CSR Policy At BHP Billiton

CSR Policy At BHP Billiton After thorough deliberation of the research, the analysis indicates that BHP boasts of a good CSR reputation. However the activities that feature in this report are questionable CSR practices and there is a growing gap between BHPs rhetoric and the reality of its operations. The report also evaluates why these controversial activities have not had a significant effect on BHPs corporate image. In particular, outlining BHPs use of its CSR Policy as a Public Relations (PR) tool to manage its reputation. Table of Contents Introduction BHP Billiton was formed in 2001 through the merger of the BHP (a natural resource company) and Billiton (mining company). It now operates in 25 countries, employs approximately 41,000 people and has a market value of over 250 billion (BHP Billiton, Our business n.d.). Milton Friedman describes CSR as a fundamentally subversive doctrine and states that there is one and only one social responsibility of business which is to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so as long as it stays within the rules of the game, which is to say, engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud (Hamilton Fitzgerald 2005). While many leading companies are genuinely moving in this direction, others are simply seeking a relatively short-term improved public perception of their operations. Increasingly CSR has become a major concern in the global mining economy because of the heightened awareness of unethical business behaviour. Most recent examples of this include the devastating oil spill in 2010 by British Petroleum (BP) in the Gulf of Mexico (BP, Gulf of Mexico Restoration n.d.). Price Waterhouse Coopers identify a number of challenges BHP and many other natural resource companies face in todays environment: improving safety and reducing the environmental impact improving performance and operational effectiveness managing risk complying with regulatory reporting requirements and addressing sustainability issues. (Price Waterhouse Coopers, n.d) BHP Billiton BHP responds to community expectations with a combination of policys including a code of conduct, sustainable development policy and many others designed to set the standard of which it conducts its business. At the forefront of this approach stands BHPs CSR Policy. CSR Policy BHP define its CSR Policy as a requirement to address risks, explicitly stating it has zero tolerance for the misconduct of: child labour, forced or compulsory labour, treatment of employees, living wages, workplace health and safety, freedom of association, world heritage sites and protected areas, biofuels, corruption, bribery and extortion, compliance with laws, discrimination, indigenous rights and the environment (BHP Billiton, Corporate social responsibility requirements n.d). Communication and Advertisement BHP uses four communication channels on its website to advertise its CSR Policy: reports, which reference CSR information for stakeholders, announcements, available on its home page which are designed to provide updates on their CSR performance and activities, multimedia, the website also offers effective use of multimedia to enhance their CSR information through relevant images, interviews and other media, feedback, BHP invites stakeholders to provide feedback via their website by submitting online questions (BHP Billiton, Our business n.d.). Uniqueness of CSR Policy The level of CSR differs from each company, however after comparing BHP with Shell and British Petroleum, two of its natural resource competitors; it is clear all three competitors are trying to get value from their CSR reporting by focusing on the environmental and social concerns of their stakeholders. This includes such things as political, economic, environmental, social, legal and cultural factors. Drivers of CSR (Benn Dunphy 2007) argue that corporate social responsibility may in fact be the consequence of profitability rather than the cause. So the question stands, is BHPs CSR Policy driven by true concern for society, or is it another way to increase corporate profit? BHP argue that its decision to report on Corporate Social Responsibility is based on: consideration of the key health, safety, environment, community and socio-economic risks of our business consideration of stakeholder feedback and commentary with regards to issues of materiality a desire to continually improve reporting standards Evidence of Commitment to CSR BHP uses a number of methods to ensure it complies with its CSR Policy. This includes but is not limited to: conducting a progress assessment on its performance in relation to the UN Global Compact principle and the Global Reporting Initiative which are designed to align their operations. holding an annual Forum on Corporate Responsibility (FCR) that brings together representatives of senior management and key non-government organisations and community opinion leaders to discuss and debate social and environmental matters relevant to BHP. Investing in community projects and recording its community contributions spend against the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG), this presents a consistent framework for measuring tangible progress. The reporting methods noted above are publically available on BHPs website, this is proof that BHP acknowledges the challenges in the nature of its operations. Assurance BHP commissioned the URS in 2006 to provide an independent review of its Sustainability Report (URS Australia, n.d). The results indicated that BHPs Sustainability Report fairly represents the health and safety, environment, community and socio-economic impacts of its operations. Rhetoric or Reality BHP Billiton has argued in theory that it abides by its strong corporate responsibility; however there is a growing gap between its rhetoric and the reality of its activities. The following cases are examples of challenges faced by BHPs operations when policy does not equate to practice: Natural Resource Industry BHPs core business is to provide natural resources, an industry which has had increased social pressures to act responsibly. It can be argued that BHPs CSR Policy was produced as a public relations tool to mitigate the negative impacts of its core business activities and also to maximise profits for its stakeholders. The real test here is does BHP act ethically when it has the opportunity to make a profit (Pratt Nikolova 2006). This was demonstrated most recently when BHP advised of its intentions to supply the Chinese energy market with an additional 10,500 tonnes of uranium annually. The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) warn that once the uranium enters China it will disappear from the safeguards