mood enhancement come from music specifically designed to affect mood. In one study, 144 subjects listened to either New Age, classical, “designer” (music designed to have specific effects), and grunge rock. After listening to the grunge rock, the subjects had significant increases in fatigue, stress, sadness, and hostility.3 McCraty R., et al. “The effects of different types of music on mood, tension, and mental clarity.” 4 January 1998. Alternative Therapeutic Health Medicine. 16 May 2013. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9439023 Sorry, Kurt Cobain! The New Age and classical selections had mixed results, but the designer music did indeed elicit the responses it intended to.
The problem with such studies is that all music within a particular genre isn’t created equal. Just ask Antonio Salieri.4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIzhAKtEzY0 As the recent research shows, different types of classical music may elicit vastly different responses. The same holds true for New Age and even rock music. A more useful study would look at the specific responses to specific songs or compositions, or even different singers or composers.
In fact, author and neuroscientist Dr. Oliver Sacks, has found that vulnerable people can actually experience seizures in response to a particular musical compositions.5 Sacks, Oliver. “The Power of Music.”Brain. 17 May 2013. http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/content/129/10/2528.full He cites one patient who had epileptic seizures when he heard Frank Sinatra songs, and another who reacted only to Neapolitan songs.
Dr. Sacks has also seen patients who experience swooning, hallucinations, and fits as well as seizures when listening to music. The point he makes is that music has enormous power to affect individuals, and the effects can be negative as well as positive. In other words, music has both “charms to soothe the savage breast” and the power to conjure up “Sympathy for the Devil.”
Studies aside, you can tell how a piece of music affects you personally just by paying attention. The key here is to pay attention. Do you feel better after listening to a particular CD, or worse? Or to put it another way, you would be wise to choose your music well. | https://www.jonbarron.org/article/mood-music-and-genre |
Following the publication of the article, "Music and COVID -19: changes in uses and emotional reaction to music under stay-at-home restrictions" we spoke with Dr. Revital Hollander-Shabtai about the research, its process and its results:
"Dr. Naomi Ziv and I started the study following the first quarantine in March-April 2020 in which people first experienced a unique situation in which they were locked up at home, usually alone, and forced to deal with social distance. We witnessed how music helps us many times, and accompanies us in lots of activities in life. We tend to play music in the background of an activity we perform or be active with it; it greatly affects our feeling, mood and energy. In this study, we examined if there were changes in music consumption habits during the quarantine period, and how music contributes to people while they are coping with the difficult conditions of the quarantine.
As part of the research process, we created a survey and conducted it among two hundred people in Israel. The survey focused on how music helps in dealing with crisis situations, and anxiety, creating a sense of brotherhood and shared destiny, relieving loneliness and more.
The second part addressed a unique Corona issue, "Covid-19 clips", clips that were sent through WhatsApp, clips of musicians playing at home, people could watch familiar singers singing at home in their daily outfit, without effects, and so on. We reviewed home shows and audience-free shows. Study participants were asked about the difference in terms of attending a real show, as opposed to watching the videos posted on WhatsApp, the respondents reported that they prefer real live shows. Although they enjoyed the videos, it is not a perfect replacement for them. It will no doubt be interesting to do the research again after a year of crisis and 3 quarantines and see whether there is any further change.
We wanted to compare the changes in mood of the participants today and in the past and how the music helped them. There are various theories as to how music helps in crisis situations, and this crisis is unique in terms of its conditions. We have seen some very interesting things: 1. People reported that when they hear music they feel do not feel alone 2. People reported that music makes them feel like they are somewhere else. These were also the two most dominant situations in the quarantine, when it was impossible to leave the house and social distance had to be maintained.
Another thing we asked is if there are any changes in music consumption habits, quantity and style of music. The results of the survey showed that there was no significant change. Respondents stated that in the first quarantine at they listened to more Israeli music, it made them feel related to their roots - we mentioned it but it was not significant. Most of the respondents reported they listened to the same music style, during the same activities and in similar quantity to what they listened to, before the quarantine."
Music and COVID-19: changes in uses and emotional reaction
to music under stay-at-home restrictions / Dr. Revital Hollander-Shabtai
Ziv, N., & Hollander-Shabtai, R. (2021). Music and COVID-19: Changes in uses and emotional reaction to
music under stay-at-home restrictions. Psychology of Music, 03057356211003326.
Abstract
During stay-at-home orders in response to COVID-19, individuals had to deal with both health-related fear and anxiety and the difficulties related to social distancing and isolation. The present study, conducted in Israel shortly after the first lockdown was lifted, at the end of May 2020, examined individuals’ subjective evaluation of differences in their music listening habits and emotional reaction to music compared with normal times. A total of 200 participants filled an online questionnaire focusing on three issues: (1) changes in amount and situations of music listening. These included reference to new music clip types recently created and directly related to COVID-19 and its effects (Corona Clips); (2) changes in intensity of emotions experienced in reaction to music; and (3) changes in general emotions. For most participants music listening and uses remained similar or increased. Both emotional reaction to music general negative and socially related emotions were stronger than under normal circumstances. Music uses and emotion scales were correlated with socially related emotions. The results support previous findings regarding the use of music for mood regulation and the importance of music as a means for social contact and provide a demonstration of subjective evaluation of these functions in real-time coping during a global crisis. | https://www.runi.ac.il/en/whats-up-lobby/news/revital-hollander-shabtai-new-article/ |
- Tamplin, Jeanette; Baker, Felicity A.; Grocke, Denise; Brazzale, Danny J.; Pretto, Jeffrey J.; Ruehland, Warren R.; Buttifant, Mary; Brown, Douglas J.; Berlowitz, David J.
- Relation
- Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Vol. 94, p. 426-434
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2012.10.006
- Publisher
- W.B. Saunders Co
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2013
- Description
- Objective: To explore the effects of singing training on respiratory function, voice, mood, and quality of life for people with quadriplegia. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Large, university-affiliated public hospital, Victoria, Australia. Participants: Participants (N=24) with chronic quadriplegia (C4-8, American Spinal Injury Association grades A and B). Interventions: The experimental group (n=13) received group singing training 3 times weekly for 12 weeks. The control group (n=11) received group music appreciation and relaxation for 12 weeks. Assessments were conducted pre, mid-, immediately post-, and 6-months postintervention. Main Outcome Measures: Standard respiratory function testing, surface electromyographic activity from accessory respiratory muscles, sound pressure levels during vocal tasks, assessments of voice quality (Perceptual Voice Profile, Multidimensional Voice Profile), and Voice Handicap Index, Profile of Mood States, and Assessment of Quality of Life instruments. Results: The singing group increased projected speech intensity (P=.028) and maximum phonation length (P=.007) significantly more than the control group. Trends for improvements in respiratory function, muscle strength, and recruitment were also evident for the singing group. These effects were limited by small sample sizes with large intersubject variability. Both groups demonstrated an improvement in mood (P=.002), which was maintained in the music appreciation and relaxation group after 6 months (P=.017). Conclusions: Group music therapy can have a positive effect on not only physical outcomes, but also can improve mood, energy, social participation, and quality of life for an at-risk population, such as those with quadriplegia. Specific singing therapy can augment these general improvements by improving vocal intensity. | https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/%20/manager/Repository/uon:18362;jsessionid=BF1EAE46A03BC09D87D0EC9FFC10470F?exact=sm_creator%3A%22Grocke%2C+Denise%22&sort=sort_ss_title%2F |
Last time, we looked at the role that self-selection can play in happiness and well-being-related research. In doing so, we highlighted a study which found that while participants who are enthusiastic about the prospect of taking part in interventions designed to boost well-being are likely to benefit most, the positive results that such studies frequently report are not exclusively due to priming, i.e., participants knowing what the research is about and taking part because they want to boost their well-being.
Such findings are important, because they serve to counter the suggestion that well-being interventions are effectively placebos, i.e., participants’ desire to benefit accounting for positive results, as opposed to the actual interventions. Yes, participants who know what the research is about, subscribe to the ideas behind it, and adhere to the intervention programme will most likely fare best, but they are not the only ones to benefit, and regardless of knowledge, enthusiasm, and commitment, participants in active conditions tend to fare better than those in control conditions.
Against that backdrop, while it is important to know that well-being interventions have some objective rigour, once that has been established it is also interesting to look at research where participants are actively encouraged as part of the study design to attempt to ‘make themselves happier’.
One such study was published in The Journal of Positive Psychology in 2013. The central question posed by Yuna Ferguson and Kennon Sheldon at the outset focused on whether consciously attempting to be happier would help or hinder the actual experience of happiness.
On one level, it might feel counterintuitive to think in terms of actively trying to be happier, i.e., putting effort into it. Thinking in these terms may make trying to be happier feel like work, and if that is the case, might that not be a contradiction in terms? However, it is often the case that what feels intuitively true or is considered to be ‘common sense’ does not stand up well to the scrutiny of scientific research.
So, with that in mind, Ferguson and Sheldon sought to test whether the idea of actually striving for happiness can work.
To investigate this question, they recruited almost 250 students from a U.S. college and in two distinct but related studies exposed them to different pieces of music.
In the first study, participants listened to either 12 minutes of a piece upbeat/positive – Copland’s Rodeo – or spent the same amount of time listening to music deemed to more ambiguous in tone – Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. Half of the participants in each condition were instructed to consciously try to boost their mood as they listened, while the others were asked to simply listen naturally.
The authors found that participants instructed to attempt to boost their mood while listening reported higher positive mood ratings after being exposed to the music, but only with the upbeat material. This suggested that the intention to boost positive mood in of itself was not enough, but when combined with compatible music, the combination could be effective.
The second study followed the same basic structure, but was extended over time, with participants visiting a laboratory to listen to selected pieces of music on five separate occasions over two weeks. Similar findings were reported.
The researchers concluded that “listening to positive music may be an effective way to improve happiness, particularly when it is combined with an intention to become happier”.
While sometimes scientific research can call into question truisms and intuition, in this case it seems that the idea of listening to music to cheer yourself up may well have some solid backing behind it.
However, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a one-size-fits all. By that I mean that individual tastes differ and therefore so too might the music happiness ‘prescription’.
It is important to remember that quantitative research findings point to trends and do not amount to absolute statements of what will work for every individual. So, in this instance, the trend was that listening to positively valenced music correlated with improved mood ratings, but it is possible that the happiest individual in the overall sample may not have derived any benefit from listening to the positive music. That would not detract from the findings, but merely serves to highlight that a trend tells us what works for most people, but not all.
The point being that what works for you may not fit with the trend. Some people derive great pleasure from listening to nominally sad music and run a mile from anything that sounds remotely happy-clappy, whereas for others, even hearing the intro for a downbeat song might be enough to adversely affect their mood.
The point is to go with what works for you. It may not make a long-lasting impression on your happiness, but if we know that the ‘right’ music can give us a boost in the here and now, then why wouldn’t we seek to make the most of that?
Dr. Mark Barry
Mark Barry was awarded a PhD by University College Cork in 2015 for his research into adolescent well-being. He has lectured psychology at UCC since 2013, and is also a freelance writer. | http://www.mphc.ie/2017/05/increasing-happiness-part-4/ |
This paper describes research investigating the perception of intrusive music, that is, music heard when choice, volume, and occurrence are not under the control of the participant. Participants were directed to record diary accounts of episodes in which music was played in instances when they were not in control of the decision to play the music or any characteristic of it, and to record various items about the music, together with any effects on themselves. Strong reactions were discovered during thematic analysis- reactions influencing mood, energy, distractibility, desire to stay or return, and intention to purchase. The implications for commercial use of music are discussed along with the efficacy of the diary method in this context.
Keywords
Diaries, Intrusive Music, Retail Outlets, and Thematic Analysis
Publication Date
9-1-2006
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License. | https://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol11/iss3/7/ |
For the past couple of weeks, we have talked about how music affects the brain. Last week we discussed the Mozart Theory and how studies have shown that listening to Mozart can boost the brain’s spatial reasoning skills. However, The Mozart Theory was based on a study of strictly classical music. There is a multitude of other musical genres out there. What effect do those have on our brains?
From classical music to heavy metal, we’re going to review a wide range of musical tastes and see how they can help us increase productivity, boost mood, and cope with daily struggles. Since there’s a lot of ground to cover, we’re going to split this up into two parts. This week we’re going to talk about classical, pop, and rap music. Let’s begin.
Classical Music
We talked about how Mozart can improve spatial reasoning skills, but what does Classical Music as a whole do for us? On a biological level, classical music releases dopamine that helps to calm us and bring pleasure. Psychologically, classical music has a calming effect on listeners. One study has shown that stroke patients experienced improved visual attention while listening to classical music, compared to patients who had no music to listen to at all. Practical applications of classical music include stress release, boost productivity, increase focus, and even improve public safety. Studies have shown that the natural calm brought by the sound of classical music has proven to be an effective crime deterrent in high traffic areas such as bustling train stations.
Pop Music
It’s catchy. It’s fun. Pop music makes us want to dance and sing, which may be a distraction for tasks that require focus like studying, but this musical genre does serve a purpose. With simplistic song structure and predictable beats and hooks, pop music offers an uncomplicated endorphin rush that boosts our mood and energy levels. Best for tasks that require minimal focus such as cleaning or exercising, pop music is an effective tool to keep us happy and motivated.
Rap Music
Similar to pop in its musical simplicity, rap music is known to not only correlated with advanced vocabulary mastery but has also been shown to increase self-identity and encourage personal perseverance. Despite the genre’s reputation for violence, this style of music has gained worldwide notoriety for its reputation for telling stories about survival, redemption, and personal growth. These stories resonate with its listeners inspiring and encouraging them to push through their trials. So, if you’re feeling a little down or overwhelmed about your life, turn on some rap to help you push through.
Next week we’ll be talking about the effects and practical applications of country music, jazz music, and heavy metal. Make sure you join our mailing list and have it delivered straight to your inbox.
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Last week we talked about how music affects the brain. We learned how the human ear processes sound waves and translate the waves into an audible sensation. We also covered a little body chemistry and talked about how dopamine boosts our mood and gives us feelings of happiness and sometimes the “chills.” From biology to the chemistry we discussed the physical and emotional aspects of music on the human brain, but throughout my research one question has repeatedly been asked, does musical genre matter?
Does it matter what kind of music we listen to? What seems to be a simple question may yield some complicated answers. Let’s take a look.
The Mozart Theory
Have you ever heard of the Mozart Theory? If you haven’t, the Mozart Theory was first introduced in 1993 by a group of scientists at the University of California, Irvine. The scientists conducted the study by asking a group of participants to listen to two piano sonatas by Mozart while another group listened to either silence or relaxation audio. The results of the study showed that those who listened to the sonatas showed an increase in spatial reasoning skills within ten to fifteen minutes of hearing the music. Those who were not exposed to the sonatas did not show a significant increase in brain function.
The study also considered the long-term effects of classical music and performed a series of tests gauging the long-term implications of exposure to classical music on a group of toddlers. The children were provided either classical music training on keyboards or computer lessons for six months. The children who received the keyboard lessons earned 30% higher marks on a spatial-temporal reasoning test than the kids who took the computer lessons.
Shortly following the release of the study’s results a flood of Baby Mozart CDs hit store shelves, successfully making parents everywhere believe that if they cared about their children, they need to play Mozart nonstop or risk having an academically stunted child. But despite the study’s claims, was it enough to justify the craze? What if it wasn’t Mozart‘s music, but rather the effect of musical exposure that helped the brain improve?
What do you think? Check back next week where we’ll talk about different music genres and how they affect how we think and feel.
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How Music Affects the Brain
11/14/2020
Anyone who has felt music knows how much impact music can have on a person’s mood. Music can lift us and make us happy, or it can remind us of the hurt and pain we’ve experienced. But what is the science behind it? What about music makes us react so strongly? Let’s discuss this.
The Basics – How Do We Hear?
Sound waves reach our ears and funnels into the eardrum via the ear canal. Once the waves hit the eardrum, the drum vibrates traveling down a network of tiny bones. The final bone, the stapes, connects to the cochlea, a fluid-filled space lined with 10 to 15,000 thousand hair cells called cilia. As the vibrations from the eardrum pass through the bones and enter the cochlea, the fluid causes the cilia to sway and release chemical neurotransmitters activating the auditory nerve. Remember those neurotransmitters, we’ll get back to that in a moment. Once the nerve is activated, small electrical currents are sent to the auditory cortex found in the temporal lobe of the brain. And that, my dear listeners, is how we can hear.
Our Good Friend Dopamine
So back to those neurotransmitters I mentioned earlier. The chemical neurotransmitter released by the cilia is known as dopamine. Does that sound familiar? Better known as the “feel-good hormone,” dopamine is responsible for all those good feels we get when we experience something pleasurable. That feeling you get when you fall in love or when you eat something truly delicious? Yep, that’s dopamine in action.
A study performed by McGill University in Montreal showed that dopamine levels increased by 9% when volunteers listened to music they enjoyed. Interestingly enough, during the same study, researchers found that the level of dopamine varied depending on how much the listener enjoyed the music. Listeners who enjoyed the music and reported feeling a “chill,” otherwise known as musical frisson, exhibited higher levels of dopamine than with music they didn’t enjoy, or experience the “chills” with.
Does music give you the chills? Hard as it may be to believe, some people never feel that “chill” when they listen to music. Amusia is a disorder, often referred to as “tone-deaf” in which an individual is unable to observe any differences between pitch and tone. It is estimated that about 1 in 20 people are affected by this disorder and may be present from birth or the result of an injury.
Join me next week as I keep the conversation rolling. Does genre matter?
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Our very own Stanford Lee has done something awesome! The Stanford Lee Show is now available on YouTube offering a variety of talk and musical performances by Stanford Lee himself and musical guests. The web series launched on YouTube and we couldn’t be any more excited to see what he does next.
First released on Halloween day, the Stanford Lee Show came out with a special Halloween treat. Starting the show was Mark Simon of Kategory X, clad in a brown trench coat and donning a dark brown top hat complete with a snake skin band and rattlesnake head ornament in the front. Accompanied by Stanford Lee on guitar, the two performed Stanford’s “Zombies of the Road” setting the mood for the show’s Halloween special.
Following Simon’s live performance, the two sat down to discuss philosophy and the source of their inspiration for their musical projects. Being longtime friends, the pair had a lot to talk about, including their work together as artists and their impact on their own personal stylings. They even revealed the source of Simon’s curious snake skin hat, in case you were wondering where such an oddity was produced.
The show’s second installment, “War and Art School” was released a week later providing viewers with an inside look into Stanford’s mind. Discussing everything from, well war to art school, Stanford reminisced about his life being part of a large family with a strong military history and how it impacted him as an artist.
The next episode is expected to release next week and new episodes are slotted to release weekly.
Ashcraft Studios is grateful for the hard work of Tesselation Media Productions for their production of the series and looks forward to the many projects we have lined up with them. Be sure to subscribe to our weekly newsletter so you can stay on top of all our upcoming projects.
