Essential Oils Biological Components

Essential Oils Biological Components Essential oils are complex mixtures of many components, about 20-60 can be present at different concentrations depending on the oil.According to Bakkali et al(2008) they are characterized by components of the highest concentrations, there are usually 2 or 3 main components in each oil compared to some components in trace amounts. Major components of the oils determine the biological activity of the oils however the components in smaller amounts produce an additive effect(Bakkali et al, 2007). Chemical analysis of lemongrass and cinnamon oil distinguished several compounds. Terpenes are able to form structurally and functionally different classes. They are made from combinations of several 5 carbon units called isoprenes (Pichersky and Gershenzon). According to Bakkali et al (2007) terpenes constitute 90% of essential oils. Tyagi and Malik (2010) found that phenols and aldehydes exhibited the highest vapour activity followed by alcohols, ketones and esters and lastly hydrocarbons. Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC MS) analysis found cinnamon oil contains high amounts of trans cinnamldehyde at 86.9% and eugenol at 6.2% as major components. Eugenol has been found to have antifungal activity (Cheng et al, 2008) as has Cinnamyl acetate, 4-terpineol, 1,8 cineole. The additive effects of the main components have been reported in one study, a mixture of cinnamaldehyde and eugenol inhibited growth of staphylococcus species whereas when they were applied individually they did not inhibit growth (Marei et al, 2007). Lemongrass exhibited a high concentration of citral, this has two isomers, geranial (trans citral) which presented at 51.3% and neral (cis citral) at 37.4% as major components of this oil. Usually one isomer does not occur without the other. In addition to the essential oil consists of small quantities of geraniol(alcohol) which often co exists with geranial and neral (Chen and Vilojen, 2010).,This study found strong activity of geraniol against Candida albicans (Chen and Vilojen, 2010). Geranyl acetate (Hanaa et al,2012)and limonene (Gehan et al 2012) have also been found to have antifungal properties. Similar concentration found in this analysis have been previously reported by Inouye et al (2003) A study also found lemongrass oil to show higher anticandidal activity against strains of superficial mycoses than citral suggesting additive effects of minor components (Kumar et al 2012) 4.2 Vapour phase Using the vapour phase has been a fairly recent advancement, Tyagi and Malik (2010) found that essential oils in the liquid medium form micelles and supress the attachment of the essential oils to the organism, however the vapour state allows for free attachment although studies have been carried out there is no standard assay to evaluate inhibition by vapour phase contact (Avila-Sosa et al,2012).A further study also stated that in liquid medium the diffusability and solubility of the essential oil whilst in vapour depends on the volatility of each compound and in a vapour form can facilitate the solubilisation of lipophilic monoterpenes better by inflicting higher cell damage on the cell membrane(Taweechaisupapong et al, 2012) Rana (2012) found with Candida dublienesis ,where the essential oil is placed directly under the fungi the growth is completely inhibited as the vapours are the most volatile here .So growth is fungicidal until a certain point, as the volatile vapours spread out the concentration of the vapours is not high enough to inhibit growth so a fungistatic effect is produced. Although this effect was not produced with Candida albicans it demonstrates how the vapours work. Therefore a dispersal method would be more effective as there would be an even distribution of the oil. If volatile compounds retained less effectively therefore allowing more molecules in the vapour phase with increased antifungal activity promotes fungicidal effect at lower concentrations(Lopez et al ,2005) thought to be due to better penetration and contact(Tyagi and Malik, 2010). 4.3 Bonding and compounds Essentail oils cannot be used on their own as they are classed as irritants according to health and safety (Look at COSHH form)therefore a method is required where the oil is not as concentrated and can be used in application such as sprays where it is easier to distribute. Essential oils are expensive therefore if mixed with a carrier oil which are usually cheaper and more readily available. The essential oils blended with carrier oils showed a significant difference in the results for example at 25Â µl(p

Sexual identity and gender stereotyping

Culture is a body of common beliefs, traditions, values and principles which are shared by members of a particular group. A culture helps to determine the behaviors, attitudes and expectations of its people. Every society or community has some traditions, beliefs and customs regarding either gender. Most of this expectations are based on the sexual identity of one being either male or female which emanate from their different roles in human reproduction and variations in their physical characteristics. Cultural views on sexual identity comprises of beliefs, expectations and constraints of what men or women are supposed to do or not to do. Sexual identity refers to the level or degree to which we identify ourselves as male or female depending on various social, cultural and biological aspects . Our culture has various ways of distinguishing between the two major sexual identities. As a result, the expectations and constraints imposed on a woman are different from those imposed on the males. The fact that women give birth and lactate exposes them to certain constraints in their motherly roles in the society. For instance, our culture tends to view females as receptive and the males as intrusive in their respective sexual behaviors. Though such constraints are presumed to be less pervasive in the society today due to the fact that our culture is evolving into a modern social structure away from the hunter-gatherer kind of socio-economic life it used to be, the distinction between the two sexes still remains quite pervasive in terms of behavior, roles and interests . Many sociologists have traced the origin of such differences to the different cultural norms put forward by our culture to the society. Since birth, boys and girls become accustomed to different cultural standards either consciously or unconsciously which reflect their respective roles later in life. For instance, girls tend to take up the role of mothers and caretakers in the family while boys are taught to be the heads of the family as the bread-winners and protectors. The differentiation between male and female behaviors is a matter which is deeper than the concept of contextual relativism in the culture. Apart from behaviors, roles and expectations based on sexual identity, our culture has led to the evolution of some gender stereotypes which are associated with a particular sex whether male or female . The spread of such classical stereotypes in the media particularly dominates the society today. Both print and electronic media clearly indicate the different cultural standards of men and women in the society together with their varying capabilities based on their sexual identities. Until recently, the media has depicted the female gender as a weaker sex in terms of the roles, professions and the society expectations as