Government Welfare Should Be Abolished - 1885 Words

Kenneth Gallion Professor Wiemer English 1120 5 May 2015 All Forms of Government Welfare Should be Abolished Welfare is defined as â€Å"practical or financial help that is provided, often by the government, for people or animals that need it† (). Many agencies are currently set up to assist and aid people who are financially in need. Some of these programs include TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), WIC (Woman, Infants and Children Program) and the Food Stamp program (). All of these programs can be very helpful to people who really need it, however, many issues are present in the American government welfare system. The process that decides whether one receives welfare or not isn’t necessarily the most secure and is a concern with many Americans. A growing number of people seem to be â€Å"cheating† the welfare system by receiving the benefits of it all while being financially and physically stable. Government welfare should be abolished due to its growing percentage of abuse, placing an enormous strain on the middle class, and teaching a set of improper work ethics to the future generation of America. The majority of people on welfare can easily be classified into two categories. The first categorical term covered is called â€Å"rescue welfare† (). The group of people in this category consists of Americans who have had a healthy and steady job all while paying their taxes and insurance without problem. The reason these people enter into the welfareShow MoreRelatedGovernment Assistance For Needy Families867 Words   |  4 Pagesdoes not stop the bills from rolling in especially when there is a family to take care of, in situations like this financial help can really be useful. Welfare programs like the â€Å" temporary assistance for needy families† purpose is give money to a group of parents and dependent children living together in a household. Another way that the government has been helping is by offering food stamps, food stamps provide a monthly wage to help ke ep the family in need feed. Unfortunately many will be cut offRead MoreGovernment Assistance For Needy Families932 Words   |  4 Pagesdoes not stop the bills from rolling in especially when there is a family to take care of, in situations like this financial help can really be useful. Welfare programs like the â€Å" temporary assistance for needy families† purpose is give money to a group of parents and dependent children living together in a household. Another way that the government has been helping is by offering food stamps, food stamps provide a monthly wage to help keep the family in need feed. Unfortunately many will be cut offRead MoreThe Impact Of England And Wales Deals With Young People1280 Words   |  6 Pagessignificant event occurred in the youth justice system in 1990s which had the combine effect that separates the system of dealing with children perceived to be in need of care and to be dealt in a separate court namely Youth court. This was aimed to b e a welfare based system. But the increases in the juvenile crime in the 1990s and widespread publicity over persistent young offenders and the murder of two-year-old James Bulger by two ten-year-old boys became major concern which forced the main political partiesRead MoreConstitutional Issue Of Vagrancy Law1485 Words   |  6 Pagessatisfy the elements of a crime: the vagrancy is vaguely defined and can be easily abused to arrest suspicious people merely based their appearance, and it punishes people because of their status instead of their acts. Vagrancy law has been abolished, but whether should we continue it remains debated. In this paper, I would discuss the issue of vagrancy law the from views of vagrancy law supporters, and argue back as an opposer. I would also analysis with the following four aspects: vagueness, recidivismRead MoreWelfare Should Not Be Removed Completely1721 Words   |  7 Pages Welfare should not be removed completely, for some actually need it, but i t should be limited to prevent people from abusing the system and cheating taxpayers out of their money. Welfare is a program designed to help people in need, like the poor or the disabled, who want and diligently try to work, but lack the capability to find for a job that pays enough money for them to support themselves and their families. In that way, welfare is a beneficial program. There are people on the other hand whoRead MoreFirstly, Social Policy Combines Sociology, Politics, And1214 Words   |  5 PagesFirstly, Social policy combines sociology, politics, and economics to study how governments and society work on issues of social welfare, individual wellbeing and social justice. ‘Before the old poor law’ during the Middle Ages, support was provided throughout parts of Europe through the Christian charity for the poor. The main organisations that set up the charities where monasteries and church. these charities made it easy for the poor people to survive if they left their lands to move to theRead More Welfare Reform - Welfare Recipients MUST take Personal Responsibility1248 Words   |  5 PagesWelfare Reform - Welfare Recipients MUST take Personal Responsibility   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Public Welfare is an important support system of the United States government. Welfare has its benefits, but the system has pitfalls. Instead of abolishing welfare as critics of the system suggest, reforms can be made to correct the problems while government, either on the state or federal level, can continue to assist the impoverished.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The term welfare is used to describe a variety of programs that provide Read MoreMilitary Prostitution During Japan s Imperial Rule864 Words   |  4 PagesKorea’s long history of licensed prostitution under Japan’s imperial rule. In 1904 the Japanese embassy enacted the Kyungsung Consulate Order No.3 in Korea. This order recognized prostitutes as workers selling sex. Twelve years later, the colonial government passed laws regulating licensed prostitutes nationwide. These regulations enacted a registry system and STD examinations for prostitutes. Another attribute of the licensed prostitution was pleasure quarters where women were required to live andRead MoreThe Libertarian Party And The Liberal Party1337 Words   |  6 Pagesoffice: Republicans or Democrats. I am here to tell you that they are wrong. There are other choices, and I prefer the Libertarian Party. I believe the Libertarian Party should be promoted to show people that they have more t han two options. The Libertarian Party is the only party that leads towards freedom instead of big government. The Libertarian Party is the largest third party in America. Most people don’t even realize that there is a third choice. Most people accept that you have to chooseRead MorePolitical Ideologies Are The Best Way Of Governing A Country1734 Words   |  7 Pageson what is the optimum way of governing a country (Jost, Federico, Napier, 2009). They have long guided the elected governments behaviour, particularly in effect to Social Policy decisions; determining what policy initiatives will be elected and what is the best way of implementing such policies. New Zealand has had various political ideologies brought in by different governments; such as Social Democracy, Social Liberalism, Neo liberalism, Neo Conservatism and Conservatism. For the basis of this