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Stay Connected. Follow us on Social Media. | https://www.ashcraftstudios.net/blog/archives/11-2020 |
Cardiff, Wales—July 27, 2010— For decades research has shown that listening to music alleviates anxiety and depression, enhances mood, and can increase cognitive functioning, such as spatial awareness. However, until now, research has not addressed how we listen to music. For instance, is the cognitive benefit still the same if we listen to music whilst performing a task, rather than before it? Further, how does our preference for a particular type of music affect performance? A new study from Applied Cognitive Psychology shows that listening to music that one likes whilst performing a serial recall task does not help performance any more than listening to music one does not enjoy.
The researchers explored the 'irrelevant sound effect' by requiring participants to perform serial recall (recall a list of 8 consonants in presentation order) in the presence of five sound environments: quiet, liked music (e.g., Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Stranglers, and Arcade Fire), disliked music (the track "Thrashers" by Death Angel), changing-state (a sequence of random digits such as "4, 7, 1, 6") and steady-state ("3, 3, 3"). Recall ability was approximately the same, and poorest, for the music and changing-state conditions. The most accurate recall occurred when participants performed the task in the quieter, steady-state environments. Thus listening to music, regardless of whether people liked or disliked it, impaired their concurrent performance.
Lead researcher Nick Perham explains: "The poorer performance of the music and changing-state sounds are due to the acoustical variation within those environments. This impairs the ability to recall the order of items, via rehearsal, within the presented list. Mental arithmetic also requires the ability to retain order information in the short-term via rehearsal, and may be similarly affected by their performance in the presence of changing-state, background environments."
Although music can have a very positive effect on our general mental health, music can, in the circumstances described, also have negative effects on cognitive performance. Perham remarks, "Most people listen to music at the same time as, rather than prior to performing a task. To reduce the negative effects of background music when recalling information in order one should either perform the task in quiet or only listen to music prior to performing the task."
This study is published in the September 2010 issue of Applied Cognitive Psychology. Media wishing to receive a PDF of this article may contact [email protected].
To view the abstract for this article, please visit http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/123587968/abstract.
Article: "Can Preference for Background Music Mediate the Irrelevant Sound Effect?" Nick Perham, et. al.; Applied Cognitive Psychology; Published Online: July 20, 2010 (DOI: 10.1002/acp.1731).
Nick Perham is a Lecturer in the School of Psychology at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff. He has published and presented widely on the effects of auditory distraction on short-term memory and general task performance.
About the Journal: Applied Cognitive Psychology seeks to publish the best papers dealing with psychological analyses of memory, learning, thinking, problem solving, language, and consciousness as they occur in the real world. Applied Cognitive Psychology is an official journal of the Society for Applied Research in Memory and Cognition (SARMAC). The aim of the Society is to promote the communication of applied research in memory and cognition within and between the applied and basic research communities. Professor Graham Davies is Applied Cognitive Psychology's Editor in Chief. Applied Cognitive Psychology can be accessed at http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/acp. For more information about SARMAC, please visit http://www.sarmac.org.
About Wiley-Blackwell: Wiley-Blackwell is the international scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly publishing business of John Wiley & Sons, with strengths in every major academic and professional field and partnerships with many of the world's leading societies. Wiley-Blackwell publishes nearly 1,500 peer-reviewed journals and 1,500+ new books annually in print and online, as well as databases, major reference works and laboratory protocols. For more information, please visit www.wileyblackwell.com or www.interscience.wiley.com. | https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/599447 |
Why did SoaD break up?
Daron was taking full control of the band after toxicity/steal this album sessions. That’s the main reason of the first hiatus, Serj didn’t want to record mezmerize/hypnotize albums in the first place, that’s why he only wrote the lyrics of just a couple of songs.
How popular is System of a Down?
System of a Down is the 36th most popular hard rock & metal music artist and the 56th most famous.
What genre of music is Tool?
Progressive metal
What tool means?
A tool is any instrument or simple piece of equipment that you hold in your hands and use to do a particular kind of work. For example, spades, hammers, and knives are all tools. I find the best tool for the purpose is a pair of shears. Synonyms: implement, device, appliance, apparatus More Synonyms of tool.
How can you tell what genre a song is?
Songs that share patterns can be grouped in a genre that describes those patterns. You can find these patterns in any music dynamic: rhythm, speed, progression, key, instrumentation, whatever. You determine the genre of a song by identifying these patterns, and associating them with the description of a genre.
What kind of music do you like to listen to why?
Eliyah Bacon, Desert Academy“Pop music, because it is usually upbeat and fast-moving.” “I listen to all different types of music. It just depends what kind of mood I am in.” “I like happy music because it’s free and happy.
Do you like music?
yes, I like music because it keeps me calm and cool.It makes me happy. I listen to music to manage my moods, to enhance a workout, to bond with otherpeople and as a distraction from daily life. Listening to music can provide health benefits to those suffering from certain conditions.
What does your music taste tell about you?
According to researchers, people who prefer dance music are usually outgoing and assertive. They also tend to rank high on the trait of openness to experience, one of the five major personality traits. People who prefer fast-paced electronic music also tend to rank low on gentleness.
What do you call a person who listens to all types of music?
It’s called Eclectic, And no it’s not a compound word.
What do u call a music lover?
What is another word for Music lover? concert-goer. music lover and concert-goer.
What is a Musicophile?
musicophile (plural musicophiles) One who loves music.
Can u be addicted to music?
While there’s little fault to find with those effects, some question whether people can enjoy music a bit too much. The short answer to this is no: Experts don’t formally recognize music addiction as a mental health diagnosis. Still, that doesn’t mean music habits can still sometimes become problematic.
Is Musicophile a real word?
a music lover. -Ologies & -Isms.
What do you call a person who loves Moon?
Selenophile – A person who loves the moon. | https://www.mvorganizing.org/why-did-soad-break-up/ |
The Orchestra In Your Nursing Home
Do you have a symphony living in your nursing home? The answer might surprise you.
I recently read a research article that explored the metaphor of a grand orchestra for describing a music therapy group. This group included participants with early- to mid-stage dementia. What I learned helps to explain how music therapy works for people with dementia.
The Role of Aesthetic and Creative Research Evidence
Music therapy is an evidence-based practice. That means we do our best work by drawing on the knowledge gained from scientific research, our professional clinical experience, and what our clients say about their own needs and desires.
Music therapists draw on many kinds of research evidence. One kind of evidence comes from the familiar types of studies where one group receives some kind of therapy and another group does not, and the researcher compares the two groups on an outcome measure. For example, a 2006 study by Svansdottir and Snaedal found a significant reduction in activity disturbances for people with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease who received music therapy, when compared to those who did not.
Since our field centers on a creative medium, though, music therapists also draw on artistic, creative evidence to reach a deeper understanding of how music therapy is working for our clients.
The Grand Orchestra: A Humanistic Conceptualization of Music Therapy in Dementia Care
Using creative means to reach a deeper understanding was exactly the point of Melissa Jessop’s research published in the Canadian Journal of Music Therapy in 2014. Jessop worked with a group of seven people with mild to moderate dementia over the course of 13 group music therapy sessions. With the intention of understanding and representing these participants in their full humanness, the author used poetry, metaphor, and visual imagery to represent how the research participants engaged in music together.
As she reflected on their shared music therapy sessions, Jessop saw the seven participants as a grand orchestra, with participants filling roles of Violinist, Opera Diva, and Conductor, Percussionist, Dancer, Virtuoso, and Listener. To describe just one example, the researcher saw the participant Gertie as the Dancer, because she offered movements in the place of speech to express herself musically. Jessop came to see herself as the Concert Hall, providing the container for the participants music-making, while she acted in a supportive role and handled extraneous details.
Who’s in your orchestra?
Having reflected on this article, I can immediately think of the musical roles some of my clients play in music therapy sessions. I like this way of musical, metaphorical thinking, and I think it will help me to understand these clients better so I can provide the support they need for deeper, more meaningful music-making.
Perhaps you can think of how the people you care for interact musically as well. Is someone more likely to lead the group in small and large ways, like a Conductor? Or are they more likely to listen, not producing as much sound but still bringing the value of their presence to the group?
Thinking musically leads to better music therapy.
When I can think as music therapy clients as musicians first, I get to put the participants’ music front and center, instead of their diagnoses or the problems caused by their disease. (Wouldn’t you rather be thought of as a music-maker than a dementia sufferer?) We can make more beautiful music together, and we can have stronger connections and better conversations with each other. Decreased agitation, improved mood, increased engagement with their surroundings – those outcomes happen, too.
Do you have a symphony living in your nursing home?
I bet you do.
References:
Jessop, M. (2014). The Grand Orchestra: A humanistic conceptualization of group music therapy in dementia care. Canadian Journal of Music Therapy, 20, 49-64.
Svansdottir, H. B. & Snaedal, J. (2006). Music therapy in moderate and severe dementia of Alzheimer’s type: A case-control study. International Psychogeriatrics, 18, 613-21.
3 Comments
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Thank you. I truly enjoyed reading your blog about my research.
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Thank you for sharing this, Rachelle! My intern just reviewed this article for one of her assignments for us – fascinating! Melissa, thank you for introducing me to this incredibly powerful research method! I am truly grateful to the contributions both of you are making in the field of music therapy for those with dementia! | https://soundscapingsource.com/the-orchestra-in-your-nursing-home/ |
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Mutual interests - Mutual benefits. A focus on RRI and CSR by Reyes Castillo
EBN participates to the European Social Responsibility Days (Brussels, 9-10 November 2017), a two day event aimed at promoting social responsibility within the frame of the European Institutions, within civil society organisations and the private sector, in Universities and HEIs. At the event, EBN will present the relevant experience gathered in RRI Tools and COMPASS projects.
On this occasion we propose and share with you a valuable insight on CSR and RRI by Reyes Castillo, a professional Corporate Social Responsibility, Migration, Social and Integration Policies, Asylum and Refugees, International Human Rights Law Consultant.
"Mutual interests – Mutual benefits " by Reyes Castillo (Social and Funding Consulting)
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) refers to companies taking responsibility for their impact on society (EC 2011). CSR is explained as acting for the interest of the society apart from the interests of the companies themselves and those of the general economy. Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) and its simplified term Responsible Innovation looks for solutions to contribute to the problems of society.
RRI is based upon the production and use of scientific and technological knowledge through the questioning of their responsibility and their ethical and social aspects. It´s led to a possible new contract between science, technology, innovation and society to address the so-called grand societal challenges. CSR acts as a management model for companies that beyond a business profit allow to detect opportunities in addition to generating a social impact.
RRI evolves in line with the need for most research and development activities to be closer to market. The social impact of research and innovation needs to be more predictable. Research needs to move from the traditional early technology readiness level. RRI keys’ dimensions (gender, ethics, open science, education to science …) need to attain a better uptake by industrial actors. CSR nowadays seeks to reach beyond the confines of any industry. Business industry needs to respond to today’s growing citizens’ demand to play a more active role in solving the social challenges.
The interaction with several social actors drives both concepts. The RII Vilnius Declaration (2013) stated that “a resilient partnership with all relevant actors is required if research is to serve society”. CSR nowadays seeks a wider cooperation with other societal actors rather than the traditional economic actors.
Innovation activities should be acceptable and socially desirable. Sustainable innovation puts technology at the service and in the creation of new products and services with profitability and a positive impact, but also companies´ processes that improve the efficiency and productivity. It makes a positive net contribution to sustainability function (economic, social and environmental factors). Innovation linked to CSR is a key factor for business competitiveness. Companies nowadays question their capacity to innovate and propose the development of concepts such as the Innovative Value Chain, where innovation will leave a mark along the entire process of a value chain (idea generation, conversion, and diffusion).
CSR does count on its experience working for a systematic innovation as part of a strategic policy and a continuous improvement of its management systems. CSR counts on a wide geographical coverage dissemination. CSR integration of good RRI practices for businesses won´t be a panacea but could be aligned towards a strategic approach to innovation, reaching processes, outcomes and social consequences, reinforcing the European competitiveness as well as achieving a major impact for sustainable innovation.
ABOUT the EU Social Responsibility Days 2017
The event is organised by the European Network of Social Responsible Universities in collaboration with the European Parliament, the Social Responsibility Regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean (ORSALC), belonging to UNESCO, the Embassy of the Argentine Republic in the Kingdom of Belgium, and the ULB. | https://ebn.eu/index.php?lnk=K2tiZmlkaWp5MVZzVWF6SzFUWkpHeTFmWkx1aHhkNjFLN2R4bHhlWkg1VT0= |
FY2019 Summary Report from the Sustainability Committee.
For the past decades, Frontken Group has been committed to health, safety, environmental and corporate responsibility and sustainability development. We are focused on providing our customers around the world with products, services and technologies that helps to improve and achieve the Society 5.0 and make an explicit and positive contribution to the challenges of the Sustainable Development Goals today.
In financial year 2019 ("FY2019"), we have strengthened the Frontken Group’s commitments to various aspects of sustainability development. Our sustainability report covers our accomplishments in FY2019 during which time we took important steps to strengthen and integrate our sustainability vision, which is key to long-term sustainable growth, development and profitability of the Frontken Group. We have dedicated additional resources to fully control and integrate our sustainability initiatives. These initiatives are aimed to recognise opportunities for profitability, continuous improvement, build enterprise value, all of which preserves business integrity and protects our reputation.
At Frontken Group, we build advanced technology to help our customers to develop sustainable products and services that make their critical parts last longer, perform better and look beautiful and recyclable in their critical processes. In short, we research, develop and build advanced technology to support and extend the critical processes for our customers’ businesses. Frontken technology help customers to (a) PROTECT the surfaces of their critical parts used in everyday production; (b) PRESERVE their critical parts materials, so that they last longer in everyday production; (c) PROVIDE for a sustainable future via recycling, repairing, refurbishment and re-coating.
We continue to develop business opportunities in alignment with our Sustainable Development Goals that are most relevant for Frontken Group by re-engineering more shared values from fewer resources and turning societal concerns and environmental challenges into our product and services innovations for our global customers. We believe in delivering both shareholder and social values for the long-term growth by building excellence corporate governance that will contribute positively to the society and the environment. We have spent considerable time and resources in shifting the business models of our businesses towards becoming more sustainable. We have also focused on identifying new opportunities, as evidenced by our investments in for example the re-engineering of our water usage and conservation systems as well as our waste treatment and discharge systems, that have become the leader in terms of semiconductor parts processing support technology as well as in environmental sustainability.
The Frontken Board and Management, through our internal and external stakeholder engagement and materiality assessment of our business, had earlier identified key trends and topics that are critical to the continued success of our business, such as reducing emissions to environmental, reducing energy use and waste and improving safety and productivity, creating an inclusive social platform and good corporate governance, business continuity plan, etc. We have always and constantly reviewed such risks as important opportunities to strengthen our risk management, and create long-term value and sustainable growth for our group. The assessing and improving of our operational sustainability have been integrated as part of the Frontken Group’s strategic formulation. The Board will continue to provide oversight with the support of the Sustainability Management Committee and Risk Management Committee where these materials environmental, social and governance, etc are reviewed and implemented.
In FY2019, Frontken Group continue to strengthen and focus on the five “Core Areas for Action on Sustainability’’, these five dimensions of sustainability development are (a) responsible management; (b) responsible innovation and service; (c) responsible green production; (d) responsible workplace; and (e) inclusive society and communities. Based on the material issues we identified, we have laid out a set of strategies and long-term goals in this report as our “Frontken 2025 Vision”. In the long-term vision, we aim to benchmark our sustainability development with the GRI Framework and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by continuing to make efforts in the economic, environmental, and social dimensions of our business, and make a contribution towards resolving environmental and social issues.
We continuously improve and equip our engineers and employees to ensure they are able to continuously contribute to our sustainability development vision. For example, every engineer and employee responsibilities are included in their personal objectives and incentives, and is linked to our business operational requirements:
(a) Innovative Value Creation through product and service portfolios – designed to bring tangible benefits to our customers with competitive advantage and deliver positive social and environmental impact for sustainability development.
(b) Maximizing Resource Productivity through operations – designed to optimize all resources productivity in our production, operations and supply chain including critical materials used, eliminating waste and reducing variable cost. So as to makes us more competitive and sustainable.
Some of our highlights of our achievements are summarised as follows, with more details within our Frontken Group Sustainability Report FY2019, which the Group measure and report its sustainability performance.
2.1. FY2019 Achievement of Sustainability Goals
Frontken views the sustainable development of its management team characters and capabilities as a key part of its corporate social responsibility. We focus on financial prudence, discipline and integrity with strong risk management. We are committed to high standards of corporate governance to sustain growth and performance, and to safeguard stakeholders’ interest and maximise long-term shareholder value. Our guiding principles are summarised as follows:
(a) Our management activities and practices embrace triple bottom line optimization which include positive triple bottom line that protects, creates, and sustains social, environmental, and economic business value.
(b) Our management decisions and practices embrace risk management, ethical decision making and create moral excellence in both process and outcome.
Frontken has long been the trusted technology partner and service provider to the global semiconductor industry. We are a leader in providing next generations of precision cleaning and coating technology to our customers. We help customers quickly enter into production with our precision cleaning and coating capabilities and provide them with competitive advantage in their products and yield performance. In 2019, we led the advanced precision cleaning and coating in the 5nm process technology in Taiwan. We also led the most advanced precision cleaning and coating for the next generation memory wafer process in Singapore. In FY2019, our R&D team researched and developed more environmentally friendly methods for our coating and cleaning processes, we improved our production process flow and productivity by 16% and reduced the manpower by 1.3 hours per kit, and most importantly we replace the dangerous steps and processes that are not conducive to the physical and mental health of employees and the environment.
Frontken Group has continued to improve its green production method to meet the operational challenges that global warming may bring by making progress through innovation. In FY2019, our production capacity has increased while processes continue to grow more complex, but through our efforts, unit production average power usage is 11.20 kWh per part produced; the unit production average water usage is 0.12 cubic meter per part; and unit production average waste produced is 0.00037 ton (0.37kg) per part.
In FY2019, we further optimized our green power to 384,128 KW (an increase from FY2018 of 268,242 KW), directly supporting renewable energy. We continue to adhere to strict waste classification at the source, we have introduced new methods to perform internal recycling of waste water, enabling them to become reusable resources and lowering reliance on outsourcing. In FY2019, we implemented two major waste reduction projects which have resulted a total benefit of 54,443 ton of water saved and 54 ton of waste recycled. As a result of our implementation waste recycling projects, the total water consumption was further reduced in 2019 by 5.8%. We are committed to complying with or exceeding all relevant regulatory requirements, to prevention of pollution and to continual improvement in the environmental, health and safety performance of its operations, processes and products.
Frontken group recruits and employs people based on their talents, without regard to their nationality around the world in a fair, open, and just fashion. Frontken strive to groom and retain a diverse and robust talent pool to support and drive our growth through continuous training and development and instilling a strong culture of safety and excellence, whilst encouraging work-life balance. These are implemented through talent development, groom leaders, knowledge training and exchange, health & safety, employee wellness, etc. We employ people based on their talents, without regard to their nationality. We offer good terms of compensation above the industry average, leave and benefits that meet employees’ needs, a variety of training courses, and do our utmost to create a safe and healthy work environment.