compared to the male gender. However, the continued calls for gender equality has led to certain media portraits which show that women are as capable as their male counterparts thus removing the long held constraints and stereotypes imposed by our culture on women which tend to undermine their professional capabilities. Houston stresses on four major gender stereotypes. She puts them across as; men are afraid of commitments, men are bound to say or do anything in order to prevent their partners from discovering that they are cheating on them, women concentrate too much on what men say or do and finally, a woman can use any available strategy to keep a man. Such gender stereotypes she adds, are the source of certain phrases like ‘just like women', ‘men are dogs' and so forth which tend to associate men and women with certain behaviors and not others. As a young woman, all these cultural views have shaped my behavior and my self-understanding as such in various ways. For a young person to understand his or her sexual identity, it is vital to solve the tension caused by numerous cultural values between ‘who i am' and ‘what how the society views or expects of me'. As a woman, the culture expects me to be submissive and to behave as so especially when dealing with the male gender. Moreover, our culture expects women not to show their interest towards men as they are said to be the ‘hunters' and women the ‘hunted ‘. Such cultural values expect women to suppress their feelings and behave in a particular manner in matters concerning their sexual orientation and identity in the society. All these cultural views have shaped my personal behavior as a woman and my view on the whole concept of sexual identity. Due to the numerous gender stereotypes, behaviors, expectations and constraints imposed on the different sexes, there arises some tension between religious and societal values. Our culture which views women as second to men has consequently put some cultural restrictions which burr women from top positions in the religious matters and other societal issues. However, some cultural values tend to be in consistency with religious value in that in both cases, women especially those who are married are expected to act in a submissive way when dealing with their husbands. It can thus be said that, the environment and the cultural background in which one is brought up largely influences his or her future relationships with the opposite sex and other people in the society. Many gender stereotypes have adverse effects on future relationships especially for the young people who wish to establish stable and strong foundations for their future family lives. For instance, the stereotype that all men promoted by our culture are polygamous or unfaithful can have detrimental the women's ability to trust men hence the increased number of divorces in the modern society . From a theological point of view, marriage is seen as a vocation, covenant, sacrament, communion and a lasting partnership . However, this views are exposed to various interpretations especially in the cultural context of the modern society.

What Everybody Dislikes About Scholarly and Popular Article Comparison Essay Samples and Why

What Everybody Dislikes About Scholarly and Popular Article Comparison Essay Samples and Why Sum up all of the information which you have presented so that people are able to identify whether your conclusion has lived up to the content of what you've written. Put simply, there's a plausible counter-argument to your argument, which you have to answer, and not only a flimsy counter-claim. There are not any other evidences or arguments supplied by the report to affirm the trustworthiness of the described facts. The motive of your essay is essential to be regarded as as it can identify whether you are able to be of help to the men and women who want a specific educational reference. What the In-Crowd Won't Tell You About Scholarly and Popular Article Comparison Essay Samples The above mentioned compare and contrast essay topics are only a few of the numerous topics you'll be able to decide to talk about in your essay. There's an endless number of different essay topics which can be analyzed. You can begin with the kind of topic you pick for your compare and contrast essay. It is possible to even begin to sketch a few similarities and differences between the subject you brainstormed so you have a notion on how complicated it's going to be to compose the essay. Once you've built up all of the information regarding your essay, you're prepared to wrap this up. You can also see travel essay. You might also see interview essay. The full essay needs to be relevant to it. You are able to restate your thesis statement and point out a number of the arguments used over the whole essay that backs it up. You could also see concept essay. Compare and contrast essay examples are a few of the simplest college essays you'll ever have to write. Therefore, an analytical essay is a bit of writing that offers an informative observation about the particular topic or idea. It is possible to also order a fully written compare and contrast essay and alleviate the quantity of work you need to do. The level of formality should thus be quite high. The course materials which you want to speak about within an academic essay can reflect your degree of understanding about the matter. If you understand how to compose an article critique, you will readily finish the assignment not based on its complexity and formatting peculiarities. Use an organic vocabulary that you're comfortable with. Lucky for you, there are several topics you could concentrate on when writing and it's all your responsibility to ascertain the precise topic that you wish to build on. The process as embedded reviews are interested in instance, email only. In case it's a scientific article being reviewed, the author is going to be asked to use database searches to retrieve the outcomes of the search. So long as you present a background info about your paper as briefly as possible. So now you understand how to pick the best compare and contrast topics and the various segments which you have to address when writing. The Ultimate Scholarly and Popular Article Comparison Essay Samples Trick If necessary, you could always turn to professionals to supply you with a nudge or assist you with your topics or sources. You'll also become peaceful since you've delegated the job of thinking up a topic and essay t competent professionals. Based on the subject of education where you are in, you will need to ensure your readers can observe patterns of evidence presented so that they can clearly see how you had the ability to generate and produce insights. Given the increasing paranormalism in the united states, it might be the opposite. Finding Scholarly and Popular Article Comparison Essay Samples The very first thing you ought to do is identify the sort of compare and contrast essay which you are handling. In the majority of cases, work consumes most of the time for people leaving limited time to think of original psychology arguments. You must present your topic, obviously, and also your thesis statement that has the function of indicating to your readers what is the probable path of the full work. There are difference contexts that could be used within the identical subj ect so that you need to make certain that you will be clear in regards to identifying the section of the topic that you're going to chat about.