radar, this could potentially lead to devastating outcomes such as nuclear proliferation. Clearly BHP has a greater CSR here but unfortunately the $80 million in revenue was more important than its public image or the health of the wider community. Economic Influence BHPs CSR Policy specifically prohibits the influence of government officials to support the company practices. Most recently in 2010 the Australian Federal Government proposed a super profit mining tax estimating to have made $100 billion in revenue between 2012-13 and 2020-21. However the government was subsequently influenced by three major mining companies including BHP, who explicitly opposed the tax proposal, threatening Australias investment capital (The mining company that cried poor 16 February 2011). As a result the Prime Minister slashed 30 per cent of the tax which means the Australian taxpayers will take a forecast revenue hit of $60 billion over a decade while BHP reports over $10 billion profit for the second half of 2010. Corruption, Bribery and Extortion Clarke (2007) argues that the debate concerning the true extent of the accountability and responsibility continues to the present day. BHP states that: All contract related transactions and payments, including those in connection with gifts and hospitality and other expenditures, must be accurately recorded in reasonable detail in the books and records of any supplier who works on behalf of BHP Billiton (BHP Bilton, Corporate social responsibility requirements). However in April 2010 BHP was investigated by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission after Cambodias Minister for Water Resources told the countrys National Assembly that BHP Billiton had paid US$2.5 million in unofficial payments, to the government, to secure a mining concession (An Alternative Annual Report 2010). BHP has not revealed what over payment was for but controversially the countries BHP operates in have poor records on corruptions and are desperately in need of foreign investment. Protection of the Environment BHP states that: Protection of the Environment: The supplier must operate in a manner that is protective of the environment and comply with all applicable environmental laws, regulations and standards, environmental permitting and re porting (BHP Bilton, Corporate social responsibility requirements). However in 1996 it was sued by Slater and Gordon for one of worlds most devastating environmental disasters when it discharged over one billion tonnes of tailings and waste material into the source of the Ok Tedi River in Papua New Guinea (PNG). This caused more than 3,000 square kilometres of deforestation, turned the tropical rain forests into savannahs, caused 95% decline in fish population (An Alternative Annual Report 2010). Workplace Health and Safety BHP states that it must ensure: the provision of safe and healthy working facilities and appropriate precautionary measures to protect employees from work-related hazards and anticipated dangers in the workplace (BHP Billiton, Corporate social responsibility requirements). However five of its workers in the Western Australia operations died in fatal injuries due to unsafe working practices from 2008-2010 (An Alternative Annual Report 2010). BHP also states that it must ensure: workers receive regular and recorded health and safety training (BHP Billiton, Corporate social responsibility requirements). However in its South African operations employees were not informed about the health and safety risks of handling a chemical element called manganese which causes illnesses such as Parkinsons Disease (An Alternative Annual Report 2010). Effectiveness of BHPs CSR Policy Despite its bad history BHP has usually maintained a good CSR reputation. In fact the Australian Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility went so far as to list BHP in the 2010/11 Top 20 Australian Listed Companies based on its advanced CSR capabilities (State of CSR in Australia Annual Review 2010/11). The real question here is has BHP earned its right to good CSR reputation? History of Public Relations It is a well-known fact that many companies spend a lot of money on Public Relations (PR) to manage their reputation. In the late 1990s BHP employed the Ecos Corp, an environmental PR company founded by former Greenpeace International Executive Director Paul Gilding to help repair its reputation after the OK Tedi Mine disaster in PNG (Ecos 2007). The public relations was aimed at countering the bad publicity through campaigns including advertisements in business publications such as the Financial Review and Australian TV. BHP also offered legal support to the PNG Government for the development of new environmental laws. Unfortunately for BHP, this resulted in an even bigger public outcry, as the company was accused of interfering with its legislation in an effort to protect its own interests (Quester et al 2001). Evaluation The evaluation of BHPs CSR Policy resides in the adequacy of its reporting standards. Clarke (2007) argues that in order for a company to receive creditability they must disclose their processes, procedures and assumptions in reporting. It can be argued that BHP has intentionally chosen not to transparently report on the cases as mentioned in this report, for the simple fact that it leaves it open to more risk and public scrutiny. However this lack of acknowledgement effectively contradicts its stewardship and attests its reliability. Increased public awareness demands that CSR reporting will no longer be used as a public relations tool. This can be seen, as mentioned previously, through the introduction of the Australian Federal Government Mining Tax and other legislation such as the UK Bribery Act, both will inevitably have a significant impact on the way BHP conducts its business. Additionally important are organisations such as BHP Billiton Watch, which was formed to deal with the prominent concerns of communities and organisations across the world regarding BHPs activities (BHP Billiton Watch n.d). Conclusion It is inevitable that organisations such as BHP, in controversial industries such as mining, are never going to be holistically accepted. However, todays forward thinking generation recognise the impacts and challenges of CSR including safety, environmental, community and socio-economic issues. Stakeholders including shareholders demand greater accountability than simply financial returns. Therefore verification and transparency are key to BHPs success and the credibility of its CSR. BHP boasts of a strong reputation and has an opportunity and increased responsibility to enhance and contribute to a safe renewable environment and set an example for other companies alike.