In FY2019, Frontken employee Retention Rate is 98.94%.
Frontken contributed or invested more than 9,664 hours to train employees.
We have a very low health and safety recordable injury rate of 0.01 hour per 100 Employees.
Frontken aims to be proactive in corporate social responsibility to create a total inclusive society and communities. Through the caring for education of the underprivileged, providing education opportunities, and promoting sports, arts and culture, we encourage employees to participate in public service in reading, guiding, ecology and conservation, and caring for the underprivileged and elderly.
In FY2019, Frontken and its volunteers contributed for a total of 5,282 hours.
We have been supporting schools and non-profit organizations to benefit a total of 9 people.
Our report highlights Frontken Group products and services that contribute to our customers’ sustainability goals, such as precision recycle cleaning, refurbishment, re-coatings for critical parts that extend the parts life, products that prevent corrosion and conserve natural resources and other products and services that support the enhanced performance of wafer manufacturing processes. We also report on our efforts to ensure we conduct our business in a socially responsible manner along our entire value chain, from the materials we buy and the production method in which our products and services are used.
Frontken engineers and employees are continuously developing and producing products and services and/or working together with our customers enabling them to optimize the use of our technology. Our employees are critical to our sustained success. Our report explains our efforts to ensure the health and safety of our employees, and at the same time support their development and job satisfaction. We also recognise the important work we do to protect the communities where our employees live and work by ensuring that our production facilities adhered to rigorous environmental standards.
On behalf of the Board and Management of Frontken Group, we would like to thank all our staff, partners and stakeholders who have been with us throughout our sustainability journey. We look forward to your continued engagement, partnership and support. On behalf of all of us at Frontken, we hope this report provides you with new insights into our business and the ways in which we embrace sustainability. Thank you for your time. | http://frontken.com/sustainability/ |
Search Results: 1 - 10 of 16102 matches for " Corporate growth "
Abstract: this article argues that corporate social responsibility acts as a key player that drives business growth. business growth is a variable that depends on many factors; corporate social responsibility is one of them, as it encourages any initiative that originates within the company, facilitating the positioning of your brand, renewing the corporate image, capturing preference and customer loyalty and promoting harmony between the company and the community in which it operates. in this context, corporate social responsibility enable business growth and significantly improving the reputation and credibility, and to achieve recognition with its stakeholders, especially when the commitment to the development of social responsibility strategy is perceived as thoughtful, ethical and spontaneous.
Abstract: An analysis of sustainable growth rate could considerably improve an assessment of Strategic Business Unit’s potential. The sustainable growth rate analysis enabled us to compare a possible growth rate within the brewery industry with a growth rate that firms had achieved. To demonstrate this in more depth, we presented a case study of the brewery industry in Poland and Czech Republic.
Inova？？o e o desempenho empresarial: lucro ou crescimento?
Abstract: innovation is considered to be a fundamental factor when it comes to company performance. however, empirical evidence does not consistently support this relationship at the company level. in this work, secondary data, which was taken from the ibge's pintec database and which follows the oecd's definition of innovation, was used. this measure considers a broad spectrum of aspects of the innovation process. a sample of companies operating in the brazilian chemical sector was analyzed using the multiple linear regression technique. the results showed that there was no significant relationship between innovation indicators and profitability measures. on the other hand a positive and statistically significant relationship was found with growth in net revenues. the conclusion is that the innovation effort tends to affect growth more than it affects profitability. the discoveries both corroborate previous studies and contradict others.
Abstract: In this era of competitiveness, business firms are under continued pressure to play a role in social issues as they strive to be good corporate citizens. Corporate have come to be harbingers on Social Responsibility. For many firms Social Responsibility is not just a philanthropic process but it has become a way of carrying out business process. Is it evolving as a strategic imperative for transforming firms to appear as socially responsible citizens in the interest of its sustained long term growth? How do Indian firms measure up? The paper discusses these issues with respect to select Indian companies.
This paper takes the state-owned manufacturing mixed-ownership en-terprises as the research sample, selects the data from 2014-2016, and studies the relationship between executive equity incentives and corporate growth. Firstly, theoretical analysis is carried out according to the existing literature, and then empirical research is carried out by regression analysis on the basis of theoretical analysis. The research shows that: in the state-owned manufacturing industry, in mixed ownership enterprises, there is a positive correlation between executive equity incentives and corporate growth, but this correlation will be affected by equity concentration. Only when the ratio of the largest shareholder is in the range of 20% - 50%, the positive correlation between executive equity incentives and corporate growth is significant. The executive equity incentive policy has not significantly promoted the growth of the company in the enterprises with scattered equity or excessive concentration of equity. Based on this, it is proposed that enterprises should establish a reasonable executive equity incentive policy and further optimize the shareholding structure through the reform of state-owned enterprise mixed ownership.
Daferighe, E. E.,Adedeji, S. B.
Abstract: The rationale for reputational risk management is to help companies put in place strategies to manage their reputation. This paper examines factors affecting corporate concerns about reputation and its impact on profitability and growth of the companies. Eight manufacturing companies whose historical data were available in Nigerian Capital Market for the period 2000-2006 were purposively selected for the study. The automated SPSS was used to test the simple regression models. However, it was discovered that Corporate Social Responsibility is not appropriate to predict both profitability and growth of Nigerian manufacturing firms though it indicates lack of commitment by companies to activities of social responsibility. It was recommended among others that government should therefore improve on the state of infrastructures to enhance growth of the manufacturing industry which will lead to increased activities of social responsibility.
Abstract: the main task of this research is to create a model of coordination growth drivers in a firm？s operation. when looking for the source of growth in a firm the focus falls on the possibilities for sustainable development of tourism business. the theoretical model reflects the organization and operation of corporate business as regards determining factors from business environment and proves that the development of tourism business today is influenced by the sustainability concept. the empirical research of corporate growth in bulgarian tourism business is based on a survey and uses a mix of qualitative and quantitative methodologies to study the sustainability of corporate growth in tourism in bulgaria.
Abstract: this paper advances the general structure of two motors in corporate growth processes. they are: the continuing growth motor, which comprises a process whereby growth produces more growth, and the co-evolution motor, relating the concomitant growth of parts and whole, such as firms (parts) and their industry (whole). the paper drew on chandler′s "the visible hand" (1977) to derive the proposed motors. chandler's book was thoroughly examined within mohr's (1982) process-oriented perspective seeking to answer the question "what is chandler's theory on how and why did the modern business enterprise (mbe) appear and grow?" four processes - mbe formation, mbe development, industry formation and industry development - were identified and described by means of chains of necessary relations (base on necessary conditions). although endowed with less predictive power than causal relations (based on necessary and sufficient conditions), necessary relations are likely to better describe the complexity of social processes. finally, the microcomputers industry growth was examined in the light of the proposed motors. the analysis revealed their adequacy to explain the emergence of modern industries, suggesting that the proposed motors are potentially transhistorical, contributing therefore to a general theory and to the management of corporate growth.
Abstract: This article examines how an entrepreneur’s strategic choice influences corporate development leading to the initial public offering. The data come from Korean startups in information technology industry. We consider the dynamic interplay between an entrepreneur’s attributes and government’s institutional support as key factors. An empirical analysis of 615 listed companies shows that an entrepreneur’s attributes play a significant role in market entry especially in information technology industry which tends to have shorter lead time to the initial public offering. Government certification and venture capital investment also facilitated corporate growth toward the public company status. | http://www.oalib.com/search?kw=%20Corporate%20growth&searchField=keyword |
As the owner of the company I, Ruud Rouleaux, recognized that to succeed in today’s global marketplace, corporate social responsibility must be embedded in the way we do business. It is my vision to integrate the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability into our core business strategy by ensuring that throughout our business we have a deep understanding of the megatrends that will affect our company, and society at large, for the next several decades. As an owner I recognized that our response to these megatrends must be integrated into our business’s processes, tools, and priorities.
These megatrends should not be seen as a threat, but seen as an opportunity to adapt, change and grow our business. We will integrate sustainability into our company DNA by linking it to our core strategy of material development and increasing our B2B reach. It expresses the way we think, behave and act on sustainability – every day, again and again. I am proud to say that we now have a corporate social responsibility policy which support the 17 interlinked United Nations global goals designed to be a "blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all".
We acknowledge that to achieve long-term sustainable social responsibility we need to work with suppliers, employees, partners and always be customer centric. We describe sustainable social responsibility as a journey for our business that requires continuous learning, adaptation, and improvement of our basic business processes and our response to the priorities of our diverse stakeholders. We are working to optimize our impact, reevaluate our priorities, and ensure that we are viewing our core business strategy through the lens of social responsibility. colorFabb, Helian Polymers, PodoPrinter and all its brands (e.g. PHARADOX) are in scope of this CSR Policy.
We organize the Corporate Social Responsibility around 6 core subjects:
- Respect for the Environment
- Role in the Society
- Our Company Values
- Customer Relations
- Responsible Employer
- Fair Business Practices
The company values “Eager to learn”, “passionate” and “brave” very early on, shaped colorFabb, Helian Polymers, Blackbelt 3D and PodoPrinter. Thus leading to its successes. This history of successes and the values on which it rests will also shape us in the future. We will master our challenges how big or small they are whilst living these company values in mind and heart.
I am committed to these values and vouch for these values being lived in our companies — every day, again and again!
Yours, Ruud Rouleaux
1. #Respect for the Environment
1.1 Policy
Sustainable Resource Use: we will continuously strive for reduced energy consumption, waste reduction, less water usage and sustainable development of our environmental footprint. We will ensure our waste will be separated and re-used where possible. We will promote a circular economy and drive continual improvement through the implementation of energy management systems.
Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: we will prevent and reduce our greenhouse gases emissions CO² continuously by using solar panels, electrify our car fleet and likewise means.
Prevention of Pollution: we shall store hazardous and combustible materials in safe, secure and ventilated areas in such a manner that they cannot escape or be accidentally released into the environment. Incompatible materials should be stored separately. All waste shall be stored to prevent its escape to the environment and disposed of in a safe and legal manner. We will make provisions for notifying the local community / authorities in case of accidental discharge or release of hazardous materials into the environment, or in the case of any other environmental emergency.
Compliance with Applicable Laws: we will comply with all applicable environmental laws, regulations, permits and standards that apply to our business.
1.2 Goal
We strive to reduce our impact on the environment by continuous improvement of our practices around natural resources. Using natural resources more efficiently, we all can live healthier lives, save money and respect the limits of the planet. Objective is to obtain DIN EN ISO14001 (Standards Environmental Management) and ISO50001 (Standards Energy Management) in all our companies.
We ask all our companies to develop initiatives which support the respect for the environment core subject.
2. #Role in the Society
2.1 Policy
We believe that politics are responsible for a sustainable development of the well-being of people living in a weak environment but that companies have a responsibility as well. Because of that, we will work with local administrations and organizations to achieve community goals. We are careful not to trade for short-term profit, but always to keep an eye on the long-term nature of our actions. This is very important to us, whether in the area of the environment and sustainability, in dealing with the resources of the company or in the area of our social commitment.
Future innovators: Help nurture and inspire the next generation to develop skillsets within areas such as 3D technology, engineering craftmanship, material development and CAD/CAM design. We aim to do that by sharing expertise, inviting them to our premises, host events, making the companies resources available for clinics and working with research institutes, schools and universities.
Charities and sponsoring: Our projects need to be charitable. Charitable means that the project funds/project resources need to benefit several people and not just a single person. A project is charitable, if a great amount of people benefits from the project and additional donations/earnings, if existing, are used only/exclusively for the project.
Social Projects: We know that we cannot solve all problems at once but that it is important to achieve little improvements constantly. We see ourselves as committed and responsible corporate citizen. As part of its socio-political responsibility, we are committed to non-profit institutions, projects and activities. As a value-based family business, we want to take on responsibility in the social sphere in the context of our social projects. We focus on supporting local communities with our CSR actions. Our commitment does not support a single person, but a community such as organizations for needy families, children and the elderly. We encourage individual employees to active, solidarity-based action. All employees are given the opportunity to contribute within the social projects. Not only can they suggest social projects every year, a participation of our employees within social projects is strongly recommended.
When donations are made, they are bound by criteria. In principle, the following criteria apply to the awarding of donations:
- Neediness
- Lasting impact
- Transparency, that is, the recipient and concrete purpose must be known; the purpose-built use of the donations will be trolled;
- No party donations;
- No grant to organizations or entities that do not have universally accepted goals.
2.2 Goal
We understand that our actions and vision play a foundational role in ensuring the success of future generations. Progress requires that we invest in the regions and locations where we operate, building healthy, resilient communities. We provide financial and societal benefit to our communities through employment, direct and indirect economic stimulation from our business activities, as well as charitable giving and social responsibility initiatives.
Social projects mean much more than just product donations or financial support. We want to engage in projects together with our employees and support volunteer organizations or clubs nearby. This means that we want to become active in areas where our company expertise is in demand. Our goal is to improve the wellbeing of those in need with a long-term impact.
We ask our employees in our companies to develop initiatives to support the „Corporate Citizenship” subject.
3. #Our Company Values
3.1 Policy
Eager to learn
Across different fields of businesses and departments, our employees are connected with one another and work as one team, as one corporate entity. This is both for the benefit of our customers and of each individual – for their combined success – and it likewise means optimizing all operations at our company. We want to learn how our customers’ business operates, their needs, their challenges and can provide exactly the right solution at the right time. We want to improve ourselves by learning how to be more sustainable and act more responsible for our environment. We accept consequences from our deeds and are eager to learn from success and failures.
Accepting responsibility plays an essential role in our corporate culture. We are keen to work not only for short-term profit but always to keep in mind the long-term consequences of our actions. That is important for us, whether in the field of the environment and sustainability, when considering the company’s resources as well as where our social commitment is concerned.
As an employee of one of our companies:
- You'd like to learn
- You're trying to understand what drives us
- You contribute effectively outside of your field
- You enable our customers to maximize their creative potential
- You are looking for simple and practical solutions to complex problems
- You put forward new ideas and break the status quo
Passionate
We get things done. Achieve our objectives, fully dedicated, every day. That is what makes our employees a force you can trust.
Where markets change, where new trends emerge and customer requirements –change – we are not only on the scene but always a step ahead. We perceive trends as opportunities. For that reason, we have taken it upon ourselves to digitalize our company and have entirely transformed it within a short space of time. With digital equipment for our sales experts, customer-orientated online sales channels and optimized purchasing and material research & development management, we can reach our customers easily, wherever they are.
As an employee of one of our companies:
- You inspire others with your pursuit of operational excellence
- You are fully committed to making the customer successful
- You celebrate victories with us
- You're tenacious
Brave
Courage makes us accept mistakes, dare to undertake something new and achieve our goals together.
We firmly believe that we can only make our customers more successful if we strive for new things and stay in step with the times. Our employees are thus working on new ideas and innovations for our products and solutions every day, from new 3D-filaments for consumers to new genial chemical formulations of 3D filaments for applications in industry. Anyone who tries something new may sometimes fail. But this does not scare us, because only the brave will succeed. Thus our motto is always: be brave!
As an employee of one of our companies:
- You say what you think, even if it is controversial
- You are responsible and show ownership
- You are not asking for permission, but for forgiveness
3.2 Goal
Our values empower us to face up to and overcome the challenges of today. They are at the heart of our corporate culture and how we do business every day.
We ask all our employees to live the Company Values as they are at the heart of who we want to be.
4. #Customer Relations
4.1 Policy
Fair Marketing: We will provide education and accurate information, using fair, transparent and helpful marketing information.
Protecting Customer Health & Safety: We will minimize risks from the use of products, through design, manufacturing excellence, damage free distribution, correct and complete information provision, and if needed, provisional recall procedures.
Customer Data Protection: We ensure that we have all insights, processes and systems in place, to successfully be compliant to the EU General Data Protection Regulation (the GDPR). We will limit the collection of personal data to information that is either essential for the provision of products and services or provided with the informed and voluntary consent of the customer. We will only obtain data by lawful and fair means. We will protect personal data by adequate security safeguards.
Product Compliance: We will ensure that customer specific requirements on product safety are fulfilled. Materials supplied will not contain any substance which are prohibited by legislation or regulation applicable in the country of operation. We will review appropriate restricted substance lists and inform our customers of any substances that are prohibited or declarable when contained in material supplied. We will take care, that we will be compliant to all applicable product safety laws, regulations, permits and standards that apply to our business and customers.
Innovation: For the benefit of our customers we carry out innovative research in our certified laboratories daily. We encourage process optimization to improve customer margins through innovative specialist chemicals, right up to high-quality consumables, tools, lubricants and cleaning agents for maintenance, repair and servicing. We support a companywide idea management processes to trigger product and service innovation.
ISO Certifications: Our customers appreciate our companies to have specific ISO certification. Where possible and applicable the ISO 9001;2015 Quality Management System, ISO14001 Environmental System, ISO50001 Energy Management. We strive to obtain and maintain these certifications overtime.
4.2 Goal
We will ensure that our customer requirements are met, and that we are prepared for upcoming market trends. We will adapt and follow all applicable laws. We will monitor and take actions to always keep one step ahead.
We ask all our employees to be customer centric in every way possible. We expect leaderships teams to manage & steer product and process compliance, facilitate all needed resources.
5. #Responsible Employer
5.1 Policy
Working Conditions and Labor Standards: we comply with all applicable international conventions and national laws regarding working conditions and labor standards.
We ensure that the same conditions are applied to all of our workers including temporary and workers who are employed through labor agencies.
Discrimination and Harassment: we will comply with all local laws and regulations regarding unlawful discrimination. We will not discriminate directly or indirectly against our employees in practices related to hiring, compensation, access to training, promotion, termination or retirement or any other operational activity based on their race, caste, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership, political opinion or affiliation, or HIV/AIDS status or any other characteristics that might give rise to discrimination.
Employee Wellbeing: we will provide safe and accessible drinking water for all workers and allow reasonable access to sanitary toilet facilities throughout the working day. A safe and sanitary place shall be provided for workers’ break periods and, if appropriate, sanitary facilities for food storage shall be provided. Where accommodation is provided for workers, conditions should be in accordance with legislation.
Employee Satisfaction: we will frequently ask our employees how they feel and think about their workplace, leadership and the company. The results will be reviewed, and corrective action taken where possible.
Health & Safety Compliance with Applicable Laws: we will comply with all applicable laws regarding working conditions, including worker health and safety, hygiene and sanitation, fire safety, risk protection, and electrical, mechanical and structural safety, by implementing a structured health and safety management system.
Health & Safety Management Commitment: we will appoint a competent qualified health and safety responsible person who shall report to an appropriate level within our organization.
Investigation and Reporting of Accidents and Incidents: we will put in place processes to record and investigate accidents, near misses and first aid events. Fining employees for having or reporting accidents or near misses is prohibited.
Safe Working Environment: we will assess our work environments for health and safety hazards and eliminate, control or otherwise mitigate identified risks. These assessments shall consider all activities that have the potential to impact any person having access to the workplace or other areas owned or controlled by us. Design of work areas, processes, installations, machinery, equipment, operating procedures and work organization are considered, in relation to protecting the safety, health and well-being of their workers.