Serving in the United States Military Essay - 1142 Words

Serving the United States Military comes with many responsibilities as well as pressure and accountability. However, the military isn’t for everyone, but it offers so much for those who serve. One thing that must be known and dealt with is that this career could be a life threatening one, and there are many obstacles one must go through beforehand. Joining the military isn’t all about wanting to carry a weapon or looking good in a uniform it’s about everyone doing their job to their best trained abilities. There are many reasons for joining the armed forces. Protection of the country, loved ones, and rights of the citizens are all included. Some have never been a part of something bigger than themselves and it’s great for†¦show more content†¦First of all, basic requirements must be met such as, age, certain level of education, aptitude, physical and character requirements. One must be the age of 18 to enlist alone but 17 year olds must have their parents’ consent. A high school diploma must have been earned as well as being a United States Citizen. Certain qualities such as mental preparedness, physical fitness, and readiness are all qualities a member must have to be successful. These qualities will help keep the member mentally stable and be able to handle stressful situations as well as be ready to report for any military assignment. The last but most definitely not least requirement is passing of the ASVAB test. The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery is an academic, timed test meant to gauge the ability to learn a new profession usually made available to all high school juniors. The score received on the ASVAB is the percentage of the people that the test taker has done better on the test than. For example, scoring a 61 would mean the test taker was more successful on the test than 61% of the people that have already taken the ASVAB. It’s all a huge competition to see who qualifies for the harder j obs. In order to pass the test a 32 is required and a perfect score would be a 99. Unfortunately, the ASVAB is just one loop that must be jumped through. (AFBMT) If the ASVAB was not taken in high school then it will be taken at MEPS. TheShow MoreRelatedThe Benefits of Serving in the United States Military1105 Words   |  5 Pagesto know that serving in the military comes with many benefits that service members can use in their everyday lives However, there is what many people consider drawbacks, as many people feel that the restrictions and limitations to these benefits make them almost impossible to enjoy. Despite its drawbacks, serving in the military comes with great benefits, including medical, educational benefits and more. Healthcare is a huge benefit to military members. One major advantage of military healthcareRead MoreThe United States Armed Forces Essay865 Words   |  4 Pagescurrently 2,204,836 people serving in the United States Armed Forces. 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The main reason, why women have never been allowed to be in combat roles, is because the sight of a wounded woman on the battle fieldRead MoreMilitary Appearance and Uniform1045 Words   |  5 PagesMILITARY UNIFORM AND APPERANCE In my essay I will research on the Military Uniform and Appearance. I will also research on the AR 670-1.This will help me understand and value more the importance of the uniform that I ware and it will be helpful in future reference in my military career. In my essay I will do some comparison from our military appearance and uniforms from other types of jobs that also use uniforms and have different standards that sets us apart from the everydayRead MoreCurrent Affairs Essay974 Words   |  4 PagesCurrent Affairs In the United States The world has and will always have their beliefs and ideas about different groups in society. Every group in society gets judged in many different ways for example, the LGBTQ community has experienced many judgments, violence, hate, and discrimination since 1924. It is not a secret that there is a huge problem of inequality and discrimination in the United States military. In 1993, the policy â€Å"Dont Ask, Dont Tell† prohibited openly lesbian, gay, and bisexualRead MoreMilitary Uniform and Appearance1066 Words   |  5 PagesIn my essay I will research on the Military Uniform and Appearance. I will also research on the AR 670-1.This will help me understand and value more the importance of the uniform that I ware and it will be helpful in future reference in my military career. In my essay I will do some comparison from our military appearance and uniforms from other types of jobs that also use uniforms and have different standards that sets us apart from the everyday use o f a regular uniform. 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The United States Marine Corps have many jobs to protect and serve the U.S. Some of the ways a Marine serves the United States is by protecting naval bases, guarding U.S. embassies, and providing a quick strike force to protect U.S. interests (â€Å"Answers to the Top Marine Corps Questions†). BeingRead MoreThe Draft Of The Vietnam Draft Lottery1528 Words   |  7 PagesStarting in the 1960s, the Cold War began to create problems for the United States. The United States adopted the Domino Theory, which stated that if one country fell to Communism than other countries in the region would follow. American foreign policy was largely centered around this idea and once Northern and Southern Vietnam fell into conflict, the United States became fearful that Communism would spread throughout Asia. 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Corporate Governance & Social Responsibility Wesfarmers Limited

Question: Describe about the Report for Corporate Governance Social Responsibility of Wesfarmers Limited. Answer: Part A In this paper we prepare the internal report of Wesfarmers limited. In this report we compare the sustainability report of 2014 with the sustainability report of 2015. Wesfarmers limited was one the biggest listed companies in Australia, and its headquarter was established in Western Australia (Wesfarmers, n.d.). Wesfarmers have diversified portfolio of business operations which includes, supermarkets, liquor, hotels, convenience stores, items related to home improvement, products related to office supplies, department stores, and business related to chemicals, energy and fertilizers, coal (Wesfarmers, n.d.). This internal report was prepared by following the G4 GRI guidelines. These guidelines provide principles, standards and manual in which sustainable report is prepared by the organizations of every size. These guidelines also provide standards at international level for all those organizations which want to disclose the matter related to governance approach. In this report consider the three areas provided by G4 GRI guidelines that are environment, economic and social (GRI, n.d.). Wesfarmers Comparison: ASPECT 2014 2015 CONCLUSION Economic In 2014, Company supports community partnerships. In direct way company contributes almost 44.6 million dollars in community partnerships, and through indirect way company contributes almost 50.8 million dollars. Company also supports arts companies in Australia at higher level. In 2015 company, paid $43045 million to its suppliers, $7,830 million to its employees, $1578 million as taxes, and $ 2246 million to its shareholders as dividend. Company also supports community partnerships. Company