Religion: Who needs it? :: social issues

Religion: Who needs it? Why is it that humans are constantly looking elsewhere for what they are able to provide themselves? People with washers and dryers send their clothes to be cleaned. Owners of houses stocked full of food can be found at McDonald's. Billions of people can be found each week inside churches. Wait...the cleaners,McDonald's and churches? Yep. People are constantly trying to make their lives easier. Darwin theorized that this was part of "Survival of the Fittest." That the easier we make our lives, the more like we are to survive. Religion is one more way, along with self-starting coffee pots, that we have developed to make our lives easier and ultimately more bearable. Assuming that there is some "master plan" that we can't see makes. Religion is simply a self-made, self-serving idea. Humans are the only animals on the planet capable of keeping track of time. Because of this, we pompously assume that only the most valuable of projects are worth our time. We sometimes say, "That was a total waste of my time." What if our entire lives were a waste? What if there was nothing after this life to greet us? The idea that lives are giant wastes would obviously make same people rather annoyed. With religion in our life we are content in the belief that we are constantly working toward something. There is a reason for all the pain, heartache and suffering. Another way that religion is self-serving is through the way that it shuns responsibility. By way of religion we are able to place our "eternal happiness" on someone elses shoulders. Although it is our responsibility to live the kind of life that we think God would want us to live, it is ultimately his decision wether we succeed or fail. Because of this I really appreciate the Buddhist way of thinking. Buddhist teach that you are to look inside yourself to find the inspiration and good to reach the ultimate goal, known as enlightenment. Through this it is no one's responsibility but your own if you aren't happy or successful. It isn't that God has or hasn't blessed you, it's that the answer lies within yourself and you just haven't found it yet. The last way that religion is self serving and foolish is in another way that we make oursleves happier and more content. Through self-induced propaganda we believe that regardless of our situation in life, someone is watching us, and taking care of us.

