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1 – 10 of 573Kathleen Wilburn and Ralph Wilburn
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the value of the Certified B Corporation (B Corp) structure for a long-term commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the value of the Certified B Corporation (B Corp) structure for a long-term commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) achievements. Organizations of all sizes are now focusing on commitment to achieving social purposes beyond philanthropy and on reporting their CSR performance as a means of accountability.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors studied 45 Founding Certified B Corps to check how many had maintained their certification by filing B Impact Reports with B Lab, how many Impact Reports they had filed and if the reports showed progress toward CSR goals.
Findings
The results showed that all Founding B Corps submitted multi-year B Impact Reports, made progress toward CSR goals, maintained their commitment to a social contribution and made profit from 2010 to 2015. The B Impact Reports identified their goals and progress in the five Impact areas that were then assessed by B Lab.
Practical implications
The Certified B Corp structure can be confidently used by small companies that desire to do good and want an outside assessor to help establish CSR goals and provide a method for accountability. The reports are published on the B Lab Web site, providing an additional means of publishing CSR accomplishments.
Originality/value
This research provides information for those businesses, particularly small ones, that wish to establish their commitment to CSR in a public way and are certified by a third-party assessor.
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The purpose of this paper is to discuss whether the availability of qualifications through work‐based traineeships in Australia assists social inclusion.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to discuss whether the availability of qualifications through work‐based traineeships in Australia assists social inclusion.
Design/methodology/approach
Industry case studies, of the finance and cleaning industries, were undertaken as part of a national research project on quality in traineeships. The two industry case studies were analysed to provide data on social inclusion aspects. A general discussion on the “pros” and “cons” of gaining qualifications through work, from a social inclusion point of view, is included.
Findings
The industry case studies show many advantages of work‐based qualifications for people who have had disadvantaged economic and social backgrounds. The study presents a model showing how work‐based qualifications help to meet the twin social inclusion goals of employment and education. However in economic hard times, the need to have a job may rule out some people. Also, some doubts about quality in work‐based delivery may mean that qualifications gained through work may be of lower value than those gained at least partly through formal study.
Research limitations/implications
The models put forward are tentative, based on the findings in the research study that has been described and the authors’ earlier research. Further research is necessary to establish the social inclusion benefits of this means of gaining qualifications. In particular longitudinal research with disadvantaged people who have gained qualifications through this route is needed to evaluate whether their completion of qualifications through employment has assisted their broader economic and social engagement, and in what ways. In addition, research is needed to compare the quality and utility of qualifications gained through work and those through education providers as a poor‐quality qualification may be of limited long‐term use to an individual.
Practical implications
Work‐based qualifications are shown to be a useful investment of public resources. The research also analyses some shortcomings of this method of gaining qualifications so that they can be addressed by employers and training providers.
Social implications
The research establishes the social inclusion utility of work‐based qualifications, providing insights useful for education systems and social welfare organisations.
Originality/value
This is one of very few scholarly studies of the large‐scale use of work‐based qualifications.
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The article describes the Five Dimensions of Person‐Centredness, an evaluation tool developed specifically to explore supported living and inclusion‐orientated organisations. It…
Abstract
The article describes the Five Dimensions of Person‐Centredness, an evaluation tool developed specifically to explore supported living and inclusion‐orientated organisations. It explores some of the learning gained from using the evaluation process with four organisations in Scotland, and includes identification of common themes that make the difference when personalising support.
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Andy Smith, Jackie Bird and Clive Long
Despite widespread work on the process of safeguarding vulnerable adults, there is a relative absence of research in secure psychiatric settings where reliance is placed on…
Abstract
Despite widespread work on the process of safeguarding vulnerable adults, there is a relative absence of research in secure psychiatric settings where reliance is placed on external community safeguarding teams. This study analyses safeguarding incidents over a three‐year period in a medium secure psychiatric setting for women. It focuses on incident type, the characteristics of victims and perpetrators and safeguarding processes, including protection strategies. The action implications of the findings are discussed with reference to the unique feature of the patient population and setting and the extant research literature.
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Daniel Caffey and Walter Block
This paper argues that the belief that the rapid growth of the human population will inevitably lead to a major ecological disaster is neither intuitively nor empirically tenable…
Abstract
This paper argues that the belief that the rapid growth of the human population will inevitably lead to a major ecological disaster is neither intuitively nor empirically tenable. A significant portion of the world's pollution comes not from overpopulated poorer nations, but from Western nations with very low population growth rates. On the other hand, most of this damage is the result of misguided government policies, and not Western overconsumption. Overpopulation is not likely to be a problem environmentally because Malthusian predictions are often made based on the assumption that current rates of resource use and population growth rates will remain the same. Such assumptions ignore the critical role that adaptability has played in allowing humans to avert Malthusian crises. Substitution of products, innovative production methods, and technological changes all ensure in the long run, very few of the facts that predictions are based on will remain fixed.
Partners for Inclusion aims to deliver person‐centred support services, following its dream of providing individualised supports for people to have real lives as valued citizens…
Abstract
Partners for Inclusion aims to deliver person‐centred support services, following its dream of providing individualised supports for people to have real lives as valued citizens in their communities. The article explores core principles and practical applications in getting the right relationships, and considers some challenges in developing organisational culture and structures which support and reinforce this.
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