Equipment Management: we will ensure that production and associated machinery is equipped with appropriate operational safety devices, and shall be maintained, inspected and serviced on a regular basis. We practice a lockout-tagout program such that all machinery and equipment is to be shut off, locked and tagged as appropriate when maintenance or service work is performed.
Emergency Preparedness and Response: we will provide and clearly identify adequate building exits, according to the size of the buildings and number of workers present, to allow for the evacuation of buildings in an orderly fashion in the event of a fire or other emergency. We will provide fire alarms and adequate fire suppression equipment for each area of their site used by people working for or visiting us.
Provision of Personal Protective Equipment: appropriate personal protective equipment (e.g. gloves, steel-toed shoes or boots, safety glasses, goggles, hearing and respiratory protection) will be used where applicable, as identified through a’s risk assessment, and to meet the needs of legal compliance. This equipment will be made available to workers at no cost and maintained in a suitable condition. Provisions will be made for storing such equipment in a hygienic manner.
5.2 Goal
To meet and exceed the expectations of our stakeholders, we have made a company-wide commitment to create a supportive culture, with strong harmonized systems and processes. We strive to promote a culture where protection of human capital is built in our DNA. We need to work on our Health & Safety practices to do our outmost to establish a 100% safe and satisfying workplace with rigorous EHS risk management procedures and a supporting EHS facility performance, and a supportive HR department on employee satisfaction. We are commitment to eliminate hazardous substances from our products to minimize impact on human capital at our customers, our companies, our employees and suppliers.
We ask all our employees to develop initiatives to support this important core subject “Protect Human Capital” and live up to its requirements.
6. #Fair Business Practices
6.1 Policy
Applicable laws: We shall conduct our business in an ethical and fair manner and operate in full compliance with international, national and local laws and regulations that are applicable to our business operations including, but not limited to:
- anti-bribery and corruption
- anti-trust and fair competition
- export and trade
- property rights
Substances of Very High Concern & conflict minerals: our policy is that we ask our suppliers not to provide us with products which contain conflict minerals (tin, tungsten, tantalum or gold) directly derived from conflict regions. We ask our suppliers to make the appropriate review of any restricted substances and inform us of any substances that are prohibited or declarable when contained in products supplied to us. We will provide upstream suppliers on restricted substances and possible alternatives.
Code of Conduct Suppliers: we are dedicated to exceeding our customer expectations and recognizing our social responsibility. We accomplish this goal through strong collaborative partnerships with suppliers who share values of integrity, fairness, sustainable, responsible ethical principles and compliance to legislation and regulation. Our suppliers are committed, and all signed the ”Code of Conduct Supplier”.
No Forced or Child Labor: we will not use enslaved or involuntary labor of any kind, including prison labor or debt bondage. We will not be involved in human trafficking. We will not use corporal punishment, physical or psychological abuse, threats of violence, or other forms of physical or mental coercion. No original copies of employee identification documents (e.g. identity papers or passports) will be held by us. There will not be unreasonable restrictions on the ability of workers to enter or exit the workplace.
We comply with all laws preventing child labor. Only workers who meet the applicable minimum legal age requirements in the country where they are working or are at least 15 years old and are over the age for completion of compulsory education, whichever is greater, may be hired by us. We will not allow workers under the age of 18 to work during the night shift or be involved in any hazardous work as specified in ILO Convention 182 and as determined by national law.
Wages, Benefits and Working Hours: we will adhere to all applicable laws regarding working hours, wages, social security payments and overtime payments. Workers shall be paid at least the minimum legal wage. Where there is no legislated minimum wage, a wage that meets local industry standards shall be paid. Wages shall be paid promptly and in full.
We shall conduct operations in ways that limit working hours and overtime to a level that ensures humane, safe and productive working conditions.
6.2 Goal
We will ensure that we will promote social responsibility in the value chain, upstream and downstream. We ask all our employees to act responsible and fair in any business contact, partnership and transaction.
7. #CSR Governance
7.1 Governance Structure and Execution
We believe these core subjects help us to prioritize our activities, allocate resources, and decide where we need to develop key processes and metrics to track our performance today and in the future. We will periodically review and assess these subjects through an ongoing analysis to ensure that we are concentrating our work in areas that address changing risks, opportunities, and stakeholders' expectations.
The responsibility for corporate social responsibility at our company rests with the CSR Council, which is chaired by the OWNER. Together, the members of the council ensure that social responsibility is integrated throughout our business, and that we take a consistent, high-level approach to sustainability in all businesses.
The CSR Council is responsible for setting our social, environmental and economical sustainability development. It determines CSR strategy, priorities, and goals. CSR council is accountable for the overall CSR agenda and its deliverables.
In the CSR Council, we will periodically review and assess these focus areas through an ongoing analysis to ensure that we are concentrating our work in areas that address changing risks, opportunities, and stakeholders' expectations.
The CSR Council meets twice a year to review the CSR policy and strategy, assesses performance metrics, and reviews CSR initiatives. Each year a CSR report will be made available, containing an evaluation of our CSR initiatives, CSR performance results, CSR strategy and its organization.
We ask all stakeholders to work together with us to enable actions, that contribute to a sustainable environment, economy and society, both now and into the future. | https://colorfabb.com/de/corporate-social-responsibility |
Policy for quality, environment, safety and ethical responsibility
Based on the growing needs of the market in terms of product quality, the Company SAFE S.r.l. has implemented a Quality Management System as an indispensable basic tool both for the continuous improvement of the services provided to the Customer, and for the optimization of its business management, with the aim of increasing its competitiveness on the market through optimization of its own organizational processes and the awareness that this goal can be achieved with the contribution of everyone and the centrality of people.
The sensitivity and attention of the organization to workers, to issues of Environmental sustainability and Health and Safety at work led the Management to develop an integrated management system for the Environment, Health and Safety in the workplace and social responsibility, in order to always and with all resources aim at the excellence of internal and external relations towards all interested parties.
The increase in staff satisfaction has favored the consolidation of a dynamic and effective organizational structure, aimed at promoting its values and tradition; this process has allowed the Company to operate with greater confidence within its Management System for Quality, Environment, Health and Safety and Social Responsibility, favoring the growth of the individual and the increase in performance.
The Management has always been committed to pursuing continuous improvement at every company level, in compliance with the principles of the ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 standards, and even more so with the SA8000 standard in compliance with national and international regulatory principles for the protection of workers.
The Company considers Quality, Environment, Health and Safety, Social Responsibility, key principles of the corporate strategy and it is for this reason that it places them at the center of its development policies.
To achieve the objectives, the Management intends to:
- engage in the elimination of dangers and minimization of OSH risks and in the prevention of accidents and occupational diseases;
- undertake to ensure that workers’ rights are always respected in compliance with national and international principles for their protection;
- engage in the development of internal and external communication methods, encourage the active participation of workers in the development of the QASE integrated system, involve the interested parties in the growth of the QASE integrated system;
- Undertake to satisfy the customer’s needs, the requirements of the reference standards and the applicable binding aspects;
- Respond to the needs and expectations of the “stakeholders”, analyzing the context in which the organization operates and the factors that influence the processes;
- search for reliable suppliers and collaborators and constantly make them aware of the needs of SAFE and its Customers and on ethical and social responsibility issues, environmental sustainability and the guarantee of safety in the workplace;
- Maintain its organization, so that it is able to identify the causes of the problems by promptly adopting the measures necessary to resolve them;
- Undertake to increase the skills and knowledge from its human and material resources, and their involvement in the development of the integrated management system;
- Adopt and enhance the risk analysis tools for company processes in order to prevent any threats and critical issues and adopt measures for the prevention and/or containment of the consequences;
- Adopt and enhance the tools for analyzing improvement opportunities in order to plan investments and sustainable growth and development strategies consistent with the context in which the organization operates.
The implementation of this Policy is a duty and a daily challenge for all of us, from the property to the staff, because we are all responsible for it.
In fact, as regards the way of working within the company, each of us has the main task of:
- Pursuing the goal of doing everything well from the beginning;
- nourish personal or group goals day after day, reaching and exceeding them where possible;
- Understand and meet the quality expectations of its Customers, intended both as end Customers and as Users downstream of each business process;
- Report product / service non-conformities, so that they can become “resources” for improvement;
- identify, report and help eliminate anomalies, causes of errors and inefficiencies, present in processes and procedures;
- report any situation that conflicts with the ethical commitments shared by the company.
Each Function Manager is responsible for:
- transmit and explain to each employee the Policy for Quality, Environment, Health and Safety and Social Responsibility, the related objectives and their respective involvement in corporate objectives;
- take care of the training of all collaborators.
The Management undertakes to periodically verify that this Policy is consistent with the evolution of the organization and to make the document available to all interested parties. | https://www.safesafety.com/quality-policy/?lang=en |
BlackRock considers four key areas for environmental, social and governance (ESG) in fixed income: sustainable building blocks such as ESG indexes, a lens for considering the sustainability of government bond issuers, the financial relevance/materiality of ESG characteristics across different industries, and how to build sustainable portfolios using fixed income.
Institutional shareholders and corporate social responsibility
31 May 2019
The study sets out to examine the relationship between institutional investors and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Specifically, the researchers examine whether an institutional investor’s level of ownership in a firm can influence its CRS commitments and whether different levels of shareholder “attention” affect the portfolio firm’s CSR commitments.
Investor toolkit: Human rights with focus on supply chains
Responsible Investment Association Australasia
31 August 2018
The purpose of this toolkit is to help investors to engage constructively with the intention to encourage better practice from companies, thereby reducing human rights risks in supply chains. This toolkit focuses on practical engagement points with a business rationale.
Time out: Why China's power companies should re-evaluate their coal capex plans
Asia Research and Engagement
15 November 2016
This report examines the trend of Chinese power companies’ increasing capital expenditure into coal power in China, and presents evidence of how it can be a financial risk for investors. It also provides recommendations for investors to engage with company management and apply greater scrutiny to company investments in coal fired power.
Sustainable investing and bond returns
Barclays
31 October 2016
A research study conducted by the Barclays Research team seeking to assess the link between environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings and credit portfolio performance. In addition, the report provides a general overview over sustainable investing and the top trends driving the rapid rise of its popularity.
Fixed income investor guide: Putting responsible investment into practice in fixed income
Principles for Responsible Investment
31 October 2014
This is a guide for fixed income investors to implement responsible investment (RI) principles. A key application is using environmental, social and governance (ESG) integration to determine an issuer's creditworthiness. Motivations for applying RI in fixed income vary from pursuing financial value through the management of risks and opportunities to ethical motivations and reputational concerns.
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In 2011, Hitachi Rail STS set up the Internal Sustainability Committee, made up of the managers of the company’s main departments.
The Committee’s mission is to define the company’s strategic guidelines for sustainable development and the promotion of social responsibility initiatives and see that they are implemented. The Internal Sustainability Committee reports directly to the CEO of Hitachi Rail and collaborates and coordinates with the company’s organisational units.
The Committee is responsible for:
The new development plan for the sustainability topics (2018/19 CSR Plan), formulated for the first time in the company, was presented to the Sustainability Committee and to Top Management in January 2018. Its implementation started immediately afterwards.
In 2018 the Internal Sustainability Committee met on two occasions:
Hitachi Rail STS considers the behaviour of an organisation that contributes to sustainable development, grown out of a shared and concrete commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), as a crucial element to improve its performance, enhance its reputation, increase its ability to attract talent and strengthen its relationships with customers, business partners, suppliers and local communities.
Hitachi Rail STS wants to develop a coordinated CSR corporate strategy, with an action plan that aims to:
Inspired by these principles, our 2018/19 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) plan has identified the following action areas for the two-year period:
Commitment to the Global Compact
Once again, this year Hitachi Rail STS has signed up to the Global Compact, a voluntary United Nations initiative that encourages respect for human rights, labour, the environment and fights against anti-corruption through a series of 10 principles. The Group’s membership in the initiative reiterates its commitment to the Global Compact and its main principles as an integral part of the Company’s strategies and workplace culture.
Global Compact Network Italy Foundation
Global Compact Network Italy (GCNI) was founded in 2002 to contribute to the development of the “Global Pact” in Italy. In June 2013, the GCNI created the Global Compact Network Italy Foundation, with Hitachi Rail STS as Founding Member and Sponsor, along with 17 other organisations, private companies, universities and research institutes, non-profit foundations and civil society organisations.
CSR Manger Network
Hitachi Rail STS participates in the CSR Manager Network, the National Association that unites the professionals of the main Italian companies committed to sustainability issues. The Association is a place to discuss Italian and foreign best practices and acts as a representative body and communicates with the world of politics, business associations, trade unions, environmental associations and other NGOs. It also promotes and tests sustainability and actively participates in national and international discussions. It is the Italian network hub for similar associations that are being set up around the world. The CSR Network is Italy’s official representative in the Global Network of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).
Industry Associations
Hitachi Rail STS actively participates in UNIFE projects (association of European railway builders), UNISIG (association of European railway signalling companies) and UITP (international public transportation association), ANIE (National Federation of Electrotechnical and Electronic Companies), AICQ (Italian Association for a Quality Culture), the Italian partner of EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management), Cosila (consortium for safety in the workplace) and Unione degli Industriali/Confindustria (Industrialists’ Union/Italy’s main organisation representing Italian manufacturing and service companies), in Naples and Genoa, specifically.
In the scope of UNIFE, Hitachi Rail STS collaborates to promote the extension of the use of railway transportation through the implementation of technological standards (ERTMS and TSI) and by proposing European research projects to improve safety, energy efficiency and environmental protection in the field of railway transportation. Specifically, this project, proposed as a Joint Undertaking in the railway sector, SHIFT2RAIL, aims to reduce emissions and promote for a modal shift in transportation, in line with the indications of the transportation white book published by the EU Commission. Furthermore, also as part of UNIFE, Hitachi Rail STS sits on the Sustainable Transport Committee, which aims to define a common, consistent and effective consensus in the railway industry with respect to environmental issues and, particularly, energy efficiency (reliable standards to measure energy consumption), the evaluation of the life cycle as one of the main criteria in the decision-making process, eco-procurement and noise and emission reduction.
Taxonomy and green finance
Taxonomy and green finance: four fundamental documents were recently presented referring to the European Commission’s Action Plan for a greener and cleaner economy. The project that was initiated in March 2018, aims to channel capital towards a low-intensity carbon economy.
In May 2018, the European Commission began implementing the first measures contained in the Action Plan, by introducing three regulatory proposals related to:
The European Commission subsequently appointed the Technical Expert Group on Sustainable Finance (TEG), comprising a multi-stakeholder group of experts brought together by the Commission to establish the guidelines for sustainable finance in Europe and to provide consulting on four specific issues referring to: taxonomy, prioritising environmental issues and more specifically, on the mitigation and adaptation to climate change; improving the guidelines on reporting information related to climate; the introduction of a European Green Bond Standard; common criteria to build low-carbon benchmarks and a positive-carbon impact.
Within this European initiative, Hitachi Rail STS contributes to the work required of the group of experts (TEG) in its sector, both through the European association (UNIFE), and in the context of Hitachi, providing their own evaluations and experiences to identify the metrics that the European Community will use to assess the performance and possible financial support.
EcoVadis
EcoVadis is a company that aims to improve the environmental and social practices of businesses by leveraging the influence of the global logistics chain. It has defined a methodology to assess Corporate Social Responsibility through the analysis of policies, their implementation and the results achieved. The assessment focuses on 21 topics divided into four categories: Environment, Employment and Human Rights, Ethics, Sustainable procurement.
Hitachi Rail STS undertakes this assessment on an annual basis and in 2018 confirmed its Gold Medal award and increased its rating by 6 percentage points (from 63/100 to 69/100).
As well as recognising the company’s vision and efforts in the field of CSR, the certification also helps customers to achieve their sustainability and environmental targets.
Innovation never begins with an idea or an instrument. To the contrary, it begins with a need, the discovery of an opportunity. Hitachi meets these needs with new technologies for designing solutions that can create a tangible and positive social impact, and a visible and persistent change. This is how it manages its projects, by analysing them as plans or proposals able to display solutions that can work. It creates a prototype with the project, and demonstrates how to implement the idea and attain the expected results. This “scientific” approach allows it to assess the feasibility, costs, market and value of the solutions.
Therefore, Social Innovation for Hitachi is the way to:
In January 2019, Hitachi Rail STS has created a group explicitly and exclusively dedicated to the theme of innovation, to be developed over the next few years with dedicated budgets and resources.
The first objective was to give a clear definition of the concept of innovation by choosing the one given in The Little Black Book of Innovation by Scott D. Anthony “Blueprinting is an idea to seize that opportunity, and implementing that idea to achieve results: no impact, no innovation.”
This definition highlights how, for Hitachi Rail STS, innovation is a structured process that requires a rigorous approach and a well-defined set of activities. Starting from a need, a business opportunity is identified to satisfy it.
The best solutions (ideas) are identified, eventually resulting in new technologies and competences, according to the logic of ‘open innovation,’ and, finally the prototypes of these new solutions are created to demonstrate their effectiveness in satisfying the need. This creates a positive impact on the business and the community.
The second clearly-defined objective was the role and purpose of the new team’s work. The following figure summarizes the domain of the innovation team and where it is located — away from current solutions and business. As a result, it becomes a collector of opportunities, ideas and skills, delving into new technologies. The final objective is to create prototypes of new products and solutions that, transferred to the engineering and development bodies together with the related new skills, can enrich the Company’s product portfolio of tomorrow. Methods used by Hitachi Rail STS to eliminate and simplify hardware.
Over the years, its development of products and solutions (Development and Engineering) has enabled Hitachi Rail STS to seize a leading position in the Signalling Systems and Railway and Mass Transit Sectors.èp>
The research and development expense ascribed directly to profit or loss, net of grants, shows significant growth and is broken down in the following table:
The majority of investments regarded the on-board systems product line aimed at facilitating alignment to the ERTMS standards and improving the performance of CBTC applications; furthermore, the new platform for automation products was launched, aimed at promoting the digital development of technology.
Hitachi Rail STS implements RAMS (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and Safety) activities to ensure that it develops and delivers products, applications and systems that are safe, in compliance with Italian and international laws applicable to railway systems, reliable and in line with its customers’ needs and its internal quality standards.
These activities are performed on all Hitachi Rail STS projects in which safety and reliability are relevant, which constitute over 90% of total business activities.
Safety and reliability are achieved through hazard analysis, a structured process in line with sector standards. It begins with the identification of hazards based on previous experience, the assessment of specifications for the various processes stages and Hazard workshops during which experts from the Company and from the customer discuss the various issues. Potential hazards are then included in a Hazard log, which is constantly updated over the life cycle of the project. For each hazard mapped, the log also includes the mitigation measures, activities to check that they were effectively implemented and an assessment of the residual hazard. The residual hazard level is assessed and accepted only if it is below the limits established by standards and customer requirements.