Influence of Parents on Academic Performance Essay

Authorities parenting, psychosocial maturity and academic success among adolescents, study of Steinberg et al. (1989) describes that when a parents treat their child warmly, democratically, and firmly, they will develop positive attitudes, they will achieve more and do better in school. Multidimensional conceptualization of parent involvement in children’s schooling according to Grolmck’s (1994), it describes that parents must support their child specially to their experiences. Parental Involvement and academic achievement of peer accepted and peer rejected children, a study by Chowdhary and Jayasmita (1997), describes that parental involvement may have influence to the academic performance of a child as a accepted or rejected. Comparative study of parent-child relationships of high and low achievers, study by Kang et al. (1997); the Tiwari (1997) was used to develop this study, it used eight dimensions at parent and child relations such as acceptance, rejection, domina nce-submission, encouragement-discouragement, love-hate, authoritarian-democratic, reward-punishment, trust-disburst, tolerance-hostility. In this study it reveals that children who had warm relationships with their parents achieved higher in classroom. Parent-child relationship and academic motivation, study of Suman et al. (2003), it revealed that the achievement motivation was higher when adolescents perceived their parents as loving and demanding. Sibling rivalry and relation to achievement motivation, study of Vasuki et. al (2004), data were from Neerakatwal’s (1988) and Deo Mohan’s Achievement Motivation Scale (1985), it showed that rivalry towards siblings, tended to have low levels of achievement motivation. Effect of Peer Academic Reputation on Achievement Gest et. al (2005) argued that peer academic reputation (PAR) may influence children’s academic motivation and achievement even if it is not veridical. This argument is consistent with research on the effect of teacher expectations on achievement, which demonstrates that teacher perception of children’s academic ability, whether accurate or not, affect student’s grades and scores on standardized achievement tests (for reviews see Brophy, 1983, Jussim Eccles, and Mardon 1996, and Jussim and Harber, 2005) Developmental Issues Researchers speculate that growth in social cognitive skills, including the capacity and motivation to use social comparison information to shape self-evaluations, account for the trend toward more negative and more differentiated self-perception in grades K-3 (Kuklinsks and Weinstein 2001: Markus and Wurf, 1987). Also make children the transition from kindergarten to the more formal academic setting of grades 1-3, more social comparison cues, may be available, and feedback on one’s academic performance may be based more on comparison to others versus improvement over one’s prior performance (Eccles et. al, 1993: Ruble and Frey, 1987: Ruble, Grosovsky, Frey, and Cohen, 1992) Influence of siblings on adjustment of adolescents Conger et al. (1997) carried a study on parents, siblings, psychological control and adolescents. Data were obtained by using Rosenberg measure of self esteem (Rosenberg, 1965) Pearten measure of control and mastery developed by (Pearlin, 1981), SCR-90-R (Symptom checklist revised; Derogatis, 1983) was administered. Results of the study indicated that psychological control both by parents and by siblings contributes to increase adolescents adjustment problems and to diminished self-confidence. Vasuki et al. (2004) carried a study on â€Å"sibling rivalry and its relation to frustration, mental health and self conflict of adolescents† on a sample of 60 girls and 60 boys from three city schools of in the age group of 15-18 years. Data were obtained using Neerakatual’s (1998) sibling relationship questionnaire, Chauhan and Govind Tiwari’s (1969) Frustration test, Smt Rama Tiwari’s (1986) self conflict questionnaire, Jagdish and Srivastava’s Mental health questionnaire. Results of the study revealed that both males and females of dyads and multiples showed rivalry towards their siblings in a homogeneous way. Greater extent of sibling rivalry also lead the adolescents to become more frustrated. Oliva et al. (2005) carriedout a study on â€Å"sibling relationship during adolescence† on a sample of 513 adolescents aged between 13 and 19 years. Data were obtained by using an instrument created by Steinberg et al. (1991) to assess the parenting style, questionnaire on sibling relationships (QSR; Arranz et al., 1994), inventory of peer attachment (IPA) developed by Armsdeu and Greenberg (1987) and Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSES; Rosenberg, 1965). Results of this study indicated that having siblings was related to adolescent’s social and personal adjustment, although only among girls and only in cases of good sibling relationships. In cases of poor sibling adjustment, it was the negative effects of every day situations of rivalry and conflict outweighed the benefits of any support that was provided.