usually supports contribution in four major areas such as health program, indigenous programs, education programs, and also Wesfarmers arts programs. In 2015 company directly contributes almost $ 50 million to the community partnerships. Company also facilitated direct donations of $52.7 million (Wesfarmers, 2015). The Wesfarmers art programs support the other art companies in Australia. Wesfarmers Arts programs $2.2 million to the arts program in this year (Wesfarmers, 2015). After comparing the economic aspects of both the years it was clearly shown in the table that in 2015 company supports community partnership more than the support provided in 2015. Directly company support at excess of 5.4 million dollar and indirectly this support was increased by 2.9 million dollars. It was also shown that in 2015 companies employees exclusively participate in the art activity. Environment Company tries to emit green house gas at both direct and indirect level. Directly they emit gas through their industrial business, use of natural gases and many more. Company emit gas indirectly also and their main way of gas emission through indirect way was electricity. In 2014 Greenhouse gas emission was almost 4047 tones. After assessing the risk on climate, company focus on two approaches. First they manage their own green house gas emissions and also focus on reducing that gas. Second they assess those risks which were created due to change in the climate try to manage those risks (Wesfarmers, 2015). On 17th September 2015 number of companies like Wesfarmers, AGL, BHP Billiton, GE, Mirvac, Santos, etc. signs a statement in which they are supporting Australian government practices for climate change (Wesfarmers, 2015). In 2015, greenhouse gas emission was 4012 tones. In 2014 company emit 4047 tones gas through direct and indirect source, whereas in 2015 company emits only 4012 tones only. It was clearly shown that in 2014 company emits more gas than in 2015. In 2015 company emerge more gas in comparison of 2014. Social Labor Practices and Decent Work: company specially focus on the development of indigenous groups and provide equal opportunity to them. In 2014 company employed almost 1711 employees (Wesfarmers, 2015). Lets talk about the safety environment at workplace. In 2014, injury rates are 42.7% in all over the year. Human Rights: company always conduct audits to ensure that company is not violating any human rights in its supply chains, and company always take measures to identify the risk related to violation of human rights. Society: From 2013 Australian Food and Grocery Council develop a standard named as Cole. Company does not adopt this standard till now. Board and management think on the adoption of this standard. Product Responsibility: In 2014 company stopped selling a video game named as Grand Theft Auto 5 (GTA5) after receiving number of customer concerns. Customer found this game inappropriate for society because in this game there was violence against women. It was assumed that customer find it oppressive. Labor Practices and Decent Work: company hires almost 1 Australian in 59 working Australian. Wesfarmers distribute 59% of its revenue among their employees through wages, salaries. Wesfarmers hire people without discrimination. They provide employment chances to people of every age, cast, color, and sex (Wesfarmers, 2015). Wesfarmers employees relations are controlled by collective agreements. These agreements cover almost 85% employees in Wesfarmers. In these agreements company recognize the rights of their employees at both individual and collective level, without the interference of third parties. Wesfarmers always put safety at workplace on highest priorities. Company always takes initiatives to reduce the injuries. In 2015 injuries rates 39.5% which are low compared to previous years. In 2015 lost time injury rates are 7.3% only. (Wesfarmers, 2015). In case of indigenous groups the primary focus of the company was employment distribution. At 30th June 2015 Company employed almost 2762 indigenous team members. These members almost represent 1.4% workforce of company. This was 61% increase from the last year. Human Rights: Wesfarmers knows well that violation of human rights affect their supply chains, and they also identify such risk. They also take measure steps to address these risks. In 2015 company approved almost 2139 factories in their ethical audit program, and 150 factories are approved for re audit. This year company finds almost 39 issues of human rights violations (Wesfarmers, 2015). Society: ASX sets out many corporate governance principles and recommendations which were adopted by the board and management of the company. Board also ensures that the company follows the governance standards mention in third edition of the ASX principles (Wesfarmers, 2015). From 2013 Australian Food and Grocery Council develop a standard named as Cole. In July 2015 company adopts this standard (Wesfarmers, 2015). Product Responsibility: Company must ensure that the products they are supplying are safe and secure as per the guidelines provided under Australian Consumer Law. In April 2015, Target withdraws branded items related to Anzac from its Camp Gallipoli, when government announced them inappropriate for public (Wesfarmers, 2015). Labor Practices and Decent Work: in this area it is clearly mention that company hires 61% more indigenous employees in comparison to 2014. In 2014 company hire only 1711 employees and in 2015 it hire almost 2726 employees which was more than year 2014. Human Rights: In 2015, company approved 2139 factories which are following ethic standards carefully and 1500 factories are targeted for re-audit. Society: In 2015 company adopts the standard developed by the Australian Food and Grocery Council, named as Cole. This standard was developed in 2013. It was a major step taken by the company in the favor of the society. Product Responsibility: In 2014 company stopped selling a video game named as Grand Theft Auto 5 (GTA5) after receiving number of customer concerns, and in 2015 company withdraws all the items related to this game from market. This was encouraging action of company in ensuring the product quality produced by company. In last, we conclude that company follow all the G4 GRI guidelines and make sure that they meet all the standards provided by GRI guidelines. After assessing the sustainability report of the Wesfarmers, it was found that company prepares the report in very good manner and it is easy to understand the report. Yes, report was verified and it is verified by the management and board of directors of the company. In this report company cover all the aspects of the GRI guidelines. It must be advised that the points related to social aspect needs more detailing in the sustainability report. Part B Fuji Xerox Australia Pty Limited is a leading company at global level, and engaged in the business and document management services. Company also provides back office support, so that customers can focus on their business. Company also focus on sustainability, and ensures that their customers fulfill their business objectives. Fuji Xerox Australia Pty Limited is affiliated with Fuji Xerox Co Ltd, which is established in Japan (Fuji Xerox, n.d.). In part B we prepare the internal report of Fuji Xerox Australia Pty Limited on the basis of sustainability report of the company. Fuji Xerox comparison: In sustainability report of 2014 