I Conducted An Interview With Robin Layton And I Was Given

I conducted an interview with Robin Layton and I was given consent to use her personal information to write this paper. It took place in the library lasting for approximately 12 minutes on February 28, 2017. The interview’s purpose was to focus on the client’s story, strengths, needs and the goals. The purpose of this paper is to critique myself as a social worker. It is also important that I learn to analyze my performance and to see which areas I need improvement in when interacting with clients in the field. This will ensure advancement so that I can better myself and the situation my clients and I will have while working in the field. 2) Interview Stages A. The beginning part of the interview was effective, however†¦show more content†¦By doing these steps to make sure she was relaxed, EE gave a positive vibe with the tone of her voice and her body language and this expressed she was content with meeting with a female counselor. B. I would say I accomplished the interview purpose well. It wasn’t very effective, but it was effective enough to direct the interview towards finding the needs and goals of the client. By using techniques such as, listening, information sharing, questioning, and paraphrasing, I gathered the information needed to evaluate her needs and goals. After defining what the student outreach program was, I asked her an opened ended question to find out what her needs were [2.21]. Her problem was her need to manage her time more effectively and to better plan her time without procrastination. While discussing her problems, I discovered that we need to find ways to reduce her stress so that she can feel better about herself. When EE expressed these feelings of stress to me I reassured her I was listening and letting her know that I was there for her with nonverbal cues; eye contact, an empathetic facial expression, and understanding. During that time, I made sure to communicate empathy by mirroring and using empathic echo [2.24- 3.59]. An example of this is when she told me the reason why she came to get help. My response was expressed through an empathic reflection with her to make sure that she knewShow MoreRelatedOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesreferences. ISBN 978-1-4399-0269-1 (cloth : alk. paper)—ISBN 978-1-4399-0270-7 (paper : alk. paper)—ISBN 978-1-4399-0271-4 (electronic) 1. History, Modern—20th century. 2. Twentieth century. 3. Social history—20th century. 4. World politics—20th century. I. Adas, Michael, 1943– II. American Historical Association. D421.E77 2010 909.82—dc22 2009052961 The paper used in this publication meets the requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed

Comparing Women in The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte...

Comparing Women in The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Gilman and The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck Talents and dreams, hopes and desires, shunned by the husbands and times of the women in The Chrysanthemums and The Yellow Wallpaper. The wife, Elisa, in the Chrysanthemums, reflects an internal struggle to find her place in a world of definite gender roles. The Yellow Wallpaper traces the treatment of a woman who descends from depression to madness in the male-imposed psychiatric confinement of her room. The mirror-like situations that hinder the protagonists in both stories call the women to conduct themselves in demeanors drastically different from one another. Elisa Allen of the Chrysanthemums and the narrator of the Yellow†¦show more content†¦Nevertheless, this ?cure? makes her weak; it transforms her into a woman gone mad. She gives into the figments of her imagination and begins to metamorphose this ?thing? she imagines behind the wallpaper as a hallucinogenic image of herself. This ?woman? becomes a deadly combination: best friend and worst enemy. She views the woman as trapped, and, in order to free herself from this non-fulfilling life, she must free the woman. Elisa also receives an uninvited guest, a tinker who she perceives as the perfect emblem of freedom. His life is on the road, in the wild-outside the fence. She, like the narrator, feels a need, a desire, to help this outsider in order to liberate ones self. Vivid pictures and visions of a life with no barriers, boundaries, or limitations, run free in the minds of both Elisa Allen and the narrator in ?The Yellow Wallpaper.? These women begin to view objects as both symbols of entrapment and of license. Within the confinements of her ?prison?, this once busy and bothersome pattern of the yellow wallpaper begins to straighten out. It becomes almost bar-like, and with the walls and the windows this ?soothing? room turns into a reformatory from which she must abscond. Elisa must also break free, decomp from the boundary, the fence, that is enclosing her in the stationary, non-progressive life. She sees hope, a way to expand, through her joy, her love, her talent crysanthemums. By sharing her love with others, she is actually leaving, goingShow MoreRelated Discussing the Chrysanthemums Essay1223 Words   |  5 PagesDiscussing the Chrysanthemums In studying the various schools of criticism and using them to decipher the inner workings of novels, short stories, and poems, it becomes apparent that they all share a common factor: a theme. The theme of a story is the general idea or insight, which is revealed by the entire story (Kennedy, 195). Although there are many themes that seem to be similar, it is difficult, perhaps impossible, to find to stories with identical themes. Two stories with similar themes

Comprehensive School Counseling Project A Proposal Free Essays