Hitachi Rail STS’s unwavering commitment to providing its customers and end users (passengers and freight) with the best products and system solutions, the use of the best design methodologies and procedures and the best existing construction methods and processes contributes to increasing safety and reducing direct and indirect impacts on the environment. | https://sustainability.hitachirail.com/sdg-17/ |
As a key element of our Quality First strategy, sustainability is assigned greater weight during our materials and supplier qualification, performance appraisals, and procurement decision-making. We strengthen cooperation in sustainability with customers, suppliers, and industry organizations. We also employ procurement quotas as a tool to help suppliers become more sustainable. These efforts enable us to minimize supply risks, increase customer satisfaction, and boost the competitiveness of the supply chain. We also actively collaborate with industries and participate in the development of industry standards. We integrate social responsibility as a basic norm into products and the supply chain. The aim is to take on social responsibilities in innovative ways to make the company and wider supply chain more competitive.
We developed the Supplier Sustainability Agreement based on industry standards such as the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) Code of Conduct, and guidelines from Joint Audit Cooperation (JAC) of the global telecom industry. We have a comprehensive qualification process for all new suppliers, including suppliers' sustainability systems. This qualification process examines suppliers' capacity and their compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and the Supplier Sustainability Agreement. Those who fail the qualification for sustainability systems are not deemed qualified suppliers.
In 2018, we audited 93 potential suppliers in terms of their sustainability performance, and 16 suppliers that failed the audit were denied the opportunity to cooperate with Huawei.
Every year, we audit suppliers, which combined represent 90% of our procurement spending, and assign them one of three priority levels: high, medium, and low. On this basis, we drew up a list of suppliers that require annual audits. In 2018, we assigned priority levels to 1,183 suppliers (more than in 2017), and conducted onsite audits on 194 high- and medium-priority suppliers, 130 of which were audited by third parties.
If we discover a problem during an audit, we help the supplier with Huawei's Check, Root Cause, Correct, Prevent, and Evaluate (CRCPE) methodology to identify common problems, analyze root causes, and take targeted actions to mitigate the issue. Ongoing assessments and improvements are made against established benchmarks. All problems are recorded in Huawei's Supplier Corrective Action Requirement (SCAR) system for follow-up until closure. We are always ready to help our suppliers improve.
We appraise suppliers' sustainability performance annually based on their work performance, onsite audit results, and improvements made over the previous year. The sustainability performance of a supplier accounts for 5-15% of their overall performance assessment. When we appraised the sustainability performance of tier-1 suppliers in 2018, we took into account how they managed their tier-2 suppliers. We encouraged our tier-1 suppliers to gradually establish a procurement CSR management system and regularly appraise the sustainability performance of tier-2 suppliers in line with the IPC-1401 Supply Chain Social Responsibility Management System Guidance. Suppliers are classified into four grades (A, B, C, and D) based on their performance. These grades represent their performance in descending order of acceptability. In 2018, we appraised the sustainability performance of 1,321 suppliers.
The amount of business we do with each supplier depends on their performance, which is also a factor considered in our tendering, supplier selection, portfolio management, and other processes. Suppliers that perform well are given a larger share of procurement and more business opportunities. The reverse is true for low-performing suppliers, especially those who have crossed the line we draw for CSR. Depending on the situation, we instruct low-performing suppliers to fix existing issues within a specified timeframe and may even terminate business relationships with suppliers that display exceptionally poor performance. In 2018, we disqualified two suppliers for new partnerships or had their quotas reduced due to poor sustainability performance.
We provide training and coaching for suppliers on a regular basis. We also encourage them to adopt industry best practices and embed sustainability into their business strategies, helping them reduce business risks and enhance operating efficiency. After years of exploration, we have developed a cost effective "learning by benchmarking" model. We encourage suppliers to learn by benchmarking and competing, and continuously learn to raise their competency. Each supplier has its unique experience and competencies, allowing them to complement each other.
For common issues, we invited experts to share their experiences, held workshops, and set up online and offline learning groups for peer benchmarking. This allowed us to learn about industry best practices quickly through low-cost and localized approaches. In recognition of this practice, Huawei won the Best Practices Award from the United Nations Global Compact Network China.
In 2018, 293 persons from 156 suppliers participated in our training programs on learning by benchmarking. The topics covered in these training programs included fire prevention, environmental compliance, code of conduct for the battery industry, and tier-2 supplier management.
We also worked with professional organizations on three programs to improve environmental protection, fire safety, and the occupational health of suppliers. In total, 96 suppliers benefited from these programs. These programs helped suppliers fully identify potential risks, improve internal management, and develop a professional management team, greatly enhancing their expertise in environmental protection, fire safety, and occupational health.
We see sustainability as a key customer requirement, and embed it into our procurement strategies and processes to increase transparency across our supply chain. We work closely with customers on supplier management. For example, we invite customers to visit supplier facilities, conduct joint supplier audits with customers, and carry out employee surveys and supplier capacity building projects. All these efforts help improve our own sustainability.
In 2018, Huawei and seven customers ran onsite audits on 21 suppliers, and we shared the audit results with the customers.
In 2018, Huawei nominated six suppliers to participate in JAC joint auditing, with expert groups from a third-party auditing firm carrying out onsite audits. The auditing experts and customers expressed satisfaction with the results of the audits on the six suppliers. In particular, the suppliers were found to have incorporated CSR requirements into their internal operations. By making CSR improvements, the suppliers enhanced internal operating efficiency, customer satisfaction, and employee satisfaction.
In 2018, Huawei participated in the JAC Academy pilot project. Our designated experts attended auditing training provided by JAC Academy and were presented auditor certificates issued by JAC Academy. We also nominated five suppliers to be audited by the JAC Academy and submitted the audit reports to JAC, which followed up on their corrective measures. Huawei supported and joined the JAC Academy project, participated in project design optimization, and shared our experiences and best practices. The CRCPE methodology was shared at the 8th JAC CSR Forum as a recommended topic, winning the excellent practice award following a vote by over 200 experts at the forum.
Sustainability problems in supply chains are mostly systemic problems that have accrued over the years. Industry cooperation and standardization are meaningful ways to resolve systemic problems in the industry. Huawei proactively works with industry organizations to promote industry cooperation and standardization. We also work with upstream and downstream companies in the supply chain and convert industry best practices into industry standards to raise the sustainability of the industry to a new level. The IPC-1401 corporate social responsibility management system integrates social responsibilities into products and supply chains as a basic requirement. Through continuous improvement driven by business incentives and supplier improvement driven by sustained procurement, we can effectively mitigate risks and enhance competitiveness. In 2018, Huawei held training and workshops on IPC-1401 to promote it to suppliers and encourage suppliers to establish their social responsibility management system based on IPC-1401.
In 2018, Huawei joined the Alliance of Green Consumption and Green Supply Chain as the vice-chair and attended the China Green Supply Chain Management Innovation Summit. At the summit, we shared our market-oriented green supply chain innovation model, which integrates environmental protection into products and supply chains as a customer requirement, as well as increasing companies' competitiveness through environmental protection innovations.
Huawei takes the problem of conflict minerals very seriously, and has released an open statement announcing that we will not procure or support the use of conflict minerals. We require all suppliers not to procure conflict minerals. We also ask our suppliers to cascade this requirement to their suppliers. As a member of the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA), we work with companies around the world to jointly address this problem through the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI). We use the RMI conflict mineral questionnaire and the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas to survey the supply chain and share results with our customers. In 2018, we shared the survey results with 17 customers. We are also an active participant in the projects of multiple industry organizations, seeking to jointly work out viable solutions to conflict mineral issues.
Responsible Cobalt Management
More cobalt has been used for lithium-ion batteries in recent years, which is attracting wider attention toward the responsible management of the cobalt supply chain. Huawei attaches great importance to ethical procurement within the cobalt supply chain. As a member of the Responsible Cobalt Initiative (RCI), Huawei engages in due diligence in cobalt management according to the Five-Step Framework specified in the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals. We have also released the Huawei Statement on Responsible Cobalt Supply Chain in 2017.
We integrated responsible cobalt management into the Huawei Supplier Social Responsibility Code of Conduct, which requires suppliers to engage in due diligence during cobalt management and pass these requirements on to their upstream suppliers.
In 2017, we completed the first round of due diligence on the supply chain of lithium-ion battery suppliers. After analyses based on the survey results, we identified six major links in Huawei's cobalt supply chain from downstream to upstream: batteries, battery cells, cathode materials, precursors, cobalt smelters/refineries, and cobalt mines.
In the first half of 2018, we reviewed our battery suppliers at each level, and used the Cobalt Reporting Template (CRT) of the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI). This allowed us to conduct due diligence on the cobalt smelters in the upstream of the supply chain and preliminarily identify 18 upstream smelters.
During the second half of 2018, we engaged a third-party organization, RCS, to review the due diligence of battery cell suppliers during cobalt management. This review was based on the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals and the Chinese Due Diligence Guidelines for Responsible Mineral Supply Chains. The review aimed to check whether the battery cell suppliers had built a due diligence management system for the supply chain, and whether they are engaged in due diligence management according to the Five-Step Framework.
Moving forward, Huawei will continue to work with industry organizations and upstream and downstream players to encourage upstream smelters to collect, study, and confirm the chain of custody and traceability of information, as well as to identify risks together with the upstream mines. We will also encourage upstream smelters to take measures that ensure due diligence is carried out on suppliers, sources, or situations with potential risks to lower these risks. Additionally, we will continue to provide training on due diligence management for the supply chain to make suppliers more aware and capable of managing their due diligence on cobalt. | https://www.huawei.com/en/about-huawei/sustainability/win-win-development/develop_supplychain |
Stakeholder engagement is part of our business ethics and commitment to best business practices, we regularly engage with both internal and external stakeholders to maintain excellent working relationships and to understand, prioritize and incorporate their expectations, interests and concerns into our business operations. Stakeholder engagement provides a multi-faceted approach where we can drive business policy and sustainability policy on innovation, mitigate risks, explore opportunities and build relationships based on trust with the communities where we live and work.
Internal Stakeholder Feedback
As a global chemical company, our employees are critical to our success. Throughout 2020, we gathered important feedback from our employees through the following relevant channels:
- Annual Employee Engagement Survey
- Feedback during the Performance Appraisal
- Materiality Assessment Survey
- Business Strategy Meetings
- Whistleblower Mechanism
External Stakeholder Feedback
This year, IVL has engaged with an increasing number of external stakeholders including customers, suppliers, bankers, investors, governments, industry groups, communities, shareholders, and the media as part of our annual Materiality Assessment. These activities supplemented a range of other ongoing engagement mechanisms used to determine our sustainability topics. Important highlights featured throughout the report provide further practical examples of how we addressed important issues to our stakeholders.
Stakeholders and Engagement Channels:
Responsibility to the Environment
- Continue reducing our environmental footprint by improving the environmental performance of our production processes including targets for energy, water use, greenhouse gas (GHG) and waste reduction
- Comply with applicable national and international legislation, regulations and regulatory obligations, with the adoption of voluntary commitments, rules and guidelines in the regions and countries where we operate
- Improve the sustainability of our operations with focus on operational eco-efficiency, minimize negative impacts and optimize environmental and economic benefits
- Progressively obtain and maintain environmental management based on ISO14001 certification and energy management standards based on ISO 50001
- Integrating the environmental aspects of the product at the product development stage
- Evaluate and mitigate environmental impacts of our products in its value chain associated with GHG emissions, product toxicity through our Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) program
- Promote a Circular Economy and a more efficient use of resources through greater reuse and recycling
- Encourage environmental awareness and environmental protection among employees and external stakeholders through campaigns, publicity, education and CSR programs
Responsibility to Customers, Business partners and Suppliers
- Consistently deliver safe and high-quality products and services that comply with relevant laws and regulations
- Uphold the highest standards of integrity and conduct our business in an honest, fair, ethical and transparent manner as set out in our Code of Conduct, and Policy on the Treatment of Customers and Business Partners and Competitor Policy
- Respect individual rights, privacy, confidentiality, and make every effort not to impinge upon the intellectual property rights of those with whom we do business
- Ensure the provision of our services pursuant to the expectations of our customers by applying international quality management standards, e.g. ISO 9001
- Continually improve levels of customer satisfaction by maintaining open communication channels for customer feedback
- Deliver ongoing value creation and deliver the best value to our customers by integrating social and environmental aspects in our corporate strategy and decision-making
- Compete vigorously and fairly by following antitrust and competition laws in every country in which we operate
- Operate with honesty and integrity in all our activities and not accept any bribery and corruption in our business dealings anywhere in the world
- Stimulate improvements throughout the value chain and drive the industry in pursuing high standards and best practices through our Supplier Code of Conduct and supplier self-evaluation
Responsibility to Employees
- Provide fair and equal opportunities for all according to an employee’s skills in terms of employment, hiring, development opportunities and compensation, without discrimination
- Build a unique and naturally different corporate culture that respects diversity and fosters cooperation and synergies between the different business segments
- Ensure the best possible respect of human rights in every context including labor practices
- Ensure a proper and safe working environment through Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems based on OHSAS 18001 or equivalent international standards. We seek to create an incident and injury-free workplace for all employees and contractors
- Support a climate of openness, honesty and trust through a Whistleblower Policy, which offers employees the opportunity to raise any concerns regarding unethical behavior or misconduct
- Reward our employees fairly and attractively, in-line with prevailing conditions in the local market, industry standards and individual performance
- Promote knowledge and skills through the personal and professional development of employees
Responsibility to Local Communities and Society
- Contribute to long-term and sustainable economic growth and development of the communities where we live and operate by providing employment, investing in infrastructure and supporting local initiatives
- Foster innovation to address social and global challenges. | https://sustainability.indoramaventures.com/en/our-sustainability/our-stakeholders |
At Sacyr we are aware of our role as a driver of change in society and we have expanded our commitment to sustainability, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals set out in the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
With this objective in mind, and so that together we can solve the sustainability challenges of the future, we have created a Sustainability and Corporate Governance Committee, delegated to the Board of Directors, made up of a majority of independent directors, and a Sustainability Committee chaired by the company's CEO.
Leadership for the Future
This Plan aims to consolidate the sustainability vision of the governing bodies, reinforcing the commitment of the entire organization. To this end, we have high standards of ethical behaviour and proof of this is the recent certification of the Engineering and Infrastructure division based on the SGE21 standard. This is the first European standard that allows the implementation, auditing and certification of an ethical and socially responsible management system, which extends the scope of the certification achieved last year for the group’s holding company.
CREATING SUSTAINABLE VALUE THROUGH INNOVATION
Sacyr’s success depends on our ability to create value for all stakeholders, and we rely on innovation as the necessary engine of growth and transformation. Through innovation we develop a more efficient business model and create competitive medium and long-term competitive advantages with a different proposal.
Environmental sustainability
The company’s ambition involves the responsible management of the business, aligned with the best practices in the sector, involving the different stakeholders in order to respond to the main environmental challenges, which are climate change, circular economy, natural capital and sustainable cities.
Social sustainability
One of our main objectives is to promote the creation of social and economic value in those communities where we are present. Social Action, Health and Safety, Diversity and Inclusion, and Professional Development are the key elements for the generation of wealth and well-being in society. | https://informes-anuales.sacyr.com/en/nueva-estrategia-sostenibilidad/ |
If you saw the movie The Social Network, you may or may not have noticed the type of lens that was used during the rowing sequence. What they used was called a tilt-shift lens, which simulates a miniture scene. "'Tilt-shift' actually encompasses two different types of movements: rotation of the lens plane relative to the image plane, called tilt, and movement of the lens parallel to the image plane, called shift."
So for fun, here are some photographs of horses that were taken with a tilt-shift lens or were given the tilt-shift effect in photoshop.
Images were found:
HERE
HERE
HERE
HERE
HERE
Purchase a tilt-shift lens HERE (They are pricey)
3.24.2011
The Modern Photographer
Posted by Isabelle at 4:51 PM
Labels: The Art Savvy Equestrian
2 comments:
- Kaylyn said...
-
In my photography class last year, my friend was talking about a tilt-shift lense. I never looked at any tilt-shift pics until now; love that first one!
- March 24, 2011 at 5:31 PM
- Kate said... | http://www.themodernequestrian.com/2011/03/modern-photographer.html |
In my recent article "Why I Love My 20mm Lens to Shoot Weddings," I explained why I love the 20mm focal length and also explained some of the distortion effects to be wary of. What I didn’t explain is that some of these distortion effects could be fixed by using a tilt-shift lens. In the following video, Vincent Laforet explains the basics of how to use these lenses to fix distortion, as well as how to add interesting focus effects to your images.
Part 1
Laforet walks through all the dials and levers of a Canon tilt-shift lens (other versions may differ) as well as shows an example of why and how to use the shift function of the lens. When you tilt a wide-angle lens up or down, it causes vertical lines to pinch in toward the center due to the distortion. The way to fix this, with a tilt-shift lens, is by leveling your camera to where there is no distortion, and then using the shift function to adjust your framing up or down.
Part 2
We were given an example of how and why the shift function should be used when shooting horizontal. The next step we need to know is how to set up and use the lens for vertical shots when given similar circumstances. When shooting vertical we see the same distortion effect when we tilt the camera up or down. To correct this, the lens is rotated so that the shift function goes in the vertical direction instead of the horizontal direction we saw in the first example.
A difficult thing to do with wide-angle lenses is take panoramas, since the tilting of the camera up/down or left/right causes distortion. One of the great things about the shift feature is the ability to take distortion-free panoramas. This is done by leveling the camera, so there is no distortion. Then, shifting the lens in whatever directions you need in order to complete your panorama.
Part 3
The tilt function is the feature that can be used to create interesting focus effects. One of these effects is what’s known as the miniature look. When shooting wide and then tilting the lens up or down, you move the plane of focus to create a very shallow depth of field effect.
Another benefit of being able to adjust your plane of focus is the ability to extend your focus. This is useful for situations where you want two different subjects in focus that are different distances away from the camera.
With all these features combined you can minimize distortion while also playing with focus effects. In the following image, Laforet used the shift function to make sure the buildings are vertical. He then used the tilt function to make sure the model was in focus as well as specific parts of the bridge.
Is a tilt-shift lens something that you can see adding to your gear bag? What feature of the tilt-shift lens do you like the most?
[via Vincent Laforet]
I've had a TS for quite a while and this was still very informative.
Although I didn't watch the video, a T-S lens is something I've considered, although I'd really have to justify it if I actually bought one. Fortunately LensRentals has T-S lenses you can rent. I've considered renting the (relatively) new Samyang 24mm T-S from them to see if it lives up to it's hype, which so far has been quite positive. If so the Samyang is an affordable option for T-S if I decide to own one. If not, LensRentals is always at the ready. ;-)
I really can not believe that this video was uploaded in 480p. My god.
I want one to experiment with, but can't decide on the focal length.
LensRentals is your friend. You can rent ALL the available focal lengths for your brand of camera, including third-party, and decide which focal length you like best, and also whether you want to buy or just rent one from them, or if you decide you don't even want to bother with T-S at all!
https://www.lensrentals.com/
Excellent ! - This is the first time i have seen one of Vincent's videos and he is really well spoken delivering great advice. Really good article .