Summary and Analysis of David Mamets Play Oleanna

Summary and Analysis of David Mamets Play Oleanna Oleanna, a powerful two-character drama by David Mamet, explores the destructiveness of miscommunication and excessive political correctness. It is a play about academic politics, student/teacher relationships, and sexual harassment. Plot Overview Carol, a female college student, privately meets with her male professor. She is concerned about failing the class. She is frustrated because she doesn’t understand the professor’s overly verbose lectures. At first, the professor (John) is callous with her, but when she explains that she feels incompetent, he expresses empathy for her. He â€Å"likes her† so he bends the rules and decides to give her an â€Å"A† if she agrees to meet with him to discuss the material, one-on-one. Act One During most of Act One, the teacher is abrupt, interruptive, and distracted by continual phone calls about real estate problems. When the student does get a chance to speak, it is difficult for her to express herself clearly. Their conversation becomes personal and sometimes upsetting. He touches her shoulder on several occasions, urging her to sit down or to remain in the office. Finally, she is about to confess something deeply personal, but the phone rings yet again and she never discloses her secret. Act Two An unknown amount of time passes (probably a few days)  and John meets with Carol again. However, it is not to discuss education or philosophy. The student has written a formal complaint about the professor’s behavior. She feels that the instructor was lewd and sexist. Also, she claims that his physical contact was a form of sexual harassment. Interestingly, Carol is now very well spoken. She criticizes him with great clarity and mounting hostility. The teacher is astounded that his previous conversation was interpreted in such an offensive way. Despite John’s protests and explanations, Carol is unwilling to believe that his intentions were good. When she decides to leave, he holds her back. She becomes scared and rushes out the door, calling for help. Act Three During their final confrontation, the professor is packing up his office. He has been fired. Perhaps because he is a glutton for punishment, he invites the student back to make sense out of why she destroyed his career. Carol has now become even more powerful. She spends much of the scene pointing out her instructor’s many flaws. She declares she is not out for revenge; instead she has been prompted by â€Å"her group† to take these measures. When it is revealed that she has filed criminal charges of battery and attempted rape, things get really ugly! (But this article won’t spoil the ending for the reader.) Who Is Right? Who Is Wrong? The genius of this play is that it stimulates discussion, even arguments. Is the professor attracted to her in Act One?Does he behave inappropriately?Does he deserve to be denied tenure?What are her motives?Is she doing this simply out of spite?Is she right to claim her professor is sexist? Or is she merely over-reacting? That’s the fun of this drama; it all about the perspective of each audience member. Ultimately, both characters are deeply flawed. Throughout the play, they rarely agree or understand each other. Carol, the Student Mamet designed her character so that most of the audience will ultimately loath Carol by Act Two. The fact that she interprets his touch on the shoulder as sexual assault shows that Carol may have some issues that she does not reveal. In the final scene, she tells the professor not to call his wife â€Å"Baby.† This is Mamet’s way of showing that Carol has truly crossed a line, prompting the enraged professor to cross a line of his own. John, the Teacher John may have good intentions in Act One. However, he doesn’t seem to be a very good or wise instructor. He spends most of his time waxing eloquently about himself and very little time actually listening. He does flaunt his academic power, and he does unintentionally demean Carol by shouting, â€Å"Sit down!† and by physically trying to urge her to stay and finish their conversation. He doesn’t realize his own capacity for aggression until it is too late. Still, many audience members believe that he is completely innocent of the charges of sexual harassment and attempted rape. Ultimately, the student possesses an underlying deviousness. The teacher, on the other hand, is overtly pompous and foolish. Together they make a very dangerous combination.