Educational reform is shaped by the commitment to provide optimum learning environments that will guarantee academic success for all students. A shift in the counseling program is introduced by the comprehensive school counseling model recognizing the significant roles counselors can play in maximizing potentials and achievement in every child. According to the American School Counseling Association (ASCA 1997), school counselors must aid schools to â€Å"focus on academic achievement, prevention and intervention activities, advocacy and social/ emotional, and career development† (Dahir, Hardy, Ford Morrissey, 2005). We will write a custom essay sample on Comprehensive School Counseling Project: A Proposal or any similar topic only for you Order Now The model provides â€Å"content, process and accountability methods† (Dahir et al. , 2005) that will help school counselors design programs to address the needs of the student population based on the information or data gathered. As expressed by Bilzing (1997), â€Å"random acts of guidance are no longer acceptable in 21st century schools† (as cited in Dahir et al. , 2005, p. 3). The major departure from the traditional approach in school counseling is the use of research as the basis for the design of a counseling program. From a service driven model, transformed counseling programs operate on a data-driven and standards-based model. In addition to counseling, consultation and coordination roles, counselors participate in advocacy, collaborative and team work, data-driven and results-oriented initiatives, and technology-based programs. Counselors work closely with other teaching and school staff to ensure that â€Å"every student benefits directly from the school counseling program† (Dahir et al. , 2005). Adopting a comprehensive counseling approach in school increases its propensity to address challenges of students and equip them with skills to face the changing demands of society. The research-based approach allows its continuous evolution based on data gathered so academic and psychosocial programs are created to address specific areas. The comprehensive counseling model has been found to increase student attendance and completion rates while decreasing suspension rates. Violence prevention interventions have also been established as a product of the approach. It is able to â€Å"address the needs of students in low performing schools and schools in crisis by using research based techniques to overcome the barriers such students face† (Dahir et al. 2005). Comprehensive counseling programs in school are able to deal with the specific factors that are affecting student achievement. â€Å"Professional development is an important supporting activity in the implementation of comprehensive developmental school counseling programs† (Dahir et al. , 2005). The involvement of other members in the school becomes beneficial to their personal and professiona l enhancement. Furthermore, the program has also been extended to involve parents. The information gathered from research â€Å"show the strengths and weaknesses of children, how the school counselor is meeting the student’s needs, what areas the student needs to focus on to succeed, and incorporate the home support in all domains of the program† (Dahir et al. , 2005). It is gradually becoming a positive agent for improvements in the environment that surrounds the student — home, school and community. Review of Literature There is a general agreement that most of the nation’s problem is best addressed through prevention and proactive intervention. Thompson (2002) highlights the fact that â€Å"educational, political, and economic trends, as well as the critical needs of today’s youth, are redefining the role and function of the professional school counselor†. Furthermore, in a society where diversity is becoming a rule rather than an exception, â€Å"school counselors have come to represent a reservoir of stability and congruency of information† (Thompson, 2002). This can only be achieved through research-based approach to program design and following a developmental model of program implementation. It is the comprehensive counseling program which follows an inclusive model, being able to cater to all students within varying developmental needs. What is the best intervention that will work? This is perhaps one, if not the most, daunting question of school counselors. Until recently, psychological and counseling models were the primary sources of information. The advent of evidenced-based school counseling however, is providing a brighter direction for school counselors as well as decreasing the margin of error for the choice of intervention. Sexton, Schofield, and Whitson (1997) have argued that â€Å"the use of existing outcome research to guide both training and practice can help ensure that professional activities reflect best practices and are consistent with each other† (qtd. in Dimmitt, Carey, Hatch, 2007, p. 3). The comprehensive school counseling model therefore, by adopting an evidenced-base approach, increases the integrity and validity of the program implemented. Further support for the crucial role of the counselor and the benefits of using empirical data in program design is provided in the literature review conducted by White and Kelly (2010). They focused on how the comprehensive counseling program can address the problem of school dropout. The approach is able to impact both risk-reduction and protective factors of potential dropouts. â€Å"The role that school counselors can play in helping to prevent school dropout is substantial and could ultimately enhance not only student outcomes, but also the trajectory of the profession of school counseling† (White Kelly, 2010). Evidence has shown that absenteeism and tardiness, unless properly addressed, will lead to increased student difficulty and drop-outs. Counselors are challenged to proactively seek ways to provide early interventions for prevention. Another accountability of the counselor was discussed in the study by Wachter, Villalba and Brunelli (2007). The article highlights the academic and personal-social needs of students with ethnic backgrounds, particularly Latino(a) children in southeastern U. S. The results show that there is â€Å"a wide array of academic and cultural factors impacting student learning and development, in addition to a diverse collection of school-based interventions† (Wachter et al. 2007). The participants were also concerned with the â€Å"understanding gap† that affects the communication and perceptions between the Latino homes and the schools, which among other factors, impedes their academic success. It is the counselor’s responsibility to help close this gap by learning about the students’ culture to better understand their needs and help them achieve their goals. The hi gh incident rate of bullying in schools is a major and grave issue that is consistently facing school counselors. Young, Hardy, Hamilton, Biernesser, and Niebergall (2009) describes how data was used to provide a comprehensive counseling program to address bullying and harassment incidents in school. â€Å"As a result, the school counselors began to routinely and systematically track