I absolutely love my 90mm TS lens. It is one of those lenses that you would not think of getting but I end up pulling it out on a regular basis. I use it for shooting everything from portraits to product and nature closeups with shallow DOF (using a 12mm extension tube). I think one of the main reasons I love the lens, besides the unique look it gives, is that it forces me to slow down and really think about what I am creating. | https://fstoppers.com/education/vincent-laforet-explains-how-use-tilt-shift-lens-71921 |
Tilt Shift Generator emulates the effect of a tilt-shift lens without using an actual tilt-shift lens, helping you re-create the looks of a miniature scale model in post processing. Tilt Shift Generator convincingly emulates the tilt-shift effect in post processing, creating razor-thin depth of field and characteristic pseudo-macro looks.
GIF to Flash Converter is a powerful conversion tool that lets you convert animated GIF to AVI, SWF flash and various image file formats such as BMP, JPEG, GIF, PNG, and TIFF in just few seconds. | http://www.myzips.com/software/Artensoft-Tilt-Shift-Generator.phtml |
Finding the Photo in the CruftI suppose I shouldn’t be surprised by the power of software to bring out something interesting in images that might otherwise be a wash, but wouldn’t you know it, I’m still capable of being amazed. I’m currently shooting with the Nikon D800 of late as part of an assignment (more to come on that later), and I was up in the hills overlooking the San Francisco Bay Area at night, hoping to get some shots of the brilliantly-lit vista that encompassed San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, and parts of the Peninsula area. Of course, I got up there, and everything was completely fogged in. I was miffed. Even the slight glimpse of the city in the background behind the Bay Bridge was mostly obscured by fog. I was ready to pass up on the image, finding not much of value, but then decided to play with it a bit. Since I had megapixels to spare (the D800 has a 36MP sensor), I decided to crop the heck out of it. Okay, That was kind of cool, and it was still a 22MP image. But it was still just a fog-blurred image. I decided to see what Lightroom 4 could do with it. Well, okay, that’s not half-bad. Exposure bump by +0.30, highlights lowered by -16, +48 on Clarity and +51 on Vibrance. Not half-bad at all. I didn’t want to stop there. If Lightroom could bring that much life back into this image, what could I do with one of my favorite software packages, Color Efex Pro 4 from Nik Software. I added a little bit of the Detail Extractor...
Tilt/Shift: Working With Perspective-Control Lenses, Part 1This is Part 1 of a series on using Tilt-Shift or Perspective-Control lenses. In this part, we look at the “Shift” functionality of these unique lenses. Part 2, which covers the “Tilt” functionality of these lenses, can be found here. Anyone who’s ever shot a building or any other structure from the bottom looking up knows that the bottom-up perspective makes it look like the vertical lines of the building are all converging towards the top. This problem is exaggerated with wider-angle lenses, making many of these lenses unsuitable for certain types of architectural photography, where not having those distortions is key. While the latest version of Photoshop does include an “Adaptive Wide Angle” filter to help correct these distortions, a lot of photographers prefer to get things right in-camera, leading to less image manipulation in post. For that reason, both Canon and Nikon, as well as third-party manufacturers like Schneider-Kreuznach, have come out with a range of lenses that address that specific problem. The box below outlines the list of tilt-shift lenses BorrowLenses.com has in our inventory. Canon TS-E Lenses Nikon PC-E lenses Schneider-Kreuznach TS lenses Canon TS-E 17mm f/4L Tilt-Shift Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II Tilt-Shift Canon TS-E 45mm f/2.8 Tilt-Shift Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8 Tilt-Shift Nikon 24mm f/3.5D ED PC-E Tilt-Shift Nikon 45mm f/2.8D ED PC-E Tilt-Shift Nikon 85mm f/2.8D PC-E Tilt-Shift Schneider PC Tilt-Shift Super-Angulon 50mm f/2.8 Lens For Canon Schneider 90mm f/4.5 Tilt-Shift Lens for Canon Schneider PC Tilt-Shift Super-Angulon 50mm f/2.8 Lens For Nikon Schneider 90mm f/4.5 Tilt-Shift Lens for Nikon Take a look at the image below. Here, I’m using a 17mm...
Hard at Work
Dragging my carcass out of bed at 4:30am on Labor Day, I hauled myself over to the Marin Headlands to shoot for a piece on Tilt-Shift lenses. To my surprise, I found fellow photographer and BorrowLenses.com VP of Marketing Jim Goldstein already there, hard at work as well.
In Their Own Words
Behind-the-scenses, how-tos, and technique tutorials are excellent tools to help photographers get better at their trade. Just as important, however, is listening to and understanding the experiences of the shooters you look up to. Here are a couple of videos along that vein.
The Leica Diary, Part 1: IntroductionThese days, it looks like every major camera manufacturer is coming out with a new addition to the MILC (Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera) class of bodies and lenses. The latest, of course, is Canon, with its EOS-M camera. These units, typically smaller than your average DSLRs, have been getting better and better, packing some serious punch into a very small form factor. Thing is, in all the hype behind cameras like the EOS-M and Fuji’s X100 and X-Pro1 bodies, people forget that MILCs have been around before companies like Sony, Fuji, and Olympus made them popular. Way back in 2006, a good three years before Olympus came out with its retro-styled Micro-Four-Thirds-based camera, Leica introduced its first digital rangefinder, the M8. Powered by a 10.3MP crop sensor, the body retained almost all of the classic Leica styling that’s been aped so much now, and kept the lens mount the same, so that almost all M-series lenses could fit onto this new digital body. The M9, which BorrowLenses.com carries, kept the same general body shape of the M8, but upped the sensor to an 18.3MP full-frame sensor. It also added some very nice features, including better high ISO performance, a better EV compensation system, and exposure bracketing (though it feels kinda weird to try and shoot HDR with a Leica). Leica users also happen to be some of the biggest zealots most passionate folks out there. I’m not talking about the rich guys who like to hang an M9 from their neck for the cache that the little red dot on the camera’s body provides. I’m talking about the guys...
The Internet is AwesomeGoogle’s Marissa Mayer was recently hired on to helm Yahoo! as their CEO, and photographers who care immensely about Yahoo!’s beleaguered Flickr photo service decided to send her a message. The folks at Yahoo! responded with a kind of “Help us help you” message, and posted the following: Though it isn’t exactly what some folks would have liked, it is nice to see that Yahoo has their ear to the ground and is actually listening to what their users and critics have to say. In recent times, they’ve been facing competition from multiple quarters. Google+, 500px, and even Facebook have improved their photo sharing features. One wonders if the wonderful community that exists on Flickr will eventually fall by the wayside. As fans of the service (and longtime users), we hope Marissa Mayer does, in fact, make Flick awesome...
Zack Arias on DigitalRevJust a quick “You gotta see this” post for you today. The folks at DigitalRev.com had Zack Arias on their show last week. Zack, who is visiting Hong Kong for a workshop with Joe McNally, appeared on the show that he calls the Top Gear of photography. DigitalRev does a segment called “Pro Photographer, Cheap Camera,” which last featured Chase Jarvis. Now, Zack makes an appearance, shooting with a Kodak C142. The result? Sheer...
On the Profoto BlogOur recent Tip of the Week was picked up by the wonderful folks at Profoto and mentioned on their blog. If you haven’t been by there, you’re missing out – they post a ton of great stuff that’s worth looking at even if you never use a single piece of Profoto gear. We warn you though – watching some of their videos will induce a pretty severe case of Profoto lust. Don’t say we didn’t warn you… Visit Profoto’s blog at profoto.com/blog, and check out their mention of our piece...
Photo Finds, July 16, 2012 – Philip Bloom
On this week’s Photo Finds, we talk about filmmaker Philip Bloom. If you’re a budding filmmaker, or even a veteran of the industry, Philip is someone you should definitely be following closely. | https://www.borrowlenses.com/blog/tag/lens-rental/page/3/ |
Shifting (and Tilting) Your World
Ever tried to take a photo of a tall building, but when you twisted the camera upwards to get the whole of it into the frame, the cruel building suddenly started to lean backwards? Ever tried to take a photo of a mirror, but no matter how hard you tried, you always ended up in final shot as a reflection? Ever wondered how people take photos of real places from above and the places looks like a model set? Answered one or more of these questions with “yes”? Welcome to the world of tilt-shift lenses.
Architecture photographers in the old days must have hated their jobs. They'd
either end up with a photo of a tapered building or, when they stepped back and
shot straight, with the ground filling half of the frame. Of course there are
some solutions to this (climbing a nearby building up to half the height of your
subject, stepping way back and using a telephoto lens), but those tricks are not
always practicable (nothing to climb on, objects blocking the way when shooting
from afar). And cropping the floor, whether in the darkroom or in post-processing,
will chew at your resolution, which is of course not desirable either. So eventually
someone came up with the fairly complex optical device called the “tilt-shift
lens”. Like the name says, this type of lens actually combines two different
techniques of bending the incoming light in order to achieve certain visual effects.
The physics behind effects are not exactly easy to grasp, so if you're able to
explain the relationship between focal length, aperture and shooting distance
to non-photographers without problems, your next step would be to explain the
physics of tilt-shift lenses. I'll try it nevertheless.
Shift: Let's get back to your tall building from the intro paragraph. You're standing in front of it and it looks really tall and majestic and all that stuff. But exactly because of this enormous size, you just can't squeeze it into a photo, because it either gets cropped at the top, or it bends backwards when you shoot upwards. So you're standing and thinking “Man, I wish I could move my camera up”. Of course you can't do that, but shifting the lens will do something similar, albeit not quite the same: since you never leave the ground, you can only pan the view upwards. So, imagine a lens that doesn't cover just the size of your sensor (or film, if you're into that), but a much bigger area. And then you take a piece of that area (coincidentally it will be the size of your sensor/film) for your photo. The special trait with this is that you can actually move that area about freely within the wider area that's provided by the lens. This, exactly this is done when shifting the lens. This means that you can stand in front of the building, pointing your camera straight ahead (not up), so that the building gets cropped at the top, and then you just slide (or in another word: shift) the field of view upwards. After doing that, you will have the full height of the building in your frame, and at the same time, less of the annoying ground that has filled up all your previous architectural photos. Goodbye earth, hello sky! Of course, the shifting range is still somewhat restricted, so you won't be able to stand in front of the Burj Dubai and shift your lens up 800m to get a close-up of the top.
Tilt: Normally, photos have a focus point that lies somewhere between your camera (or more exactly: your lenses' closest focal point) and infinity. Everything at the focus distance will be sharp, and everything behind and in front of it will be blurry. On a side note, it is not only your camera that works this way, but also your eyes. The plane of focus is always parallel to the recording plane, but it a film, a sensor, or your retina (well, the retina is a bit more complicated). Tilting your lens will break this fundamental optical principle, and in that, will blow your mind right away. Well, not really. It's difficult to explain technically (see?), but bending those lens elements lets you bend your focal plane in the three-dimensional space in front of your lens. Thus, the focal plane is not longer restricted to being parallel to the sensor. This means that the area of sharpness in your image can extend from front to back (infinity), while the sides of your images drown in blur. You can position the place of focus somewhat freely in space (some restrictions apply). Since the human eye is not at all prepared for such an optical phenomenon, the images will look really strange and unusual. When shooting from high up, you can place the selective focus in such a way that the world beneath you will look like a model set in the photo. Cars look like toys, people look like little plastic figures. Tilting your shots will give them a whole new depth, quite literally. Tilting is also often used in product photos. Let's say you're shooting a bottle of water slightly from above. Since your place of focus is parallel to the sensor, the top and bottom of the bottle will be out of focus, unless you use an aperture of at least f/350 or so, which would require something like a pinhole camera and lots of patience (due to the insanely slow shutter speed). To avoid this, you can also use a tilt-shift lens and place the focal plane along the length of the bottle.
There are even more possibilities to use the lens. For instance, you can use the shift function to create a panorama. Just shift the frame to all extremes of the lens, take shots each time and stitch them in post-processing. And I am sure there are more uses that I don't even know about yet.
As you might have guessed already, there is a reason for me writing this article: I just got one of these mamas. Lenses that is. It's called Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5 L. TS-E is Canon's term for tilt-shift lenses (who knows what the “E” stands for). Now, I've bought other “special” lenses before (fisheye, Lensbaby), but I never used them much. This was mainly because the effect they provided was too special, or because I never got to terms with how they work. So why do I think that I'll use this one more frequently? Well, mainly because you can use it in a very inconspicuous way. In fact, people who don't know much about photography will probably never realize that a photo was taken with the shift technique. On the other hand, you can do mind-blowing stuff with the tilt function. That said, it's never good to overdo an effect like this, because it can end up tiring quickly.
Using lenses like this comes at a price. And the biggest price is...the price! I bought my lens used from Ebay, but it still claims its place as the most expensive lens in my lineup. On the other hand, Canon released new tilt-shift lenses earlier this year, an update of this 24mm lens as well as a brand new 17mm lens (which was deemed impossible to do before). They are both reported to be extraordinary lenses, but for the price of each of these, you could almost get a new 5D Mk II camera body (or two months on a cruise ship in the Caribbean, but hey, you gotta prioritize, right?). Contrary to the new lenses, mine isn't digitally optimized, which led me to fear that there would be a lot of Chromatic Aberration, as I've seen in many other older lenses. I'll have to do some more testing, but right now it looks like the CA is not too strong.
Further drawbacks? No autofocus, slight barrel distortion (nothing that can't be handled in post-processing though. PTLens even supports the lens, so it's not a big deal). Light metering gives some funny results sometimes, specifically when shifting, so it's best if you meter with the lens set to “zero” and then save the exposure settings and tilt/shift away. Also, the lens is quite heavy at 570g. Now if you're routinely carrying your 400mm f/2.8 lens around, you'll laugh at 570g, but I like my equipment to be as lightweight as possible, since I usually do a lot of walking on my photo tours. On the other hand, the lens is very sturdy, so you could double-use it as a device to knock down someone who wants to steal your camera, or your soul for that matter. And luckily, the lens is still quite small and it fits nicely into my camera bag.
I'm looking forward to the genuinely new perspectives that this lens offers. Watch our for pictures at Daily and all the other notorious places on the web.
Comments
Good article Toby. I've seen examples of tilt-shift photography before and it's great what one can do with these lenses. It's another toy for you to play with I suppose :)
Back to the blog. | https://kotogoto.com/article.php?id=75 |
I’ve been posting most of my images elsewhere lately, primarily because most of my images have been NSFW-type images, and I haven’t figured out how to incorporate those types of images into this blog.
Anyway, I wanted to show a friend of mine another example of what my tilt-shift lens could do and thought this image had already been posted here. It hadn’t.
So this fixes that.
I love my tilt-shift lens, but I’m beginning to realize that it has its uses and those uses are not generic.
You can’t tell me, though, that this isn’t a perfect shot for a tilt-shift lens. | https://rickhorowitz.photography/general-nature-shots/the-grove/ |
We take it for granted that most buildings have vertical walls that extend at a 90-degree angle from the ground. However, in photographs the walls often appear wider apart at the ground, but tilt inwards towards the top (as you can see in our start image). These converging vertical lines are created by perspectival distortion.
The distortion is created when you tilt your camera at an angle to get the top of a structure into a photo. The more extreme the tilt, the greater the perspectival distortion will be. Converging lines can also be exaggerated when you use a wide-angle lens in order to fit the sides of the building into the frame.
To avoid these converging vertical lines, you could try shooting your subject from a more distant (or higher) vantage point, so you no longer need to tilt the camera upwards. This will help the subject’s walls run parallel with the edge of the frame. Alternatively, you could buy a specialist tilt-shift lens that counteracts converging verticals as you shoot.
If neither of those options works for you, though, Lightroom provides several ways to straighten converging verticals. The Lens Correction panel, which we use here, enables you to manually or automatically counteract perspectival distortion and make walls run parallel with the edges of the frame.
Step-by-step guide: Get a better perspective
1. Correct manually
Take TYLR59.dng (which you can download here) into the Develop module. Toggle open the Lens Corrections panel and click on Manual. Drag Vertical to -69 to make the vertical lines run more parallel with the frame edges. However, this loses detail at the top of the frame and adds white areas at the bottom.
2. Crop the edges
You can remove the white edges by dragging Scale to the right, but this also removes the top of the building. Click on Constrain Crop to remove the white edges but preserve the top of the house. Now, manual adjustments like this are effective, but there’s a better technique…
3. Create a profile
Click on the Reset button. Click on the Lens Correction panel’s Profile tab. Tick Enable Profile Corrections, and select your camera Make and Model. This profile counteracts vignetting and subtle barrel or pin-cushion distortions. It can also help to fix perspectival distortion.
4. Correct automatically
Go to the Lens Correction panel’s Basic tab. Tick the Upright section’s Auto button to automatically counteract tilted horizons and converging verticals. This correction produces smaller white edges and preserves more of the sky. Crop out the white corners manually.
Key skills: Step back to go straight
1. Look up
If you’d prefer to get your perspective as straight as possible in-camera but don’t have a tilt-shift lens, there is a solution. Here’s our building shot with a 20mm lens; we’re standing close to it and looking up.
2. Step back
Step back and switch to a longer lens (we used a 100mm lens here), and you’ll be able to keep your camera level and avoid converging verticals – though your subject will now be smaller in the frame.
Read more: | https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/tutorials/how-to-fix-tilted-images |
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The engineering that helped one Mexico Beach, Florida, house outlast Hurricane Michael.
New York City’s Empire State Building debuts a brand new entrance and lobby for its world-renowned observatories
A sneak peak of the first phase of a massive Empire State redesign.
New Gear: Nikon PC Nikkor 19mm F/4E ED Tilt-Shift Lens
Nikon's latest tilt-shift lens is impressively engineered
Watch This Documentary About The Life Of Taliesin West Photographer, Pedro E. Guerrero
"The first job I had was with the world’s greatest architect" | https://www.popphoto.com/tags/architectural-photography/ |
Tilt-Shift photography is a technique often used to create that miniature scene feel. You know that feeling [of superiority] when you’re…playing with micro-machines, or holding those tiny bottles of liquor, or reading Gulliver’s Travels? Well tilt-shift photography can achieve that look with life-size locations and/or objects through the use of special lenses and camera movements; or you can fake it using Adobe Photoshop.
Below is a collection of images and videos using this popular technique. It can make photographs very interesting and visually stunning, but like all techniques, can be overdone and over-stylized (e.g., lens flares and HDR photography). | https://twistedsifter.com/2009/11/what-is-tilt-shift-photography/ |
16 Van Gogh’s Paintings Get Tilt-Shifted
Most likely you’ve already seen a lot of great tilt-shift photography examples lately, but you probably haven’t seen it done with famous paintings yet! If you are new to these photo manipulations, ‘tilt-shift‘ is a photography technique that gives a real-world scene the illusion of being a miniature model. It can be achieved in two ways: optically (with a special lens) or simulated in Photoshop (known as ‘miniature faking’), by adjusting a photograph’s contrast, color saturation, and depth of focus.