company used G4 GRI guidelines for prepare their sustainability report, but in 2015 company prepare report not only on the basis of G4 GRI guidelines but also take reference from guidelines of the Ministry of Environment and UN Global Compact (Fuji Xerox, 2014, n.d.) . In both the reports different approaches are used by the company, in 2014 company issue sustainability report in which company follow G4 GRI guidelines to prepare the report. In 2014 company disclose both General standards Specific standards. In General Standards Disclosure Company describe strategy and analysis, profile of the company, material aspects, engagement of stakeholder in company and practices related to ethics and governance. In specific standard company cover all the areas such as economic, environment and social. In 2015 company prepare report by taking reference from three types of guidelines, which are described below: GRI Guidelines: in this company follow both General Standards Disclosures and Specific Standards Disclosure. Guidelines of the Ministry of Environment: in this company follow the various principles such as Environmental policies, business strategies, corporate governance matters, environmental initiatives in the value chain, and how company resolve the issues of stakeholders. UN Global Compact: In this company mainly focus on four categories that are Human Rights, Anti-Corruption, Environment and Labor (Fuji Xerox, n.d.). Comparison between sustainability report of 2014 and 2015: ASPECT 2014 2015 CONCLUSION G4 GRI guidelines In this company follow both general and specific standards. General standards- these standards are described by the company from G4-1 to G4-56. In these standards company disclose the general information about the management and operations of the company. Specific Standards- In this company cover all the three areas: Economic- in 2013-14 company processed it last stage of transforming their resources related to business which includes regional Oracle systems environment. In 2014-15 company integrate the oracle module with support system. Environment- company seeks their suppliers so that they can follow sustainability policies for conducting their business operations. In 2013-14 company reports that almost 57.3% of procurement expenditure that is almost equal to AU$ 580 million was incurred on equipment supplies and consumable equipments (Fuji Xerox, 2014). Social- According to company every individual has right to work in the healthy and safe environment. In 2013-14 company formed a strategy in which they develop roles of women in middle management, and company also employ new talent in womens. other actions taken by company in 2013-14 are: Company introduced parental leave for 12 weeks which are paid to the employees. Also frame new work policies for the 2014-15. Company follows both general and specific standards. General standards- These standards are described by the company from G4-1 to G4-58. In this company cover all the general aspects which relate to management, ethics, corporate governance and many more. Specific Standards- In this company describe these four areas: Economic- Company supports the education system at high level and this can be show from the various efforts made by Fuji Xerox, and support provided by the company in the education sector. Company engaged with the local communities to increase the quality of education sector. In 2014-15 company established Tono Mirai Zukuri College (Fuji Xerox, 2015). Environment- Fuji Xerox strictly follows the environment principles in their product life cycle. Company start many policies over the year in which they greatly emphasis on environment protection. In 2014-15 company framed chemical substance management system (Fuji Xerox, 2015). Social- in this company mainly focuses on labor policies and relationship with employees. In this company also cares for the safety of employees. This can be shown from the injury rates and working hours of the company (Fuji Xerox, 2015; Fuji Xerox, 2015). In 2014 company follow all the aspects of social standards defined in specific disclosure, but in 2015 sustainability report they do not provide all the aspects of social standards. Company only focuses on the labor and employee relations. In 2014, company not deeply describes the economic sector, and in 2015 company deeply describes the various sectors and aspects of economy well in its report. Guidelines of the Ministry of Environment - In this company address the following principles (Fuji Xerox, 2015): 1. Environmental policies, visions, and business strategies- in this company and its affiliates work and believe on the two concepts that is green policy and shared values (Fuji Xerox, 2015). 2. Status of organizational systems and governance- in this company give great emphasis on risk management policy (Fuji Xerox, 2015). 3. Responsiveness of stakeholder issues- company develops many policies to resolve the queries of shareholders (Fuji Xerox, 2015). 4. Environmental initiatives in the value chain- company not only develop business related terms with suppliers but they are also developing CSR with their suppliers. In this company use the ministry of environment guidelines in 2015 only. In 2014 company not follow these guidelines. In 2014 sustainability report company does not describe any matter related to green policy and shared values which was co-concept of Fuji Xerox and its affiliated. UN Global Compact - In this company follow the various principles which relates with human rights, environment, anti-corruption and labor (Fuji Xerox, 2015). In this company use the UN Global Compact guidelines in 2015 only. In 2014 company not follow these guidelines. Part C In this we conclude the internal reports of both the companies that are Wesfarmers Limited and Fuji Xerox Australia Pty Ltd: Wesfarmers Limited: in this company follow the G4 GRI guidelines to prepare the sustainability report of both the years that is 2014 and 2015. In this we conclude that company follows all the standards of the GRI guidelines and company also improve its performance in every sector whether it is economic, environment and social. We can understand this with the help of the example, such as injury rates are declining every year which shows company focus on safety at workplace. In 2014 injury rate was 5.0 and in 2015 injury rate was declining and reach to 4.2. It was also shown that in 2014 rates of workmen compensation claims are 13 and in 2015 it was reduced by 2 and reach at the level of 13. In the economic area company was improving such as community partnership was more in 2015 as compared to 2014. Company always tries to support its local communities for development. We can also see the improvement in the social aspect. If we look at the green house gas emission, it was shown in the report that in 2014 gas emission was 627 kilotons, and in 2015 it was 869 kilotons. We can also take the example of energy used by the company. In 2014 company use 4.59 PETAJOULS and in 2015 this was increased up to 5.11 PETAJOULS. It is clearly shown that company done its best efforts to improve the environment and work in the right direction. In this we conclude that company was put it efforts in the right direction but there are some aspects in which it is necessary that company works (Wesfarmers resources, 2015). In the internal report of Wesfarmers limited every aspect related to guidelines are clearly mention and company provide every detail which