9 Celebrities Who Used To Be Truck Drivers

9  Celebrities Who Used To Be Truck Drivers Ever wonder how they started out? Ever sit behind the wheel of your rig and daydream that you could be famous too? Turns out, some of your favorite celebrities got their start as truckers. 1. Charles BronsonHe won a Purple Heart for his work as an army trucker. This actor from The Dirty Dozen, The Great Escape, and Death Wish  also trained to be a pilot. He’s hardwired to operate heavy machinery!2. James CameronThis  director of Titanic and Avatar  got his start trucking, too. The next time you see a semi on the side of the highway, just imagine there’s an aspiring director behind the wheel, working on his screenplay between miles.3. Chevy ChaseAfter medical school and a jazz band,  he  drove trucks before his first big break on Saturday Night Live.4. Sean ConneryTruck driving runs in his blood. His father was a trucker in Scotland before him, so it came as no surprise when the future Bond, James Bond drove 18-wheelers after leaving the Royal Navy.5. Rock Huds onRemember him? He  drove trucks after World War II, before he hit it big as a rom-com star with Doris Day.6. Richard PryorThis funny guy drove trucks both in Germany and at home before breaking out as a comedian.7. Viggo MortensonThis actor, famous for his roles in movies like  Lord of the Rings, Crimson Tide, and A History of Violence,  mostly worked in Denmark shipyards; but even he did a few trucking jobs in his home country before making it big.8. Liam NeesonThis megastar might never have been famous if it hadn’t been for his truck driving school instructor encouraging him to consider acting. He could have spent his best years as a Guinness forklift operator instead of fighting kidnappers on the silver screen.9. Elvis PresleyThe King of Rock n’ Roll himself  drove trucks after high school to make a living. Some say he even got his signature hairdo from the truck driver fashion of the time.So whatever your dream is, don’t forget how many famous men b efore you got it done while on the road.

Enterprise Group Policy for Security Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Enterprise Group Policy for Security - Lab Report Example d access to local administrative includes the following: Modification of any registry setting, modification permissions on any file or folder, modification of any settings of the system, including setting stored in files in the system folder and many others. Allowing users to run as administrators can lead to potential security attacks and breaches (Dean 97). From control panel right click on local groups and users and from the menu, click on new-local group and from the dialogue box that appears, into the group text box type administrators, then select â€Å"remove the current user† check box. Then select apply (Dean 107). It is essential to reset the administrator password since the user had the privileges of an administrative before restricting them from the local administrators group. If the password is reset simultaneously with the extraction of user account the user may never have a chance alter or know the new local administrator password (Thilagam 79). From the control panel right click on groups and local users. On the menu select new-local user and from the dialogue box that appears into the user name text box type in administrator then into password text box type in new password and confirm in password confirm text box. Then select apply (Thilagam 99). User account control (UAC) offers a chance to facilitate security of the computer when an administrator and a user are logged in. It enhances protection against any virus or application that tries to write to protected/restricted areas of the computer (Rocha 123). Computer security is in a local network is very essential since it prevents both the computers and the user or administrator. The GPOs are in the frontline to ensure that the computers are fully protected against viruses and alteration of system files and folders by the

IT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

IT - Essay Example Affect-based Trust is related to the the benefits that the client would get directly like quick and improved services whilst Cognition-based services relates to those advantages that a client would see and have evidence of like reduced cost of transactions and access to money without queuing and the like. Jointly, these two add up to the satisfaction a client would gain by patronizing e-commerce products of a bank. In this research, we therefore ask, what are the important factors that affect e-banking in UAE? What are the main consumer attitudes towards e-banking services in UAE? What is the effectiveness of e-banking services rendered by banks to individuals and organizations in UAE? The research seeks to add up to the stock of knowledge on the effectiveness of e-banking services rendered in UAE and the customer attitudes to e-banking services in UAE. ... The research would provide a background for the study of trends and matters pertaining to e-banking. This can enable banks, consumers and potential consumers to get a good understanding of the reaction of consumers to e-banking products and services that are offered in the UAE. Literature Review Online banking is the â€Å"process that allows a consumer to perform banking functions online. Online banking can be accomplished through the internet with specific account information and a consumer password† (Sam, 2008: 7). Online banking refers to an electronic form of carrying out traditional banking processes and transactions through the Internet and other forms of computer software systems. This implies that online banking enables a consumer to complete a banking activity using the internet and other related electronic tools like mobile phones and other sophisticated computer systems. This is also referred to as e-banking, which encompasses banking carried out in an electronic f ormat. In a bank, e-banking a typical e-banking department consists of groups responsible for marketing and sales, internet activities, electronic commerce, call center services, ATM operations and mobile phone bank services (Hlupic, 2003: 109). In other words, e-banking combines the operations and activities of several related departments in a bank to ensure that the clients of the bank get the opportunity to undertake normal banking services through electronic means. This requires the co-operation and combined efforts of several units to ensure that customers get prompt attention about their transactions, reduce fraud and get a good understanding of the internet banking