and use data to transform their counseling services† (Young et al. , 2009). The program allowed them to measure outcomes and if significant differences were attained due to the program implementation. So far, the studies previously discussed emphasized the role of the counselor in improving the psycho-social well-being of students. Accountability, however, is encompassing and includes achievement scores in academic subjects. Luck and Webb (2009) compared the achievement outcomes of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test of Grades 4-5 students who participated and did not take part in the counselor-led Student Success Skills Intervention. The results show that â€Å"students who participated in the intervention showed greater mean improvement in reading and math scores that students at the district or state level† (Luck Webb, 2009). The outcomes led to greater appreciation of collaborative work between counselor and the teaching staff. Within the context of comprehensive programs in school counseling, addressing the issue of sexualization among girls was discussed in an article by Choate and Curry (2009). The authors argue that being a sensitive and ethically-laden issue, the counselors’ professional orientation and skills â€Å"are uniquely suited to play a pivotal role in creating effective change in this area† (Choate Curry, 2009). There are many factors affecting sexuality of girls and the multiple services achieved through a comprehensive program makes it possible to deal with these factors in isolation and in their interaction. Clearly the comprehensive counseling model finds various applications and provides a holistic intervention for the students. But how prepared are those in the profession to adopt this approach in their practice? A study conducted by Dahir, Burnham and Stone (2009) revealed that â€Å"there are gaps in the school counselor’s ability to embrace and implement the new vision of comprehensive school counseling during the initial stages of implementation. This finding necessitates professional development to better equip school counselors, as well as other members of the school — teaching and support staff, and administrators — for successful collaboration. Program Descriptions and Recommendations Based on the arguments and empirical data presented in the previous sections, it is highly recommended that schools shift from a service-driven model to a data-informed comprehensive school counseling program. The diverse populations co-existing in the school will greatly be nefit from the approach. The programs will be tailored according to the background and needs of the students. The socio-economic backgrounds and family context are creating serious impact on the performance of the students. Existing literature has provided evidence that counselor-led interventions to improve academic success are yielding significant differences in the test scores of the students. â€Å"The foundation is the basis of a comprehensive school counseling program† (Dahir et al. , 2005). The proposed program is aimed at developing the psycho-social and academic skills of students to help them become self-directed learners who are prepared to meet the demands of a changing society. It hopes to mold the students in the three important domains, academic, personal/social and career. Specifically, it hopes to address the learning standards in Mathematics, Science and Technology, Language Arts and Career Development. These foundational schools are important at this initial stage of program implementation and while other standards are equally important, they will be further addressed after the initial phase. It will also allow for proper monitoring and evaluation of the program. The outcomes will be measured quantitatively through standardized tests. Qualitative data will also be gathered through interviews and examination of work outputs of students. The delivery process will entail individual student planning. Career planning is recommended for the program where students will sit through a workshop to identify their personal vision-mission. This will be the first step in building their career portfolio. Responsive services will also be in place for critical cases. While topics for group sessions may be provided based on the counselor’s assessment, individual counseling will also be initiated for students mostly in need such as those with history of bullying or broken families. The school counseling curriculum will be initiated with the coordination of school teachers to improve academic performance. School tools or study skills will be provided by the counselor to encourage students to maximize their potentials and introduce different pathways to success. Feedback, monitoring and evaluation of the counseling program will be achieved through an effective system support. The guidance counselor takes the lead in engaging administrators, parents, the community and other sectors of society in measuring the outcomes of the comprehensive counseling program. On a regular basis, the school counselor convenes different stakeholders to provide information on the programs initiated and the current results. Management is the key for smooth delivery of services. Proper planning will involve scheduling of services offered. School counselors must also provide monthly reports to be able to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. Documentation therefore, is of utmost importance. â€Å"School counselors and administrators are challenged to demonstrate the effectiveness of their school counseling programs in measurable terms† (Dahir et al. 2005). Data will always be the primary source for the changes that are proposed and for further enhancements in the future. School counselors must take accountability for student achievement, in as much as teachers and principals do. Thus, the programs must be aligned with the objectives of the academic curriculum. Data must be analyzed and reflected upon to create the necessary changes in the program to ensure effectiveness. Appropriate measurement instruments will be adopted to be able to quantify the outcomes of the program. How to cite Comprehensive School Counseling Project: A Proposal, Papers

Corporate Social Responsibility Managing Sustainability Risks