was supported by the facts and figures. It was also shown that company starts many new policies which are in the direction of sustainability development. Fuji Xerox Australia Pty Ltd: in this companies use different guidelines to prepare the sustainability report of 2015 that is G4 GRI guidelines, guidelines of the Ministry of Environment and UN Global Compact. In 2014, company use only G4 GRI guidelines to prepare the sustainability report. It was clearly shown that in both years company use very different approaches to prepare the reports. In 2014 company use only single guideline but in 2015 company use almost three types of guidelines to prepare the report. It was shown that in 2015 company describe every aspect of the report very deeply. In both the years company use different approaches to prepare the report, some factors used by the company are: In 2014 company disclose both General standards Specific standards. In General Standards Disclosure Company describe strategy and analysis, profile of the company, material aspects, engagement of stakeholder in company and practices related to ethics and governance. In specific standard company cover all the areas such as economic, environment and social. In 2015 company prepare report by taking reference from three types of guidelines that is GRI Guidelines: in this company follow both General Standards Disclosures and Specific Standards Disclosure. Second, Guidelines of the Ministry of Environment: in this company follow the various principles such as Environmental policies, business strategies, corporate governance matters, environmental initiatives in the value chain, and how company resolve the issues of stakeholders. UN Global Compact: In this company mainly focus on four categories that are Human Rights, Anti-Corruption, Environment and Labor. In this report, we conclude that company does not properly define all its policies and initiatives in sustainability report. In 2015, report company only focus on the labor and employees relationship, and does not mention any facts which relate with the other aspects of social category. Therefore, we can say that there are some flaws in the report of the company. Part D Reflective journal of personal development: after completing the two assessment task, I have considered the importance of ethics, corporate governance, and sustainability development of an organization. There are various benefits of sustainability development such as it increases the reputation of an organization and profitability of an organization in the long run. Through the assessment of these principles we can easily meet the expectations of employees and provide them better place for working. This is not yet organizations can easily access the capital because, investors can trust the organization which provides such transparency to them. Sustainability reporting is important for environment also which reduce the waste and help in developing the environment. it helps the company in increasing their efforts for waste reduction, and also help to companies to adopt such policies and procedures which effect the environment at low level. Sustainability reporting requires companies to gather information about processes and impacts that they may not have measured before. This new data, in addition to creating greater transparency about firm performance, can provide firms with knowledge necessary to reduce their use of natural resources, increase efficiency and improve their operational performance (Sustainability Development Charter, n.d.). In this it is easy to understand and apply the concept of corporate governance. Corporate governance was very important aspect of sustainability reporting. In modern era it is necessary for companies to survive in long run for that it is necessary, they follow the principles of corporate governance. Following are the principles of corporate governance which are described by the ASX, and these principles apply on all the entities which are listed on ASX: Principle 1: Lay solid foundations for management and oversight Principle 2: Structure the board to add value Principle 3: Act ethically and responsibly Principle 4: Safeguard integrity in corporate reporting Principle 5: Make timely and balanced disclosure Principle 6: Respect the rights of security holders Principle 7: Recognize and manage risk Principle 8: Remunerate fairly and responsibly (ASX, n.d.) These principles ensure that companies follow the good governance, and meet the expectations of the investors. These principles not only help the management in managing their business operations but, also safeguard the investors of the company. These principles mainly focus on the disclosure of information by the companies, and also enhance the transparency between the government, company and investors, in last we can say that sustainability reporting and corporate governance plays an important role in the business operations of the company. After completing this assignment it was clear in my mind the importance of sustainability reporting, ethics, employee relations and corporate governance. It was clearly shown that company cannot work for long time after ignoring these important terms. Conclusion: In this assignment, we compare the sustainability report of Wesfarmers Limited and Fuji Xerox Australia Pty Ltd. First we compare the sustainability report of last two years of each company, and then we compare the reports of abovementioned companies with each other. In Wesfarmers Limited, company follows the G4 GRI guidelines to prepare the sustainability report of both the years that is 2014 and 2015. In this we recommend that company must improve its performance in the sector of social aspect, because in last company earn from society and it must return to the society. In Fuji Xerox Australia Pty Ltd, company use different guidelines to prepare the sustainability report of 2015 that is G4 GRI guidelines, guidelines of the Ministry of Environment and UN Global Compact. In this company is lacking in following all the guidelines, and company does not properly define all its policies and initiatives in sustainability report. There are many flaws in the report of the company. In this w e recommend that company must focus on other aspects of social policy also, because in 2015 company only focus on the labor and employees relationship, and does not mention any facts which relate with the other aspects of social category. References: Wesfarmers. Who We Are. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://www.wesfarmers.com.au/who-we-are/who-we-are. Wesfarmers. Our Businesses. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://www.wesfarmers.com.au/our-businesses/our-businesses. GRI. G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://www.globalreporting.org/resourcelibrary/GRIG4-Part1-Reporting-Principles-and-Standard-Disclosures.pdf. Wesfarmers. Wesfarmers Arts: Connecting our people with the arts. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au/case-studies/community/wesfarmers-arts-connecting-our-people-with-the-arts/. Wesfarmers. Community. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au/our-principles/community/community-contributions/. Wesfarmers. Environment. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au/our-principles/environment/climate-change-resilience/. Wesfarmers. (2015). Wesfarmers Signs Business Coalition on Climate Change. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au/our-principles/environment/climate-change-resilience/. Wesfarmers. (2015). people. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au/our-principles/people/people-development/. Wesfarmers. (2015). Safety. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au/our-principles/people/safety/. Wesfarmers. (2015). Sourcing. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au/our-principles/sourcing/ethical-sourcing/. Wesfarmers. (2015). Sourcing. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au/our-principles/sourcing/suppliers/. Wesfarmers. (2015). GRI G4 Content Index. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au/our-data/gri-g4-content-index/. Wesfarmers. (2015). Governance. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au/our-principles/governance/robust-governance/. Wesfarmers. (2015). Diversities. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://sustainability.wesfarmers.com.au/our-principles/people/diversity/. Fuji Xerox. Company. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://www.fujixerox.com.au/company/. Fuji Xerox. GRI G4 content index in accordance - Core. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://www.fxasustainability.com.au/2014/gri_g4_content_index_in_accordance-core.pdf. Fuji Xerox. Referenced Guidelines. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://www.fujixerox.com/eng/company/sr/2015/booklet.html. Fuji Xerox. (2014). Fuji Xerox Australia Sustainability Report 2014. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://www.fxasustainability.com.au/2014/report.php. Fuji Xerox. (2015). Highlights 2 Creating a Future for Local Communities. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://www.fujixerox.com/eng/company/sr/2015/highlight/02.html. Fuji Xerox. (2015). Working Conditions and Workplace Safety and Health. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://www.fujixerox.com/eng/company/sr/2015/stakeholder/employee/condition.html. Fuji Xerox. (2015). Engagement with Global Environment. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://www.fujixerox.com/eng/company/sr/2015/global_environment.html#saving. Fuji Xerox. (2015). Sustainability Report 2015. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://www.fujixerox.com/eng/company/sr/booklet/2015e.pdf. Fuji Xerox. (2015). Guidelines of the Ministry of the Environment. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://www.fujixerox.com/eng/company/sr/2015/environment.html. Fuji Xerox. (2015). Environment Policy. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://www.fujixerox.com/eng/company/sr/2015/stakeholder/environment/policy.html. Fuji Xerox. (2015). Risk Management. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from:https://www.fujixerox.com/eng/company/sr/2015/corporation/organization/management.html. Fuji Xerox. (2015). At Customers' Offices. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://www.fujixerox.com/eng/company/ecology/office/. Fuji Xerox. (2015). Engagement with Suppliers. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://www.fujixerox.com/eng/company/sr/2015/partner.html. Fuji Xerox. (2015). UN Global Compact. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://www.fujixerox.com/eng/company/sr/2015/global_compact.html. Wesfarmers. Our Data. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://www.wesresources.com.au/sustainability_report_2015/our-data/. ASX. Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from: https://www.asx.com.au/documents/asx-compliance/cgc-principles-and-recommendations-3rd-edn.pdf. Sustainability Development Charter. Benefits of Sustainability. Retrieved on 8th October 2016 from:https://www.sd-charter.net/about/benefits/.

Sports Gambling and Its Negative Impact on the Games We Love Essay Example

Sports Gambling and Its Negative Impact on the Games We Love Essay In a time of peace – those years in between wars – there is no other activity that can elevate man’s thinking, inspire the average guy, and keeps a man talking endlessly for hours other than sports. In America sports is sometimes treated like religion. And for those who view it this way the more popular denominations are Basketball, Baseball, Football and Golf. Americans are dead serious in following the progress of their favorite teams and to increase their participation they not only subscribe to cable TV programming, buy expensive sports magazines, browse ESPN.com, and buy sports jerseys. A significant number of Americans bet on games. As a result sports gambling in the U.S. have become a serious problem. It is similar to addiction with a banned substance; no one can see its negative impact on the person until more serious self-destructive behavior emerges. Background Just recently I came across this article in Yahoo.com about the highest paid athletes in the world of sports. I cannot remember the title of the said piece, the date it was written and who the author was but I cannot forget the names found on that list. The mention of big money is a sure way of getting somebody’s attention and I took a mental note of the following names, T. Woods, K. Bryant, A-Rod, S. O’Neil, B. Favre, L. James etc. We will write a custom essay sample on Sports Gambling and Its Negative Impact on the Games We Love specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sports Gambling and Its Negative Impact on the Games We Love specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sports Gambling and Its Negative Impact on the Games We Love specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer I am sure that even without revealing their full names the reader has a good idea who these guys are. They are global celebrities and the mention of their names signifies the fact that the games they represent are recognized in every corner of this planet. As mentioned earlier sports is treated like religion in the U.S., meaning a considerable amount of time, money and efforts is spent just to participate in these events. And it does not matter whether the games are played by professionals or college athletes for many the thrill and excitement remains the same. There is no explanation needed as to why Americans love sports. For me sports like basketball and baseball are activities that can offer countless benefits. For some it is entertainment, the best way to â€Å"chill† is to sit back, relax and watch a game on a wide-screen TV. One way of releasing all that stress is to buy tickets and watch a game live. Rooting for a home team is like going to war except that everyone comes alive. If the home team wins those who are there to witness the game can come home feeling so good. And the feeling stays even after a few days. For others sports is a component of a healthy lifestyle that encourages exercise and the desire for a fit body. Baseball or basketball for that matter is more than a game for many Americans.   Its purpose is more than entertainment or to give an excuse on how to spend the weekends and holidays.   For many, baseball and basketball is like religion; one that an avid fan uses to aid him in the path to happiness.   It helps get his mind pre-occupied, distracting him from the cares of the world.   It gives him respite from the mind numbing repetitive work at the office or the manufacturing plant. For a few moments he does not worry about bills to pay and other mundane tasks. It can even help him forget about the evils in the world like the threat of terrorism. Paul Staudohar explains the effect of sports in the lives of people and he said, â€Å"The games recall the playful, simpler times of spectators’ own childhoods and help keep them young† (1991, p.190).   