“It works quite well with regular photographs, so we decided to try it using classical paintings by famous artists to see what would happen…” Serena Malyon, a 3rd-year student at art school, took some of Van Gogh’s most beautiful Impressionist paintings and photoshopped them to achieve this amazing tilt-shift effect. The diorama illusion also has another effect – it makes Van Gogh’s work look like 3D paintings. | https://www.boredpanda.com/van-goghs-paintings-tilt-shifted/ |
The Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II is an incredibly wide and sharp tilt-shift lens. Key features include:
Incredibly wide and sharp
Independently rotating tilt and shift axes
No chromatic aberration
Manual focusing
If you aren’t sure what this is, you don’t want it.
The Canon 24mm Tilt-Shift lens was developed with several marked improvements over the previous version.
The most dramatic change is that the tilt and shift axes can be independently rotated between themselves and the camera body, rather than remaining at 90° as the previous version (and all other tilt-shift lenses) required.
There are also multiple aspherical and UD glass elements, curved aperture blades, ‘sub-wavelength’ coatings, and virtually everything in the lens-design book.
|Angle of View||
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84°
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f3.5-22
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Manual Focus Only
|Brand||
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Canon
|Compatibility||
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Crop and Full Frame
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4.2"
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Length: 3.5" | https://www.lensprotogo.com/rent/product/canon-24l-ii-ts-e/ |
Tilt-shift photography is performed with the use of camera movements to simulation a miniature scene. Such an effect can be achieved by having a set of tilt-shift lens or digital post processing with Photoshop.
‘Go’ is a global campaign from Visa after being a public company. In this post, you will see various artistic treatments on the word ‘Go’ where each design has a topic on its own.
We have rules for creating a good logo. No doubt that those are great fundamentals for designing, there is one logo that is free from all rules and is forever changing but we all can still recognize it.
Recently I came across a Post-It Stop Motion video clip made by a group of students from Savannah College of Art and Design. I want to share over here and think you guys may enjoy them! | http://10steps.sg/category/videos/ |
Taken from yesterday’s walk through Toronto’s burgeoning south core, here’s a demonstration of Lightroom’s lens correction capabilities.
In many cases, a byproduct of lens correction is cropping. This is particularly common in architectural photography as buildings appear to ‘shrink’ into the sky from the perspective of street level. In the first example (above), note the lateral cropping. In the second example (below), note the crop along the bottom, along with absence of pixels in the upper right corner as a result of the crop.
Composing from farther back would mitigate the crop because there would be less lens distortion. The problem is, that may diminish the impact of the subjects. The ideal solution would be to use a tilt-shift lens. | https://www.timkbrown.com/correcting-lens-distortion/ |
A Flower's Life Great Sand Dunes NP, Colorado
I discovered this sunflower while walking back after sunrise. I did a similar comp a couple years back, but my tilt-shift lens really helped here to use a larger aperature with a higher ISO to keep the flower sharp in the breeze.
Photo © copyright by Stan Rose. | https://www.stanroseimages.com/photo/sunflower-e/ |
“Stop motion tilt-shift meets tracking,” says the creator of this video. I’m not sure what to call it, but it’s kind of intriguing.
[Via]
Comments
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Funny, he seems to be using the artifacts that optical flow retiming generates. When it interpolates frames with to much change between them.
Another creative use of the limitations/errors of our creative tools.
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I thought it was very interesting indeed. I have seen similar effects but not quite like this one .Well done.
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Hmmmmm.. makes me want to throw up. Not figuratively but literally. Not to slight the author or his content but there’s just something about the video that gives me the same feeling as car sickness…
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Interesting.. The initial imagery that started the video looked like a simple “stedicam” type movement but then it got weird. Sort of replicates what its like to be drunk.. or in a dream like state.
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Stop-Motion + Morhping = Stop-Morphing?
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I’ve never seen something like that.
Very very intriguing indeed.
I really like it. Well, Now, I know what I’m going to do this weekend.
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Funny.. indeed what I see is stop-motion & morph. No tilt-shift and no tracking..?
I don’t like the obvious morph-effects, but I do like the perspective distorting bits.
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the author got the quote wrong
“Stop motion tilt-shift meets tracking,” is for mustardcuffins other video “Still Moving”. This video they say “I drift, half awake, half asleep. Moving through the city I recall but have never been to.”
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i’ve been seeing a few people try and copy this technique – does it have a name yet?
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Mr. Nack, I was fascinated to view your stop motion video. I am a rank amateur with a Canon EOS 5D II, and I’m keen to do as Pro-level as I can pretend to, specifically panoramic shooting from Cloud’s Rest in Yosemite. This peak offers an amazing vista, looking down on Half Dome from the north side as well as back up the Moraine glacier valley. I’m on the cusp of making a big decision, what landscape lens to buy? I’ve got $2000 burning a hole in my bank account and am strongly considering the Canon EF 14mm 2.8L, vs the Canon tilt shift 24mm. Since I can only afford one right now, which would you say to go for? I have the lens the camera came with, the 24-105 zoom. Thank you for your trouble.
[Boy, I wish I could offer some useful guidance, but I’m afraid I haven’t got a clue. I think that a photography forum (particularly one tied to panorama shooting) would be a better source of info. If you find out something useful, you’re more than welcome to post your findings on my blog. | http://blogs.adobe.com/jnack/2010/02/interesting_time_lapse_panorama.html |
Financing, entrepreneurship and other startup issues are part of the platforms of several of the candidates seeking the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada.
For example, in a speech to the Economic Club of Canada in December, Marc Garneau proposed introducing an angel investor tax credit to help entrepreneurs bring their ideas to market, as well as the elimination of all capital gains taxes on investments in Canadian startups.
“A government official should not be making the decision where to invest, it’s the experts – you – the innovators themselves that know best,” said Garneau, a former astronaut and head of the Canadian Space Agency.
Another candidate, constitutional lawyer and author Deborah Coyne, wants the federal government to to facilitate increased access for Canadian entrepreneurs to early-stage financing, to help good ideas and technology get off the drawing board and into the market.
“A blue ribbon panel must examine all the existing programs addressing the links between research and commercialization, and propose a more robust and coherent role for the federal government in facilitating access to financing, particularly at the seed stage,” said Coyne.
Finally, lawyer George Takach has promised investment in high-tech infrastructure, unspecified new initiatives to encourage entrepreneurship, and a new digital economy strategy. | https://www.itbusiness.ca/news/startups-investment-feature-in-liberal-leadership-race/19710 |
Infrastructure projects in Panama continue to push forward.
The government announced that it will construct rest stations every 80 kilometers along the Pan-American Highway.
The rest stations will include a range of amenities, including washrooms, parking, restaurants, and small shops. The government intends the stations to be for both local and foreigner use. Currently, while the Pan-American Highway is scattered with gas stations and restaurants, these are not public facilities open for all, and washrooms are often pay-per-use or for customers only.
In the last couple of years, infrastructure projects in Panama have been undertaken to match its spike in hotel developments along its Pacific coast. The newly built Rio Hato airport west of Panama City, improvements to Panama City’s major international airport, a new metro rail transportation system in Panama City, additional lanes for the Pan-American Highway, and planned upgrades for the port of Colon are among the government’s recent infrastructure projects in Panama.
The state-of-the-art metro system in Panama City recently opened the bidding process for the construction of its second line and received interest from more than 40 companies. The line would be paid for in installments over a period of eight years. The metro system helps move local workers from Panama City’s central areas, where many of them work in tourism-related jobs.
Tourism has become an increasingly important source of revenue for Panama, and infrastructure projects in Panama are an important aspect to drawing foreign tourists. Eleconomista.net reports that public sector construction outlays for 2014 will reach US$3.25 billion.
Along with this infrastructure push, the government is struggling to keep up with the costs required for the projects. After assuming a deficit from the prior government, newly elected President Juan Carlos Varela recently asked for and received a raise in the debt ceiling for 2014.
In recent years, tourism revenue has surpassed the amount received from the Panama Canal. In 2013, Panama received US$3.32 billion in revenue from tourism—double the amount from the Panama Canal.
For more information on living, investing, and traveling in Panama, check out the monthly Panama Letter from Live and Invest Overseas. | https://www.liveandinvestoverseas.com/news/infrastructure-projects-in-panama/ |
Transportation has a direct impact on one’s ability to access health promoting services including essential amenities such as grocery stores, schools, recreation facilities, health care and employment.
Public transportation is a basic amenity that provides multiple benefits for all but is particularly necessary for those who don’t own or aren’t able to drive their own vehicle. This includes people on limited incomes, those with physical impairments or disabilities, youth, some seniors and others.
In addition, by building walking and cycling facilities into communities – we also build physical activity into our daily routines.
BCAHL promotes the following policies:
- The BC Government should invest in active transportation, ensuring at least 7% of all infrastructure funding allocated for urban transit, road and other transportation construction be set aside for active transportation infrastructure.
- Increase investments in public transit – emphasize projects that maximize ridership while meeting local and regional needs.
- Encourage the development of hubs with higher density housing, shops and services to facilitate transit for the surrounding community (transit oriented development) in areas where the density is considered too low to deliver efficient regular transit service.
- Establish a task force to explore innovative public transportation systems that can serve rural and remote populations and others with mobility challenges.
- Explore ways to improve transportation to health services including prevention, primary, treatment and tertiary services for rural and remote residents that are unable to afford transportation.
- Continue to support local governments to create complete, connected communities with shops, services, food and employment accessible by transit systems and pedestrian and cycling infrastructure. | https://www.bchealthyliving.ca/bchla-policies-transportation/ |
Visitor spending in Door County rose to $374.4 million in 2019, continuing an 11-year growth trend on the peninsula, according to numbers released by Travel Wisconsin this week. The county ranked eighth in the state in tourism spending.
Tourism-related spending rose 2.1 percent over 2018, and it has increased 45.6 percent since 2009. That spending supported 3,255 jobs.
“Tourism dollars in our community mean more jobs for our residents, more business opportunities for our entrepreneurs, more funding for improved infrastructure like parks and public spaces, and funding to preserve and showcase our history and traditions,” said Louise Howson, coordinator of the Sister Bay Advancement Association.
But the impact didn’t end there. Tourism spending generated $39.2 million in state and local taxes, including $5.13 million in room taxes. Since 2009, when the county first began collecting room tax, returns are up 68 percent.
Statewide tourism generated $22.2 billion in economic impact for the year and supports 5.4 percent of all jobs in Wisconsin. | https://doorcountypulse.com/tourists-spent-374-million-in-2019/ |
This page contains helpful background context and information, previous tourism studies conducted by the County and its partners, relevant sustainable tourism plans and case studies from around the world, and other tourism-related work that is happening in the county concurrently.
Our Process
San Juan County is creating a Sustainable Tourism Management Plan to thoughtfully guide tourism that both supports and enhances the unique quality of life, environment, and cultural heritage of the San Juan Islands.
The goal for this project is to deliver a plan of action to tourism that meets the needs of our community, environment, economy, and visitors. The Sustainable Tourism Management Plan will lay out the impacts and opportunities that tourism presents in San Juan County and provide a comprehensive roadmap for sustaining our community and resource needs, now and into the future.
Tourism is a major economic driver in the County that helps support year-round livability for Island residents. It is also a management challenge for our sensitive natural and cultural resources, our limited public and utility infrastructure, and for those seeking consistent employment and affordable housing in the Islands. Each of the ferry-served island communities in the County hold differing interests and preferences regarding tourism but retain commonly held values they wish to protect. Coast Salish Tribes also wish to protect their ancestral lands and waters, and the rights they hold here. The County will work with Tribes on a government-to-government basis to gather input and facilitate engagement with the formation of the County’s Sustainable Tourism Plan.
The County and its partners began engaging the community in this effort in 2016, and have completed multiple surveys, public engagement events, and information gathering. This Plan will build off the extensive work and recommendations already completed; click here to see the planning process and current Plan materials.
Funding
The total estimated budget for both phases of the project is $200,000. LTAC voted in favor of requesting approval of an updated total project budget to this amount at the December 16, 2021,meeting. The work will be executed under the Department of Environmental Stewardship.
Surveys
San Juan County and National Park Service worked in cooperation with the San Juan Islands Terrestrial Managers Group to conduct a series of surveys, asking a sample of visitors, residents and businesses on the islands about tourism issues. These surveys provided a unique opportunity for the public to help government officials make good tourism decisions which would maximize benefits and minimize impacts.
2017 San Juan Islands Visitors Study
San Juan County, the National Park Service, and the Terrestrial Managers Group worked cooperatively with Confluence on a multifaceted Visitor Study in 2017 (published February 2018). The study had several components as listed below. This is the primary document for learning about visitors to the San Juan Islands, as well as background information about visitation levels and the accommodation options they use. The study is pre-pandemic, so some visitation trends may be dated.
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Onsite survey: This element surveyed people at visitor sites or park units. It provides information about evaluations of crowding and facilities, and profiles visitors and residents that used these sites.
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Ferry survey: This element surveyed people waiting for ferries to Anacortes (mostly visitors, but some residents). It provided more complete profiles of respondent characteristics, their recreation participation, the attractions they visited, reasons for visiting, evaluations of use densities at beach and marine viewing areas, and support for management actions.
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Accommodation inventory: This element reviewed the numbers and types of overnight accommodations used by visitors, and then compared them with visitation estimates. It includes discussion of Vacation Rentals and use of vacant or second homes.
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Visitation analysis: This element described patterns and trends of visitation numbers from Washington State and other ferries, cruise ships, airlines and charters, and private boats.
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Counts and distributions: This element provided site-specific use information at visitor sites, park units, or along road segments.
2019 Tourism and Visitor Management in the San Juan Islands
In 2019, San Juan County and the National Park Service worked cooperatively with the same group of agencies and Confluence to conduct additional studies (published January 2020). These included several reports as listed below. The resident and business survey reports provide parallel information to the 2017 ferry survey and is probably the most relevant for tourism planning, but the survey of all-island boaters and remote island boaters provides useful information for those visitor sectors.
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Part 1: Survey of residents and businesses: This report summarized profiles of residents and businesses, including length of residency and proportion who work on the islands. Profiles of businesses include estimates of tourism-related revenue. The bulk of the survey focused on parallel questions to the ferry survey (of visitors) about reasons for living/working on the islands, traffic and congestion, crowding at sites, sustainable tourism, capacity, specific management actions, ferry use, and targets for tourism promotion.
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Part 2: Survey of all-island boaters: This report focused on visiting boaters at the main marinas on the islands, and asked parallel questions to the visitor, resident, and business surveys of this specialized type of visitor, including reasons for visiting, onshore activities, crowding at sites, sustainable tourism, capacity, specific management actions, and Orca whale management issues.
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Part 3: Survey of remote island boaters: This report focused on boaters that visited select remote islands and offered additional information about these boaters. It included some parallel questions to the visitor survey about reasons for visiting and evaluations of crowding, with other questions similar to the 2017 onsite surveys about evaluating conditions and facilities on remote islands, as well as specific management actions for those islands.
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Part 4: Conclusions and recommendations: This report is perhaps the most useful of all the Confluence-prepared documents; it summarizes major findings and puts them in context for future tourism and natural resource planning. For readers looking to minimize their homework for the tourism plan, this shorter document is a good place to start. It includes several broad conclusions about what previous studies described, as well as a starting list of specific management actions (organized by island and for all islands) that might be considered in a Sustainable Tourism Master Plan.
2017 Visitor Management Assessment
This February 2017 report summarized an Oct 2016 workshop among agencies and stakeholders about SJI recreation and tourism issues. The workshop reviewed existing information, brainstormed and prioritized issues, and considered example management actions. Notable output from the workshop included initial analysis of existing information, long-term visitation trends, recreation impacts, and visitor management “hot spots.” The document included descriptions of information gaps and some study options to fill those gaps (which were later addressed with the 2017 and 2019 studies).
Parks, Trails and Natural Areas and Non-motorized Transportation Plan
The San Juan County Parks, Trails, Natural Areas and Non-motorized Transportation Plan provides a 20-year long-term vision and six-year plan to guide action and investment in a wide variety of outdoor spaces and facilities managed by San Juan County.
Over the course of one year, San Juan County assessed community needs, engaged the public, and crafted a plan that strengthens the counties systems. This Plan charts a clear future for San Juan County Parks, the Land Bank, and Public Works, which are the three county departments charged with overseeing county parks, trails, and natural areas facilities.
Case Studies
It is always reassuring to know there are many other communities that share similarities to ours and have invested in strategies and projects we might want to consider here. We can learn from what worked and what didn’t. And we can pick and choose, like an a la carte menu, what to implement and adapt.
The two examples here are communities are similar to San Juan County in that they bring in visitors from near and far. And there are times of year the visitors outnumber the locals by many times. | https://www.sjctourism.com/background-resources |
On Tuesday, September 29th & 30th, 2015, the Barrie, Innisfil, Oro-Medonte, and Springwater chambers are partnering with local media to host All Candidates Meetings for the upcoming Federal election in the two new Barrie area ridings. These events will be televised on Rogers TV. All candidates registered at this time have been invited. We also asked all candidates to submit a questionnaire that we could share on our website and through social media.
Below are the responses we received for the Barrie Innisfil Riding (sorted alphabetically by last name).
ANSWER: Small businesses, and the Canadians who own them, employ 70% of Canada’s private sector workforce, and are the central drivers of our economy. They create more jobs than any other part of the economy, providing stable, local employment.
As an added bonus, their flexible nature allows them to respond to changing conditions and market demands, well before large corporations can take action. Putting small businesses first, means reducing red tape for small businesses, and enacting our “Think Small First” legislation, will ensure that new federal laws and regulations enhance, rather than hinder, economic conditions where local businesses and entrepreneurs can thrive.
We will create federally funded, $1 billion dollar/year Green Technology Commercialization Grants, to accelerate emerging technologies and give Canadian entrepreneurs a head start. By facilitating increased access to early-stage financing, the Green Technology Commercialization Grant will help our entrepreneurs compete internationally. It will also enable good ideas to get to market, growing our sustainable economy and creating good jobs and opportunities in our communities.
Furthermore, Greens believe that all policies which are good for Canadians should be adopted by us. Canada’s small businesses deserve fiscal growth and development incentives. The Green Party supports the proposal, in Budget 2015, to reduce the federal small business tax rate to 9%, by 2019.
Mass Transit - Our mass transit requirements are severely underserved, inevitably necessitating that nearly every household owns one or more cars for daily commutes. We need accessible, reliable and affordable transportation between and within our communities, as well as between Barrie-Innisfil and the GTA. The current GoTransit limitations often force us to choose Highway 400 as our main transportation corridor. Efficient light rail, with coordinated buses, will break the cycle of exhausting gridlock and make our communities more livable.
Employment - Currently, we have limited opportunities to choose local employment over the GTA, but we can improve this situation. I realize the critical importance of small business and the green economy to provide local employment choices. We will all benefit from green economy employers in Barrie-Innisfil, and I will work to encourage and incentivize the establishment of green economy employers in our area. I will also facilitate the establishment of small business incubators, partnering with our successful entrepreneurs and all government levels to do so.