Question: Discuss about the Corporate Social Responsibility for Managing Sustainability Risks. Answer: Introduction CSR or Corporate Social Responsibility refers to the self regulation of the corporations, which is integrated in its business model. The CSR policies act as a self regulatory mechanism for the businesses to monitor its activities so as to ensure the compliance of the law, in the spirit as well as the letter. In the given segments, a discussion has been made regarding the CSR of PricewaterhouseCoopers (also known as PwC) in Australia, in the area of ecological sustainability. On the basis of this discussion, the sustainability plan of PwC has been analyzed. Lastly, a study has been carried to examine the possible advantages and difficulties in the integration of this sustainability plan with the strategies of PwC. CSR Factors and PwC PwC is one of the big four organizations in the world and are providing professional services across the globe. As a result, it has to fulfill the responsibilities in a prudent manner. The global strategy of PwC commits to doing to right thing by acting in a responsible way, regarding the matters which are vital to the business of the firm as well as to the society. The firm also aims to be a catalyst for changes by use of the available skill set, the people and the relationships to work in a way which creates a lasting impact and promotes change among the other companies. Economic Factors For the growth of any nation, the growth of its economy is a necessity. By helping entrepreneurs, PwC is able to contribute towards the growth of Australia, as well as those countries in which it operates. The people of PwC have used their knowledge to help the social entrepreneurs in maximizing their value by improving their business skills. Such social enterprises have the social and environmental purpose at its heart, while doing a business of delivering goods and services. The more the number of such entrepreneurs, the better are the chances of sustainable growth. Besides the CSR activities, PwC generates a variety of benefits to the society by the services which they provide to its clients. Such services are based on ethics and transparency in the context of business and contribute to the economic development. Some of the examples in this regard include the work done in disaster recovery, international development, fraud prevention, human rights and the management of international aid funds. Ethical Factors PwC has been supporting the education, not only in Australia, but in countries like US, Japan and Egypt. By supporting education, PwC has taken steps on the ethical grounds to promote sustainability, as education provides the basis for ethics in any person. The reputation of PwC is relied on the fact that the firm upholds the highest standards of professionalism and ethics in serving its clients as well as in the dealings of the firm. In this regard, a Code of Conduct has been chalked out which includes the values of teamwork, leadership and excellence. These behavioral values of professionalism, respect for each other, good citizenship, integrity, and ethical decision making have also been implanted in the business of the firm (PwC, 2016). PwC has a very strong CSR philosophy. This results not only in profitability but also creates opportunities for infusing the integrity and ethics into a business. And it is this infusion of ethics and integrity, which makes PwC, stands out in the crowd and builds its brand as well its core business (Timber, 2010). Discretionary Factors In Australia, there has been constant struggle to overcome the generations of disadvantages to the indigenous communities. Such people in Australia are often excluded with regards to sharing of the economic wealth of the country. In this regard, PwC, along with a group of indigenous consultants from the country, have created PwCs Indigenous Consulting (PIC). PIC is a member firm in the global network of PwC. The focus of this firm is to attain cultural integrity in the projects, programmes and policies made across the nation for indigenous people. The founding principles of PIC include majority ownership, delivery and management, of and by, the indigenous people (PwC, 2014). PwC has also been working with the UN to reduce the risks of disaster. Despite the high warnings, the businesses indulge in high hazard areas which have a negated impact on the environment and results in disasters. PwC has created an initiative with the UN known as the RISE initiative to bring the stakeholders together by forming a single alliance for taking the necessary leadership in the management of risks of disasters (PwC, 2016). Analysis of the Sustainability Plan of PwC Sustainability has been increasingly being integrated in the various levels of strategic planning in the organizations. The management has to balance the regulations and protect the brand, as well as, has to ensure the stability of supply chains. It also has to seek the opportunities to enhance the performance and use the sustainability agenda for the strategic advantage. By development and integration of a sustainability vision in the long term strategic plans, a lasting value is created which also builds trust of the public. PwC not only creates its own sustainability strategies but also the sustainability strategies for the other organizations (PwC, 2016). For Example, PwC had created a sustainability strategy for Luxenbourg based on the challenges of this company which resulted in benefits for Luxenbourg (PwC, 2016). PwC is constantly working on creating such value for the business and communities which respects the environment and also understand and reduces the impact of its activities around the world. The firm creates the value for its clients by its sustainability and climate change practices. The sustainability practices of PwC provides guidance in the areas such as biodiversity; certified emissions reductions; sustainable financing; transfer pricing and footprint; carry structuring and management structure; clean development mechanism; carbon technology funds; carbon offset schemes and carbon trading; CDM; and investment funds related to sustainability (PwC, 2016). The sustainable practices of the firm have increased its revenues even during the difficult years of the firm which boosted its consultancy business, as well as created a number of new jobs. The firms sustainability staff in the Europe has hired the top airlines to act as EU emissions trading scheme (ETS) which verifies as well as audits as per the new laws, which require the aircraft operators to independently submit the verified emissions. PwC