It is therefore important to keep the traditions alive. The survival of this society can be assured if Dads can continually bring their sons to sports stadiums and together enjoy that magical moment. The son grows up to become a father and continues the tradition of bringing sons and daughters to see their sports heroes in action. The bonding between parent and child that occurs during these precious moments could not be described by words. But there is a growing problem that threatens to undermine all that is beautiful and beneficial about sports. This is the phenomenon of sports gambling or sports betting. At the onset one can easily enumerate a few of the negative impacts of sports gambling: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   encourages cheating e.g. game fixing; 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   attracts organized crime; and 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   bankruptcy and other money problems. Betting on Games There are many ways that an athlete can damage his or her career.   Some of them would unintentionally harm their career by getting hooked on illegal substances or the practice of illegal activities.   Another path that many athletes chose to follow on a self-destructive lifestyle is gambling.   Staudohar, stated that â€Å"There are three basic principal behavior problems in professional sports: violence, gambling and chemical abuse† (1991, p.191).   With prohibited drugs it is relatively easy to detect those who are suffering under its influence, but with gambling no one can be so sure until bankruptcy is announced and until game fixing is suspected. The difficulty in eradicating this problem can be explained by the pervasiveness of gambling. This is an interesting fact considering that it is illegal to bet on college and professional games in every state in the U.S. except for Nevada. In 1998 alone, $2.3 billion was legally wagered on sports in Nevada where 40 percent of the money was placed on college games. The amount is mind-boggling considering the fact that this is a highly regulated system the only place in the U.S. where betting is allowed. Now, be prepared to be blown away with the figures from the illegal side of sports gambling. With regards to illegal sports gambling made nationwide, it was estimated that the dollar amount soar as high as $ 380 billion (French, 2004, p. 108). With this kind of money floating around it is no wonder that everyone is turning a blind eye and basically ignores the problem. Aside from the overwhelming force of gambling there are other reasons why parents, teachers and even game officials condone the idea of betting. For them it is harmless and they justify gambling as a better alternative to drugs. Furthermore, it does not require the mind of a rocket scientists to understand the excitement that betting brings in to the lives of sports spectators. It is said that nothing becomes important unless something is at stake. And therefore in order to make the game more meaningful friends, family members or neighbors come together and place bets. With this kind of culture it is easy to go from innocent betting among friends into something organized that encourages systematic and regular betting on games that does not even involve the home team. When this happens it is a tell-tale sign of a compulsive gambler.   They wager not for the simple fun of it but with the intent of creating a money-making scheme. This is where the problem begins and as mentioned earlier it has become a multi-billion dollar industry. Negative Impact In the world of professional athletes the Hall of Shame is littered with names that once were highly respected in their sport but now are ridiculed as a symbol of what is terribly wrong with U.S. sports organizations. These are professional athletes who seem to be never contented with their fat paychecks and continue to dabble in illegal schemes. But the problem concerning game fixing and the involvement of organized crime is not only limited to the pros. Collegiate level sports games is a major part in illegal sports betting in the country. Moreover the problem involves the players, game officials, students and all those who help perpetuate the said illegal activities. Myles Brand of the NCAA remarked that, â€Å"Sports wagering is a double-threat because it harms the well-being of student-athletes and the integrity of the sports† (as cited in   Rogers, 2005, p. 52). From this statement one can glean two major results of sports gambling and that is game fixing or manipulating game results to dictate point spread. This can also lead in the rise of gambling junkies among students. Compulsive gambling is like an addiction and instead of getting high, the gambling addict will continually have money problems in order to sustain his or her habit. For a student this is a very bad precedent, one that can seriously affect the rest of his life. The same thing applies to professional athletes. Game fixing and compulsive gambling are two major problems that needed to be eradicated to ensure the integrity of the sport. This can be fully understood by looking at high profile cases where careers where placed in jeopardy because of the lack of self-control when it comes to gambling. As a result the public slowly begins to lose interest and if things will continue to slide then there is a possibility that more and more people will abandon the game they once love. In the Major League Baseball and the National Basketball association two cases involving illegal gambling will be discussed. For basketball the recent headline-grabbing scandal of a referee involved not only in game fixing but possible collusion with the criminal underworld has created some major disturbances in the league. In baseball, the legendary career of Pete Rose was flushed down the toilet when he could not control the urge to gamble. It is a terrible waste to be sure but sometimes it is hard to understand why someone would give up something special in exchange for a few moments of exhilaration from placing a wager. Gambling in the NBA Tim Donaghy is a member of an elite group of referees. He works for the NBA. At the time that he was fired from the league he was only 40 years old and at the peak of his career.   There is no doubt that that he is pulling in substantial paychecks considering that he is part of the crew that works on playoff games. Moreover, ESPN.com reported that he lives in a gated community. Without even considering the amount of money he pulls in every year from his dream job, Donaghy is in a position of influence being an NBA referee. But he literally gambled it all away, not only his job but his life and his family. He will live the rest of his life in ridicule and there are only a few places in this planet where his misdeeds will not be recognized. He will live the rest of his life with a negative label. His actions seriously damaged the credibility of the league and many are shaking their heads in disgust. One could just imagine what a die-hard fan would have felt after receiving the news that Donaghy influenced the outcome of games. There are a number of controversial games where Donaghy was part of the officiating crew. One could not help wonder if Donaghy played a part in manipulating the results. It really pisses me off thinking about those games. For a true basketball fan a crucial game involving his favorite team will be followed with much gusto and every possession and every play made during the course of the game is savored like an expensive Cuban cigar. Now, here comes Donaghy admitting to having a hand in influencing the outcome of games; it makes me feel like a fool, like a puppet on a string.   