Sustainable Agriculture - Much of Barrie-Innisfil is agricultural, and we must enable our farmers to enjoy continued success, grow healthy crops and sustain our rich agricultural heritage. I’ll work to expand our local food movement, and enable small and large scale agribusiness to feed our communities. We all benefit when we encourage the establishment of more community gardens, among other food growing innovations, and I will work to provide urban/suburban farming opportunities and incentives.
ANSWER: Balancing priorities can only be accomplished through direct engagement and communication. As the MP for Barrie-Innisfil, I will ensure that I participate in open dialogues, community meetings, and other forums, to hear directly from the leaderships of the municipalities, as well as the people themselves. Addressing these three priorities are appropriate for, and apply to, the entire riding, and each municipality has as much to gain from them as the others. This holistic approach empowers us to work together to solve our challenges, understand our unique characteristics, and identify all shared benefits. Addressing these priorities will also ensure that each person, as well as each municipality across the riding, functions comfortably, has desirable, gainful employment, and is presented with a sustainable, secure future.
ANSWER: The most important Green Party platform for our Barrie-Innisfil riding, is our National Transportation Strategy. Presently, our riding is tied to one transportation corridor - Highway 400. This represents a critical limiting factor for successful growth and economic transformation in our riding. The Green Party is committed to the revitalization of our rail systems. While historically, we had benefitted from rail through Barrie-Innisfil, these days little more than a trickle of benefit exists. Our goal is simple: Re-invest in the infrastructure, safely increase train speeds, and create green transportation corridors, where the economic value of transportation is clearly evident. Barrie-Innisfil is primed to become a green transportation corridor, and by improving the existing rail and mass transit services, and shifting transportation away from Highway 400, our employment opportunities will increase, local employment diversity will grow and be supported, and our overall quality of life will improve, both for our commuters and for those of us who are locally employed in Barrie-Innisfil.
No response received at time of publication.
ANSWER: As your Member of Parliament, I look forward to working with community and corporate business owners to listen, document, and follow up on real concerns so that I can help create ever-evolving business-friendly conditions. As a small business owner myself (colinwilsonconsulting), I know the value of a supportive government that serves to ensure businesses can thrive. I look forward to engaging with local businesses on an individual basis, and participating in broader business organizations’ meetings and events – all in an effort to promote growth and foster networking. Throughout my term as your MP, I will also be dedicated to ensuring that infrastructure dollars are funneled to key areas within the region to facilitate our growth agenda. I have spent 14 years working for the federal government, ensuring that already.
ANSWER: Balancing these priorities can only be done by continuing to work with communities directly. As your MP, I want to ensure that I am a ‘regular’ participant, and not a ‘guest’. Opportunities are discovered when people talk about common goals and issues, and I want to be able to facilitate those opportunities through relationship-building. Connecting people with ideas to people with resources. I plan to institute an annual event that unites the people of Barrie-Innisfil around People, Growth, and Prosperity.
ANSWER: Better is always possible. Interest rates for new investment are at historic lows, our current infrastructure is aging and Canada is in immediate need of an economic boost. The most important piece of our party platform is the Liberal’s historic and unprecedented infrastructure plan. This plan will ensure that fast-growing regions like Barrie-Innisfil will see a steady increase in infrastructure investment up to $9.5B annually. Along with this plan, comes steady and collaborative relationships with local municipalities to ensure projects are managed in a way that continues to meet the intended need. In addition, all of the infrastructure programming will require bidding companies to ensure there is ‘local’ skills training and apprenticeship programming included – that way, we continue to build a skilled workforce throughout the project life-cycle. The infrastructure programing will fall under the following three areas: Public Transit Infrastructure, Social Infrastructure (affordable housing, seniors facilities, early learning and child care, cultural and recreational), and Green Infrastructure. | http://barriechamber.com/member-blog/election-2015-barrie-innisfil-riding-candidates |
BOSTON (07/01/2021) – Joining her colleagues in the Massachusetts State Senate, Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) voted to pass legislation to invest $300 million in municipal transportation projects and selected statewide transportation infrastructure projects. The bill, An Act financing improvements to municipal roads and bridges, authorizes $200 million for municipal roads and bridges through the chapter 90 program and $100 million to support statewide projects to address congestion, support electric vehicle infrastructure, and improve public transit.
“The Senate’s Chapter 90 proposal ensures that our transportation systems are safe and accessible as travel and traffic increase as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Senator Friedman. “The robust investments appropriated to the 4th Middlesex, in particular, will strengthen local infrastructure and support our communities’ overall well-being.”
The bill includes the following local investments:
The bill includes the following statewide components:
- $200 million in chapter 90 funding for cities and towns for projects to maintain, improve, and repair roadways, bridges, sidewalks, and bikeways.
- $25 million for the Municipal Small Bridge Program to support replacement or preservation of structurally deficient local bridges critical to local communities and not eligible for existing federal aid programs.
- $25 million for the Local Bottleneck Program to address localized traffic bottlenecks and invest in infrastructure to reduce congestion, improve traffic flow, and reduce idling and greenhouse gas emissions.
- $25 million for Electric Vehicle (EV) infrastructure to support municipalities and regional transit authorities in their efforts to install EV infrastructure and purchase EVs and zero-emission vehicles.
- $25 million for Transit-Supportive Infrastructure to create dedicated bus lanes, enhance bus stops and train stations, support passenger safety, upgrade technology and modernize infrastructure to meet demand and increase frequency of public transit services, and improve access to public transit.
The legislation must now be reconciled with legislation passed by the Massachusetts House of Representatives. | https://cindyfriedman.org/senate-passes-bill-to-authorize-300-million-in-funding-for-transportation-infrastructure/ |
CREATURE COMFORTS GALORE
Visitors can enjoy a number of wonderful dining and hospitality options in the communities near the Elk Country Visitor Center and throughout the Pennsylvania Wilds region.
The Elk Country Visitor Center is located within easy driving distance to the towns of Benezette, St. Mary’s, DuBois, Ridgway, Clearfield and the entire Pennsylvania Wilds Region. Those communities offer a range of options, including hotels and motels, bed and breakfast establishments, and both chain and local restaurants.
For information on area dining, shopping, accommodations, amenities and attractions, see the PA Wilds web site. | https://elkcountryvisitorcenter.com/general-information/dining-and-accommodations/ |
Making sense of the many infrastructure financing ideas currently being discussed can be confusing. Many distinct funding and financing options are lumped together under the “finance” heading, when in fact they are different mechanisms that will yield different results. Some examples of financing proposals include tax credits, public-private partnerships, private activity bonds, and a national infrastructure bank. These proposals differ from the traditional approach the federal government has taken, which is to provide state and local communities with direct funding (i.e., grant dollars) targeted to a particular infrastructure sector such as highways or water.
To craft an infrastructure package that meets America’s broad needs, policymakers will have to determine the appropriate balance between funding and financing and choose from among the various ways to accomplish each. These FAQs are intended to provide a basic overview of key concepts in infrastructure finance.
To craft a package that meets America’s needs, policymakers will have to determine the right balance between funding and financing.
Q: What’s the difference between funding and financing?
A: When it comes to federal support for infrastructure, there is an important distinction between funding and financing. Funding provides a project with cash that does not need to be repaid. For example, federal grants are considered funding; the federal government spends the money for the project to get built, with no expectation of being repaid. Financing is a mechanism to provide cash to build a project today, but that cash is borrowed and will need to be repaid with interest in the future. In the past, financing has primarily come from private investors who purchase bonds (see explanation of bonds under the next question) or invest directly in a project, but more recently the federal government has also offered financing programs as well as direct funding.
Funding for large infrastructure projects is typically not available to cover the full cost of the project at its start. State and local agencies use financing to get the upfront cash needed for the project. The investors who provide the financing expect to be repaid, with interest, over time. Repayment can come from federal or state tax revenues, but it can also come from future user fees, dedicated sales taxes, new tax revenues that result from the project (e.g., increased economic activity from development), or other sources (such as revenues from concessions at rest stops or airports).
Both funding and financing play a critical role in getting infrastructure projects done. Financing allows projects to be completed faster—sometimes years faster than they could otherwise be done—and helps to spread the payments for an infrastructure asset over the life of the asset. Funding—from taxes, fees, or other revenue sources—is needed to repay financing.
Q: What is “innovative financing”?
A: In the infrastructure context, innovative financing typically refers to any type of financing other than standard tax-exempt municipal bonds. Tax-exempt bonds are issued by states, cities, counties, and other regional and local governmental or quasi-governmental entities to finance a range of public purposes, including infrastructure. Interest on these bonds is exempt from federal taxes, and therefore buyers of the bonds will accept a lower interest rate than they would for taxable bonds, since part of the income they receive on taxable bonds would have to be paid to the federal government. This reduces the cost of capital for local governments by lowering the interest rate states and local governments have to pay to investors. Tax-exempt debt is the primary way to finance infrastructure projects. And, since the vast majority of buyers of tax-exempt debt are private companies and individuals, tax-exempt debt is one way to bring private investment into infrastructure. The municipal bond market is robust, with more than $3.7 trillion in outstanding issuances currently.
In recent years, new financing options have emerged in addition to tax-exempt debt. These include federally-supported programs such as the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA), which offers low-interest loans and loan guarantees for transportation projects, and private activity bonds, which allow certain types of public-private partnerships to issue tax-exempt debt, giving more types of projects access to bonds with the same preferential tax treatment as municipal bonds. Some public-private partnerships use private sources of financing for projects. There are also emerging ways to structure debt like value capture—in which future increases in property tax revenues are pledged as repayment for a bond. Collectively these tools are known as innovative financing.
Q: Why do we need innovative financing?
A: America’s tax-exempt bond market is the envy of the world. It has financed trillions of dollars in infrastructure projects, from the roads we drive every day to our children’s schools to the water pipes that serve our homes. Still, there are reasons why a community might pursue other financing methods. Some places are concerned that taking on more debt could adversely affect their credit rating, which could make future debt issuances more expensive for them. There may be public or political opposition to taking on more debt, or a strict schedule for debt issuances that would delay the project by months or even years. Further, a few states and localities are at or near statutory debt limits. And, using other forms of financing can free up capital raised from prior debt issuances for other purposes. Innovative financing also draws capital from different types of investors; because of their tax-exempt status, municipal bonds do not attract investors who do not pay federal taxes anyway, such as pension funds, university endowments, and foreign investors.
When it comes to federal support for infrastructure, there’s an important distinction between funding and financing.
Q: Are public-private partnerships a form of financing?
A: Sometimes. A public-private partnership (P3) can be a form of innovative financing, but it does not have to be. There are many types of public-private partnerships. At root, a public-private partnership is a different model for procuring services to design, build, and perhaps operate and maintain an infrastructure project. Many of these contractual arrangements involve private financing, but some do not.
In a typical infrastructure project, a public agency contracts with separate private companies to complete each stage of the project: design and engineering; construction; and sometimes operations and maintenance. In a P3, a public agency contracts with a single private partner (typically, a consortium of companies) to complete multiple stages of the project. Putting responsibility for multiple project stages into the hands of a single consortium can save time, encourage best practices (since the same consortium will build what they design, or operate what they build), and protect the public agency from risks, such as cost increases or schedule delays. As part of the contract, many P3s require the private partner to provide the upfront capital for the project, to be paid back over time from project revenues or payments from the public partner. When this is the case, P3s can be considered a form of financing. In very few cases do P3s actually provide private funding for a project.
Q: What does it mean to say we can leverage private dollars with public funds?
A: Innovative finance is often talked about as a way to “leverage private dollars” with public funds. This use of “leverage” is different from the technical financial meaning, which refers to the ratio of debt to equity in a project or investment. In the infrastructure context, leveraging private dollars means that an investment of public funds into a project is expected to attract private dollars to that project as well. This can happen in several ways. For example, a public agency may be working with a private consortium to develop a project, and neither the public agency nor the private partner has the ability to finance the entire project on its own. In that case, a low-interest loan from the federal TIFIA program might be able to fill the gap, allowing the project to move forward with private financing covering the rest. It might be said that the TIFIA loan “leveraged” the private capital for the project.
Tax credits for private investments in infrastructure are another way to use public funds to leverage private dollars. Under this type of structure, which has been proposed by President-elect Donald Trump as well as Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and John Hoeven (R-ND), a private company will invest dollars directly in an infrastructure project, and will receive a credit on its federal taxes equal to a specified percentage of that investment. The public investment here is the revenue loss from the tax credit, but by providing an incentive for private investment, tax credits are expected to “leverage” a greater amount of private investment than they cost the federal government.
The white paper released by then-candidate Trump’s campaign also talks about leveraging private investments for infrastructure, but in that case, the term “leverage” is being given its technical financial meaning. Just as mortgage lenders require borrowers to put in a certain amount of equity when they buy a home, the white paper states that lenders who finance infrastructure will want to see a certain amount of equity in the project, to cushion their investment against potential losses. The Trump campaign paper assumes a debt-to-equity (or “leverage”) ratio of 5:1, which means that to attract $1 trillion of capital for infrastructure, the U.S. would need $167 billion in equity investments, with the remainder provided as debt. It further proposes that these equity investments would come from private companies, who would be incentivized to invest through a federal tax credit, which is a public investment measured in terms of revenue loss.
Q: Do funding and financing have different impacts on the federal budget?
For federal budget purposes, therefore, a program that provides infrastructure loans would have a smaller budgetary impact than a similarly-sized grant program. However, from the state and local perspective, federal loans are actually more costly than federal grants, as loans require interest payments and grants do not.
A public-private partnership is a different model for procuring services to design, build, and perhaps operate and maintain an infrastructure project.
Q: Is a national infrastructure bank funding or financing?
A: A national infrastructure bank is not inherently a source of either funding or financing. A national infrastructure bank could provide either funding or financing, or both, depending on what Congress authorized it to do. Congress could create a bank with the authority to provide grants (which would be funding) or loans and loan guarantees (which would be financing). Authorizing a bank to allocate private activity bonds among projects, something USDOT now does for transportation projects, would also be a form of financing support.
Q: If Congress decides to use repatriated corporate profits to pay for infrastructure, is that funding or financing?
A: Some in Congress have proposed using repatriated corporate profits to pay for federal infrastructure programs. Repatriation refers to a process in which companies that earn some of their profits overseas and therefore do not pay federal taxes on them would be encouraged to bring those profits back into the United States by reducing the tax rate the companies would otherwise have to pay. The goal is to incentivize companies to reinvest their profits in the United States while also raising revenue from the taxes paid on the “repatriated” profits. While some have proposed using that revenue to offset the cost of making other changes in the tax code, others have suggested using it to shore up the Highway Trust Fund (which supports roads, bridges, and public transportation and is facing insolvency) or depositing it into a national infrastructure bank.
If repatriated profits are in fact used to pay for infrastructure, the question of whether those dollars should be considered funding or financing depends on how Congress decides to use them. If those dollars are used to pay for grants, that is a source of funding. If they are used to support lending programs, that would be a source of financing. In other words, the “pay-for” that Congress uses for an infrastructure package is separate from the question of whether those dollars are used to fund or finance infrastructure. | https://bipartisanpolicy.org/blog/infrastructure-finance-faqs/ |
Productivity Commission inquiry: Local government funding and financing
The Productivity Commission, an independent Crown entity, has released its draft report on local government funding and financing following the Government’s request for the Commission to undertake an inquiry. The report runs to just under 300 pages, and includes useful context for the review, as well as high level analysis of trends in local government revenue, expenditures, prices and debt.
The three page terms of reference from the Ministers of Finance and Local Government to the Commission asked the inquiry to investigate cost pressures, funding and financing models and the regulatory system, and a follow up letter on 29 April 2019 specifically asked the Commission to consider whether a tax on vacant land would be a useful mechanism to improve the supply of available housing for New Zealanders.
The Commission’s findings
Local government
The Commission outlined that local governments play an important role in society by providing a range of essential services, and highlighted that the costs and pressures facing local governments have increased. The five largest sources of expenditure for councils were listed as being support services, roading, transportation, recreation and sport, and wastewater. The main sources of funding available to local authorities included rates, grants and subsidies, and sales and user charges.
Local authority rates increases have outpaced increases in other indices measuring average costs and incomes. Local authority debt has grown steadily since 2006, with some high growth councils coming close to covenanted debt limits. Therefore the Commission outlined key areas that the framework is not currently addressing.
Current framework
The Commission found that the current funding and financing framework is a good foundation for a future system. It supported the “benefit principle” whereby those who benefit from (or cause the need for) a service should pay for its costs, with scope to consider “ability to pay”.
The Commission called for better use to be made of existing tools, and suggested that councils require new funding tools, in particular to address:
• The infrastructure required to support rapid urban growth: currently the failure of high-growth councils to support housing development has created social and economic problems;
• Climate change: climate change poses a threat to local government infrastructure, and councils are responsible for local planning involving at-risk land;
• The growth of tourism: tourists are not paying the full cost of the demands they are placing on infrastructure (local roads, parking, public toilets, water and wastewater); and
• The accumulation of responsibilities placed on local government by central government: responsibilities are passed on to local government without adequate funding means.
Infrastructure
Regarding infrastructure the Commission has recommended a new “value capture” funding tool whereby property owners who enjoy windfall gains in their property value as a result of publicly funded infrastructure would be required to pay a portion of this gain to council, combined with volumetric wastewater charges and powers for councils to levy road congestion. It also recommended Special Purpose Vehicles to allow debt to sit off a council’s balance sheet if it was nearing its debt limits, so that it could continue to invest in development.
The Commission is considering a new funding stream from central government for new infrastructure as well as a possible tax on vacant land, and seeks submissions on these points in particular.
Climate change
The Commission stated that central government should provide high-quality and consistent science and data, standard setting, and legal and decision-making guidance regarding climate change. It stressed that the focus needs to shift from recovery following an event to reducing risk before an event occurs.
On this basis the Commission recommended that the New Zealand Transport Agency should co-fund local roads to assist councils facing significant threats to local roads and bridges. It also recommended the creation of a climate-resilience agency and associated fund to aid councils in planning for infrastructure threatened by climate change (through redesign, relocation, rebuilding).
Tourism
The Commission recommended that legislation should enable councils in tourist centres to implement an accommodation levy, and that greater use should be made of user pays for mixed use facilities. For smaller councils that could not reasonably use those options, the Commission recommended that funding should be given from the international visitor levy.
Resetting the relationship between central and local government
To allow co-design and joint implementation of appropriately funded regulatory regimes, the Commission recommended a “Partners in Regulation” protocol be developed by central and local government.
The Commission also referenced the need to revise a new three waters regime, given the high proportion of funds that local governments put towards this sector. The regime, the Commission says, should rigorously enforce minimum standards while giving councils the freedom to determine how they will meet those standards. There should be a backstop arrangement that applies to councils that fail to lift performance by a specific time.
Submissions
The draft report is open for submissions until 29 August 2019, and submissions are welcomed on any part of the report and on any issues that participants consider are relevant to the inquiry’s terms of reference. | https://hobec.co.nz/news-resources/2019/july/productivity-commission-inquiry-local-government-funding-and-financing |
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