also audits the UKs companies which have publically assured their CSR data. PwC has also secured various contracts relating to the ethical supply chain sourcing, carbon related assurance and verification, forestry financing and policy support to the various forums. PwC has been highly concentrating on creating sustainability as the guiding principle, both externally as well as internally. This replicates the certainty of the management that climate change and sustainability are the crucial policy and business agenda of the coming time (Environment Analyst, 2010). PwC has its operations around the globe, and hence, they have created a global Corporate Responsibility Statement. PwC considers itself as the part of the solution to the business challenges by doing the correct things and by being the catalyst for change. The focus of PwC is on doing business responsibly with diversity, inclusion, societal participation and ecological protection. Australian Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility (ACCSR) has recognized PwC Australia in its top 100 list of CSR organizations. This ranking is calculated on the basis of the CSR management capabilities of any organization and proves that inventive CSR actives help the organizations in accessing new markets (PwC, 2014). PwC considers CSR as one of the influential ways of building society and solving problems. This has been done by the firm by setting clear and unambiguous CSR standards. Though they still have not been able to achieve its goals, but its CSR activities have been focused on achieving the set goals. PwC works on reducing its own impact on the environment and advises the climate vulnerable countries in this regard (PwC, 2016). In a recent interview of the Chairman of PwC, Dennis Nally, taken by Petra Justenhoven, the CSR performance of the company was discussed. In this interview, Dennis mentioned the environment as its biggest challenges as the regulations across the world in this mater are very diverse. The chairman also mentioned that the aspiration of the company is to become more technology enabled. PwC considers itself unique because of its special focus on its talent. PwC has also been involved in promoting diversity by taking part in UN initiatives like HeForShe. With this, the issue of gender diversity is addressed in a unique manner (PwC, 2015, 2-5). As per the global annual review, 2015, PwC had harnessed the power of its network to scale responsible business. As per the statistics provided, its largest 21 firms were partially able to align to the global CR strategy in financial year (FY) 2014; and for the FY 2015, it was able to completely align to its CR strategy. PwC was able to assess itself against the leadership ladders in both 2014 and 2015 FY and was also able to develop clear progression plans for both the financial years. For the FY 2014, it was partially able to meet its set targets for improving performance in the matters related to CR in the Global People Survey. But for the FY 2015, it was able to fully meet the set targets (PwC, 2015, 16). PwC has been constantly working on minimizing its environmental impact. Being a professional service, it has a lower environmental footprint and yet, PwC works towards a good environmental stewardship. The PwC firms are working on developing more environment efficient business practices by managing the impact on environment through understanding and mitigating its greatest impacts on environment such as carbon measurement and reporting (PwC, 2016). In this regard, the PwC UK-led global alliance delivered the UK Department for International Development-funded Climate Development Knowledge Network (CDKN). Through CDKN, the PwCs UK climate change and sustainability experts have supported negotiators of the least developed nations to represent their interests in the global climate discussions (CDKN, 2016). The PwC firms are engaged in volunteering activities for the betterment of the environment and to promote the awareness of issues relating to the environment. For instance, over 1000 people from PwC Canada took part in the environmental events in the FY 2015 and this included many of its clients. PwCs largest 21 firms were partially able to implement the local environmental policies and environmental management approaches for the FY 2014 and 2015 (PwC, 2015, 21). Figure 1 shows the community engagement of the PwC. And Figure 2 illustrates the positive social impact of PwCs community activities. The figures of GHG (Greenhouse Gases) emissions otherwise known as CO2e for the FY 2015 showed the direct emissions at 7%, indirect emissions at 29% and air travel at 64%. The Gross GHG emissions for the FY 2015 were 619,521 tCO2e and the Net GHG emissions for the same period were 416,573 tCO2e. The importance of CR is clearly reflected by PwCs commitments (PwC, 2015, 21). And even though PwC has not been able to achieve its goals in FY 2015, it is working on achieving its set goals in this regard. Integration of Sustainability Portfolio In Companys Strategy On the basis of above analysis of PwCs sustainability profile, certain advantages and difficulties have emerged in the integration of this profile into the strategy of the company. A professional service provider does not affect the environment, as it is not involved in production and manufacturing activities which results in pollution. This is PwCs biggest advantage in integration of the sustainability profile, which focuses on environment. Further, by taking steps towards the betterment of environment, PwC earns customers loyalty and ends up in creation of brand name. As mentioned above, this proves fruitful for the company. But in this advantage lies the difficulties. As PwC does not have enough areas to safeguard the environment, it creates higher goals, which are not easily achievable, as was seen in the FY 2014 as well as FY 2015. Further, companies in the present time have to face the regulatory changes, the costs of insurances and claims, bureaucracy, health of its employees, dependence on third parties, consumer pressure and variation in leaderships and behaviours (PwC, 2016). These provide both the advantages and difficulties to PwC. For instance, a favourable change in the regulatory policy in Australia helps the firm, but a negated change, on the other hand, creates a huge challenge for the firm. Like any other organization, PwC also faces some concerns when it comes to the risks associated with