It may have been better for me if I just watched WWF wrestling, at least I know from the onset that the game was scripted and rehearsed. Gambling in Major League Baseball In the infamous â€Å"Black Sox Scandal† that shocked the world of baseball Stanley Teitelbaum in his book Sports Heroes, Fallen Idols, recounted the impact of the scandal: In September 1920 the world of organized baseball was rocked by the news that eight players on the Chicago White Sox had conspired with gamblers to throw the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds.   The White Sox were the stronger team on paper and were heavy favorites to win the series, but before the opening game in Cincinnati the odds had shifted drastically in favor of the Reds.   It is likely the word has gotten around to the bookmakers that a fix was in the works. (2005, p. 33) One can just imagine the negative impact the scandal had on the game and it seems that the players had learned their lessons well.   But less than sixty years later, news of impropriety once again stunned the Major League.   Cincinnati Reds player and manager Pete Rose was banished from the game of baseball.   There is nothing crueler that could be done to a future hall- of-famer. Pete Rose: All Time Hit King Writers find no difficulty in praising Pete Rose’s talents.   Fred McMane heaped this compliment on Rose: As a baseball player, Rose is the perfect example of the individual who made the very most of what he had.   Although limited in natural skills, he worked hard to become one of the sport’s all-time great players.   In addition to most hits, he owns the career records for games played (3,562), most at-bats (14,053), most singles (3,315), most seasons of 200 or more hits (10) [†¦] Not only was Rose baseball’s all-time hit leader, but he was a catalyst on three world-championship teams. (2000, p.4) Addicted to Gambling The same tenacity he displayed every time he is in a baseball diamond, is the same passion he exhibited in his gambling.   Apparently the habit got so serious that in the twilight of his career, after becoming the all-time hit king by breaking Ty Cobb’s record, Pete Rose got the surprise of a life time.   On February 23, 1989 the commissioner’s office officially began the investigation into the gambling problem of Pete Rose.   They hired the services of John Dowd, a tough, hard-nosed attorney who spent ten years in the U.S. Justice Department running after mob-related cases (Ginsburg, 1995, p. 243). Integrity of the Game Mcmane wrote that Giamatti – head of Major League Baseball at that time – held a news conference a day after banning Pete Rose, where he said: The matter of Mr. Rose is now closed.   It will be debated and discussed.   Let no one think it did not hurt baseball.   The hurt will pass, however, as the great glory of the game asserts itself and a resilient institution goes forward.   Let it also be clear that no individual is superior to the game.† (2000, p.9) It was not only that Rose participated in illegal gambling; Rose exposed the beautiful game into the dark world of game fixing.   Ginsburg explains the severity of his offense that according to baseball rules the penalty for betting on games involving your own club was permanent expulsion from baseball Staudohar was able to explain it succinctly by saying: Virtually all productive enterprises depend on consumer markets for their viability and economic growth.   Industries tat produce goods and those that render services to the public tend to rise and fall in accordance with the consumer image of the attractiveness and reliability of their performance.   Public image is especially crucial to the success of sports, because the consumption of this service is based on a derived joy from entertainment rather than biological need to sustain life. (190) In other words, the moment the fans suspect that there is something wrong with the system and that they are not getting what they are supposed to be getting – which is the pleasure of witnessing two teams competing at the highest levels, then they will stop coming to the stadiums and arenas.   No one would spend his hard earned money for a farce such as a â€Å"fix†. Adam Epstein has this to say as to why league officials must uphold the rules against athletes betting on their own team, â€Å"At the heart of sports gambling is the concern that games â€Å"fixed† by players, coaches, trainers, or others defeat the ideal that the outcome of a sporting event is left to chance and skill.   A disturbing issue [] is the role that the athletes, coaches, and even sports officials themselves might play in altering the outcome of a game in order to profit from betting on a loss, or point spread† (96). Conclusion Sports gambling is like a two-headed monster that could not be easily slain. It is part entertainment and part money-making scheme. On the basis of these two factors alone, the fight against gambling is an uphill climb to say the least. Others may argue that betting on games is part of the whole spectator experience. There are even those who are saying that it is harmless and just done for fun. But the discussion made in the preceding pages points to another end result. Sports gambling is not as innocent as it may seem. It can lead the way for game fixing, other forms of cheating, addiction to gambling, and will result in a host of problems relating to money. There are two high profile cases that were reviewed, Pete Rose lifetime ban from Major League Baseball and Tim Donaghy’s expulsion from the NBA serves as a warning to the destructive effects of sports gambling. There is not enough space to show that this problem does not only happen to professional athletes and in the professional leagues. Student-athletes can be drawn into the vicious world of illegal gambling and their well-being can be seriously affected by compulsive gambling. Furthermore, sports gambling is not only limited to the misuse of funds. When game fixing or manipulation of games becomes the byproduct of athletes betting for or against their teams, the sport will be seriously affected. This disturbing issue will surely drive the fans away and if no action is taken every time an athlete or sports official tries to play around with the rules to serve his own selfish motives then it will surely bankrupt the Major League or the NBA.   Pete Rose represented the world of the athlete and sports official while serving as a player and manager of the Cincinnati Reds. Therefore he must be made an example.   It was too bad that he was a future hall-of-famer; it was too bad that he was the all-time hit king, but what was worse was that he gambled it all away by deliberately breaking the rules that was placed there to ensure the longevity of the game he loves so much. The same is true with Tim Donaghy. His actions placed the entire league in peril. An organization like the NBA was established after decades of painstaking work from the athletes and officials. With an act of impropriety Donaghy succeeded in tarnishing a professional basketball league and a game loved by millions all over the world.