sustainability. Even though the firm currently has a strong environmental policy, it faces issues like climate changes, natural disasters, water security, and loss of biodiversity (Case, 2012). These issues can emerge at any time and provide difficulties in the proper implementation of PwCs sustainability profile. Further, the goals of environmental protection remain unattained, which showcases the company in negated light. And as a result, the integration of sustainability portfolio in the PwCs strategies proves difficult. As PwC operates globally, integrating the environmental and sustainability policies across its entire firm creates a huge problem. Each nation has its set of norms regarding environment and so, each of the PwC firm has to formulate different policies and at the time, these policies have to match up with the global policy of PwC. This becomes cumbersome for PwC and is often regarded as the reason why PwC fails to achieve its environmental standards. PwC was the first professional services firm which became carbon neutral in 2008. PwC has continued its commitment by implementing the NCOS (National Carbon Offset Standard) carbon neutral program. By implementing such policies, not only it earns better customers, but also creates a positive impact on the government. By integrating such sustainability profiles in its policies, PwC creates a remarkable advantage for itself. Having such high standards for sustainability, PwC performs surpassingly well in the main assurance activities of GHG inventories, sustainability reporting and risk analysis. This improves the credibility of sustainability reporting as well as provides the stakeholders a greater confidence. With the increase in the weight of sustainability risks, the assurance of being a leading brand also rises. As per a study of 2013, the growth in the carbon regulation and the increase in the realization regarding sustainability being a source of advantage drove the investors to invest in the sustainable firms and this provided a huge advantage for PwC, as it is constantly engaged in sustainable activities (Walker, 2011). So, the sustainability development goals have turned into a reporting advantage for PwC. Conclusion From the above analysis, it can be concluded that PwC has gained more advantages than difficulties by following proper standards of sustainability. Not only PwC has been successful in creating a brand name, but has also been able to attract and retain more customers, clients and employees. It has integrated its aims, strategies, and objectives in its work towards the betterment of the environment along with the various other CSR activities. Lastly, it can be right deducted that the present sustainability plan of PwC is impactful and is bearing more and more fruits for PwC. References Case, P. (2012) Managing Sustainability risks and opportunities in the financial services sector. [Online] PwC. Available from: https://www.pwc.com/jg/en/publications/ned-sustainability-presentation-may-2012.pdf [Accessed on 17/09/16] CDKN. (2016) About. [Online] CDKN. Available from: https://cdkn.org/about/?loclang=en_gb [Accessed on 17/09/16] Environment Analyst. (2010) PwC sustainability team grows. [Online] Environment Analyst. Available from: https://environment-analyst.com/27625/pwc-sustainability-team-grows [Accessed on 17/09/16] PwC. (2014) Anticipating problems, finding solutions: Global Annual Review 2014. [Online] PwC. Available from: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/global-annual-review/assets/pwc-global-annual-review-2014.pdf [Accessed on 17/09/16] PwC. (2014) PwC Awards 2014. [Online] PwC. Available from: https://www.pwc.com.au/awards/2014.html [Accessed on 17/09/16] PwC. (2015) Global Annual Review 2015. [Online] PwC, p 16. Available from: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/about/global-annual-review-2015/corporate-responsibility.html [Accessed on 17/09/16] PwC. (2015) Global Annual Review 2015. [Online] PwC, p 21. Available from: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/about/global-annual-review-2015/corporate-responsibility.html [Accessed on 17/09/16] PwC. (2015) Global Annual Review 2015. [Online] PwC, pp 2-4. Available from: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/about/global-annual-review-2015/corporate-responsibility.html [Accessed on 17/09/16] PwC. (2016) Corporate responsibility. [Online] PwC. Available from: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/about/global-annual-review-2015/corporate-responsibility.html [Accessed on 17/09/16] PwC. (2016) Environment Sustainability. [Online] PwC. Available from: https://www.pwc.com.au/corporate-responsibility/environment.html [Accessed on 17/09/16] PwC. (2016) Environmental stewardship. [Online] PwC. Available from: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/about/corporate-responsibility/environment.html [Accessed on 17/09/16] PwC. (2016) Health and safety. [Online] PwC. Available from: https://www.pwc.com.au/risk-controls/health-safety.html [Accessed on 17/09/16] PwC. (2016) Luxembourg: Transportation logistics. [Online] PwC. Available from: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/services/sustainability/publications/casestudy/strategic-sustainability.html [Accessed on 17/09/16] PwC. (2016) PwC Code of Conduct. [Online] PwC. Available from: https://www.pwc.com.au/about-us/code-of-conduct.html [Accessed on 17/09/16] PwC. (2016) Strategic sustainability. [Online] PwC. Available from: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/services/sustainability/responsible-corporate-strategy.html [Accessed on 17/09/16] PwC. (2016) Sustainability and climate change. [Online] PwC. Available from: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/services/sustainability.html [Accessed on 17/09/16] PwC. (2016) The Rise Initiative: Disaster Risk-Sensitive Investments. [Online] PwC. Available from: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/services/advisory/consulting/risk/resilience/publications/rise.html [Accessed on 17/09/16] Timbers, A. (2010) How PwC Turns CSR Into Revenue. [Online] Triple Pundit. Available from: https://www.triplepundit.com/2010/12/pwc-turns-csr-revenu/ [Accessed on 17/09/16] Walker, L. (2011) Big Four Audit Firms Lead Sustainability Assurance Services. [Online] Environmental Leader. Available from: https://www.environmentalleader.com/2011/06/22/big-four-audit-firms-lead-sustainability-assurance-services/ [Accessed on 17/09/16]